Arkansas turkey population

[Woodhaven]

Something happened to our turkey, only seen a few hens. Our turkey has been declining for a few years now, only thing different is our hog population is growing.

[Jhp148]

They will destroy your turkey population if you can't control them. We have several in my club around the Ms river and the turkey numbers aren't what they use to be.


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[Woodhaven]

Yes I agree I think the game and fish tried to catch them.

[Wigsplitter]

I live in Arkansas as well and have seen the decline. You can believe that we(Arkansas) are not on the radar for out of state hunters!! We have a problem just like a lot of other southeast states

[GobbleNut]

Two ways to solve your problems:
1) Insist your wildlife management agency get serious about finding out what the cause(s) are for the decline and address them,...or
2) Start re-stocking programs on a large enough scale to offset the factors that are limiting your turkey populations.

Either way, having more turkeys has got to be important enough to sportsmen in your states to fight for the resource.  That fight will most likely include sportsmen reaching into their pocketbooks and anti-ing up. 

Of course, another option is to get the NWTF to step up to the plate and start spending your membership dollars on addressing the problem rather than paying their (too many) employees exorbitant salaries, building new stuff that benefits very few individuals, and having parties for their volunteers.   

[Marc]

Interesting discussion...

In my area, I have noticed that areas with high pig populations often also have high turkey populations?  I assumed that habitat and water availability are the primary reasons...  How do pigs compete with or reduce numbers of turkeys (honest question)?

I have noticed that areas with higher turkey populations have lower quail populations...  I do believe that turkeys both compete with valley quail for food (and nesting), and use young quail themselves for a food source.

Here in California, improved agriculture and water delivery methods have pretty much decimated pheasant and quail populations in agricultural areas; every square inch of an agricultural field is now utilized, and ditches with cover have been cleared for better water delivery.  Also it is believed that aggressive mosquito control has contributed to the pheasant decline (killing mosquitos kills all aquatic insects that pheasant and quail poults need).

And, how much are the turkey populations being affected on public property verses private?  Although the percentage of people hunting is down, the actual numbers are higher...  More people hunting less area often seems to push birds out of previously productive public areas (in my experience).

[GobbleNut]

All good points, Marc.  In answer to your question on feral hogs, I believe they are opportunistic nest predators more than anything.  As is well known, their sense of smell is extraordinary, and as such, are most likely capable of finding turkey nests/eggs better than a lot of other nest raiders.  I SUSPECT they are a significant factor in the apparent decline in nesting success in those areas where they exist in any significant numbers.   

Regarding quail and turkeys, I have seen studies that indicate that turkeys are not a significant factor in the problem of quail declines.  However, since turkeys are omnivorous and will eat just about anything, there is little doubt that newly-hatched quail poults would be gobbled up (no pun intended) by an opportunistic turkey.  However, I also would be inclined to think that momma quail would recognize that danger and would avoid such interactions as much as possible.  Hence, I suspect turkey predation on quail poults is insignificant (and that is what the studies I am aware of have indicated).   

As for your observation of co-existing high hog/turkey populations, I agree that habitat quality is likely the key ingredient,...specifically, good nesting cover for turkeys.  Good ground cover is essential for nesting success of ground nesting birds. 

As for public vs private land, another phenomenon taking place is the influx of people moving to rural areas.  Many of those folks love wildlife and try to attract them onto their properties by using feeders, food plots, and other attractants.  Put a feeder on a property and wildlife of all sorts soon realize where their vittles are the easiest to obtain and it isn't long before they are content to stay right there close to their food source.  Combine that with the ever-increasing attitudes toward non-consumptive wildlife use ("bird watching") rather than consumptive use (hunting) and the resulting "problem" for hunters is apparent.  Wildlife that isn't harassed by humans soon becomes accustomed to them and as such are willing to co-exist in close proximity,...often keeping them out of the reach of hunters.

[LaLongbeard]

We are in the same situation here in Louisiana. The game and fish dept. blames habitat loss etc. but some of the places I hunt had turkeys and now don't with zero change to habitat. This season I walked and scouted/hunted huge areas of NF that has a control burning program and some food plots planted. Zero tracks Zero gobbling on consecutive good mornings just no turkeys. I agree the hogs are a contributing factor. You'd have to hunt an area with a high hog population to appreciate there impact. If there's one there's probably a hundred and they spend all day and night rooting around looking for something to eat. There's so many of them scouring the woods there going to make an impact.
But I don't think hogs are the only issue some parts of La don't have a high hog population but still no turkeys. There are some small pockets of turkeys mostly on private land but not everywhere there's turkey habitat. I have to hunt longer and harder each season to kill one when I move on to other states it's almost unbelievable the amount of turkeys in some states. This season in La has about made my mind up to hunt other states and leave La be until something changes. They have moved the season opener into April so more hens will be bread before the Gobblers get hunted, maybe it will help but we need more than that.
To address Gobbnuts suggestions, they are good ones if you could get someone to listen. I have repeatedly emailed and called the La wildlife and fisheries about what it would take to buy some turkeys from another state and prop up our dwindling populations. Only response I got was "all the availabile habitat has been stocked" maybe in 1980 but we need some more. A lot of people profess to be Turkey hunters and spend plenty of time fouling up the woods and messing others up, but would not spend a dime to help buy turkeys for transplant. As far as the NWTF I've never heard anything back.
I think common sense would tell you that if you saturated a WMA with good habitat, with birds from another state and closed just that one WMA for a few years whatever the problem is predation, disease inbreeding whatever, would be offset by the new birds. Eventually the population would grow and spread out. If you did this just in the WMAs were the hunting could be controlled easier you'd see an increase. La original stocking program was stupid at best I have the numbers of how many birds were released per year and it was a joke dribbling 5 or 6 birds across a whole state isn't going to do anything.Example in 1962 the state of La released 1 turkey in the whole state 1. What is one turkey going to do? Other states were releasing 20 or so in one location. The thing is everyone wants to be a turkey hunter but no one wants to do anything to help but complain. I plan to try one last time to get an answer  or some action. Good luck in Arkansas hope you have better luck than we have.

