Turkeys impacted by bird flu?

[Oconeeguy]

I have noticed turkeys have just about disappeared from my two hunting areas in Oconee and Greene Counties in the last few years. Most notable was that there were no turkeys and no gobbling in these areas last year. Spoke with a guy today who had heard that local turkey populations have been hit hard by "avian flu" . Anyone heard of this?

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

Here is a good article on the subject....
http://www.nwtf.org/hunt/article/what's-ailing-wild-turkeys

[Greg Massey]

Turkey's move around and feed in many different area's over time...I've seem them move around from a winter pattern to a summer pattern...Just because you have a lot in the winter doesn't mean by season opener your going to have turkeys on that farm...What i see as a major draw for turkeys is clover in our area...turkeys love clover ...If you don't have a clover food plot i would suggest you plan a clover plot..Our farm had a huge amount of turkeys at one time because we had a lot of white tail clover, over time in the past few years we didn't have as much clover and the number of birds drop off, so after playing a bunch of clover this pass spring our turkey numbers have over double this winter..over 32 hens in one group and over 13 Toms in a group..We have a 1000 ac..on our farm...we have seen several small groups also this winter...Turkey's are out their you just have to have the food source ...

[ferocious calls]

Thanks for the link Head hunter. Raising Easterns we want every bit of info available on diseases we can read.

By far the most number of birds that have died in my flocks have been killed by the others. They are Ferocious birds. And very fast healers as well if isolated from the floggings of others. The hens can be just as bad as the toms' with aggression.

[dejake]

the pgc has attributed the west nile virus to part of the declining population of ruffed grouse in northeastern pa.  don't see why it wouldn't also impact turkey.

[VA_Birdhunter]

the pgc has attributed the west nile virus to part of the declining population of ruffed grouse in northeastern pa.  don't see why it wouldn't also impact turkey.

I think it has had a large impact on grouse....I've hunted grouse for many years now and seen the population decline in areas they should be thriving and I turkey believe west Nile has played a big part in that.

[turkaholic]

I bumped a post from last year that discusses a theory about LPDV and Avain pox. I did not see it mentioned in the NWTF's article. I didn't see a date on that article but this info is current.

[sman]

I read a report that said the population was fine. That we were all being paranoid.

It explained that the land had reached its carrying capacity. That there weren't as many toms due to the fact that hens are not hunted. Also that hens that weren't laying eggs, were eating and not contributing to the population.

In other words,  we've reached carrying capacity and most of the birds are hens but the population is fine.

I believe this about as much as I believe any politician. Bunch of bull.