Reason for start dates?

[Cutt]

Is there any rhyme or reason with State to State start dates? Our State of PA has always claimed it's start date coincides after the majority of hens have been breed?

So my thinking is other States would do the same? But if so, I always couldn't figure out why some Southern States start now, but PA does not start till April 28th? We are talking 43 days later here, which there is no way our birds are 43 days behind Southern birds, maybe a couple weeks max.?

Just never understood why so many States start way early as compared to a way too late start here? If all States started there seasons to coincide with basically the same breeding phase, something is way off? Or do other States just start their season when ever? Just think there has to be some logic with start dates, but hard to figure with such a big spread?

[Scottyb]

In the deep south, spring does come way earlier than it does in PA.
The reason is, those states are closer to the Equator therefore daylight begins to lengthen earlier the further you go south. Therefore, while it is still basically winter in PA, it is full on spring in the south. So yes, there  more than likely is a 48 day difference in the timing of spring.

Just look at the difference in the spring between here on the lower eastern shore of Md and PA, and multiply that by many times.

For example, birds here really are not starting to gobble a lot yet, but in FL they are.

Plus , look how cold it still is in PA in the middle of April, and how hot it is down south. 

[Cutt]

I know what your saying, but still have a hard time believing our birds are 43 days behind,  MS for example.

I believe MS started today?, and ours starts 43 days later. I can see a 2 week difference of 14 days to even maybe 3 weeks 21 days, but 43 days? I just don't see it?

[Tail Feathers]

I'm about as far south as south MS and our season starts April 15 this year.
It lasts a month but will be well up in the 90's before season ends.
Gobbling stops about the end of April around here and gobblers are back in bachelor groups by the first week of May.

But our population is declining and they want to save some birds.

[Cutt]

I'm about as far south as south MS and our season starts April 15 this year.
It lasts a month but will be well up in the 90's before season ends.
Gobbling stops about the end of April around here and gobblers are back in bachelor groups by the first week of May.

But our population is declining and they want to save some birds.

What State are you from?

From what you are saying States must set start dates on inticipated harvest? and not neccessarily the phase of breeding? Your State is starting late and wants to save numbers? That makes more sense, just as our State starts late and might want to limit the kill with our vast number of hunters? As they tell us it starts after the vast majority of hens have breed? So I'd have to believe some Southern States with early start dates are hitting the front end of breeding rather than the end like here?

[redarrow]

Keep in mind the fact that some states (usually Southern) have far more turkeys than the northern states. Therefore they can afford to kill more turkeys, bred or not to keep the population goals in check. Which is another reason some states allow multiple tags where as Michigan has always been one bearded  bird per season. We also have a lottery draw to control the number of birds taken.

[mnturkey]

Each state sets it own rules about the Turkey season.  In MN like MI you only get one bearded bird a season, but in WI between MI and MN you can get two, three and sometimes four tags.
The state sets the rules for what their DNR thinks the population can handle.
If you are relly curious I would talk with the Turkey bioliogist at your state DNR and ask him/her why the difference.
Turkeys like deer are non-migratory so the states set the law, ducks and geese are migratory and the seasons are set by the fedral guidelines.
For hunters different starting times are a good thing, can you imagine what it would be like if they all started on the same date and ended on the same date, your out of state hunting would be a big mad rush.
Now if a person wants to hunt for 2 1/2 months he can start down south now and work your way up North for the last seasons in late May.

[Cutt]

I guess I was always curious as to why our season started so late as compared to others? From what I'm reading it must be to keep kills down here probably due to so many hunters here?

I always felt our seaon started too late, as with many past seasons, the last two weeks have very little to no activity. I realize one can kill silent gobblers too, but sure would be nice to hunt them a 2-3 weeks earlier here too.

I can say this with past expierence calling birds 2-3 weeks before the Season. First I'm not one who calls pre season in huntable areas, but have before on areas that are closed for Spring Turkey, but is open for all other types of hunting. As this is a State Park which is closed for Spring Turkey only. And the activity 2-3 weeks before our opener here is like night and day as comapred to the last 2 weeks of our regular Season.

[budtripp]

Here in Missouri the season always starts the 3rd monday in April, and I read somewhere that the Conservation dept's reasoning was to make sure most of the hens were bred before the season opened. It doesn't really make much sense to me, considering our neighbors Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa have much earlier opening seasons and have just as many or more birds. Plus they can hunt all day, but thats a sore subject for another time lol.

[Cutt]

Here in Missouri the season always starts the 3rd monday in April, and I read somewhere that the Conservation dept's reasoning was to make sure most of the hens were bred before the season opened. It doesn't really make much sense to me, considering our neighbors Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa have much earlier opening seasons and have just as many or more birds. Plus they can hunt all day, but thats a sore subject for another time lol.

I here ya, it does not make much sense? as my original post was thinking all States kind of had the same reasoning with most hens being breed before the start? But there's just no way with the big spread of start dates, and partically with States like you stated that neighbor your State? Conservationist have their phases way off with one another, or as stated bird totals and hunting numbers factor into it more than the breeding phase, which they don't tell you? As I'd have to believe, the earlier a State starts hunting the more birds you will kill, the later the start, less birds?

[stinkpickle]

Here in Missouri the season always starts the 3rd monday in April, and I read somewhere that the Conservation dept's reasoning was to make sure most of the hens were bred before the season opened. It doesn't really make much sense to me, considering our neighbors Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa have much earlier opening seasons and have just as many or more birds. Plus they can hunt all day, but thats a sore subject for another time lol.

Kansas and Iowa aren't much different than Missouri.  For instance, Kansas starts on 4/11 and Iowa's first season starts 4/16, the same as Missouri's start date.  The 1PM stop time really sucks, though.

[budtripp]

Hmm, some reason i was thinking they were earlier. Probably thinking about their early archery seasons.

[zach06]

Tn starts march31st and goes to mid may.

[mrlongbeard]

new york starts May 1 and you can only hunt till noon. thats sucks

[DirtNap647]

lovin were cin more turkeys in pa but waiting so long for season is a drag