[Marc]

All good points, Marc.  In answer to your question on feral hogs, I believe they are opportunistic nest predators more than anything.  As is well known, their sense of smell is extraordinary, and as such, are most likely capable of finding turkey nests/eggs better than a lot of other nest raiders.  I SUSPECT they are a significant factor in the apparent decline in nesting success in those areas where they exist in any significant numbers.

As for your observation of co-existing high hog/turkey populations, I agree that habitat quality is likely the key ingredient,...specifically, good nesting cover for turkeys.  Good ground cover is essential for nesting success of ground nesting birds. 

Thank you for the insight...  Makes sense.

I would still point to Texas...  Tough to find a region of the country that has higher turkey or pig populations...  Although unlike other nest-eaters, pigs are omnivorous and their populations probably do not rise & fall with game populations as other more predatory animals. 

Regarding quail and turkeys, I have seen studies that indicate that turkeys are not a significant factor in the problem of quail declines.  However, since turkeys are omnivorous and will eat just about anything, there is little doubt that newly-hatched quail poults would be gobbled up (no pun intended) by an opportunistic turkey.  However, I also would be inclined to think that momma quail would recognize that danger and would avoid such interactions as much as possible.  Hence, I suspect turkey predation on quail poults is insignificant (and that is what the studies I am aware of have indicated).   

As an avid quail hunter, I have also looked at such studies, and have seen nothing that really gives any significant determinations...  And most studies I read have been done on bobwhite quail, which for the most part whose populations have fallen with increasing turkey populations...

What I have seen on properties that turkeys were previously not present is that quail will tend to nest and live in sub-prime areas as they are being pushed out of better habitat by turkeys...  Valley quail and turkeys often look for similar areas to nest (cover, food, and water), and I have seen turkeys eat young quail (or at least chase them to eat them).

I do have a limited biology background, and admittedly have not conducted any formal studies...  But I certainly have seen turkeys populations start (and rise quickly) with plummeting quail populations and no other discernable changes.

Currently there is some discussion in California as to the negative environmental impact that wild turkeys are having on native species...  Due to the fact that turkeys are non-native there is no more planting or transplanting of these birds allowed...

As both an avid quail and turkey hunter, I have mixed feelings on this issue...  There has been some question as to whether the introduction of turkeys to California was a good idea or not.  It has been my impression that when people interfere with nature that inevitably we create more problems than we solve.

I have seen at least some discussion of increasing turkey bag limits to reduce populations...   Speaking unofficially to some wardens, one of the reasons that we do not have tags, and that hunters are allowed to basically continue on the honor system of three birds per season, is that they really do not care all that much about turkey harvest.

I have never run across a warden while turkey hunting, and I could easily kill as many birds as I wanted if I did not post on social media...  I know of others who do.  The selling of tags would eliminate this and create increased revenue for the state, so I do not see the downside???

As for public vs private land, another phenomenon taking place is the influx of people moving to rural areas.  Many of those folks love wildlife and try to attract them onto their properties by using feeders, food plots, and other attractants.  Put a feeder on a property and wildlife of all sorts soon realize where their vittles are the easiest to obtain and it isn't long before they are content to stay right there close to their food source.  Combine that with the ever-increasing attitudes toward non-consumptive wildlife use ("bird watching") rather than consumptive use (hunting) and the resulting "problem" for hunters is apparent.  Wildlife that isn't harassed by humans soon becomes accustomed to them and as such are willing to co-exist in close proximity,...often keeping them out of the reach of hunters.

Many areas I used to hunt are now dotted with houses...  Turkeys seem to thrive with people.  I hunt one property that is absolutely prime.  The turkey population density is probably 20% of that of little rural communities that feed and house turkeys (out of danger from most predators).  Turkeys have seemed to learn to avoid fenced areas with dogs, and kitty cats seem to be of little consequence to wild turkeys...

Frustrating to hunt a 1000 acre ranch with a handful of birds on it, and across the street in someone's yard is a flock of 30 birds...

But as the population grows, we will see more and more people spreading into rural areas with less places to hunt, and less area for wildlife to be "wild."

[Gumby]

Arkansas is in a real bad situation when it comes to turkey numbers. The decline has been happening for much longer than just a couple of years. The main cause I believe is predators and lack of nesting habitat. Poult surveys for our state are shocking. We have also had terrible floods for several years. There are rumblings amongst the hunting public in our state about shutting the season down for a couple of years and restocking. This will likely never happen. The AGFC did hire a new turkey biologist. He's younger and I hope willing to do whatever it takes to get our numbers on the incline.

[Woodhaven]

They have a burning off of government land here in Arkansas  I'm sure it's to cut down on wild fires but I bet it destroys the nesting places also. This was the 1st year they burned early.

[Gumby]

They have a burning off of government land here in Arkansas  I'm sure it's to cut down on wild fires but I bet it destroys the nesting places also. This was the 1st year they burned early.

One cannot argue that prescribed fires will destroy some nests. However, I am a firm believer that the benefits far, far outweigh the negatives. This is not the popular belief among the majority of Arkansas hunters but the biology is proven.

[tnanh]

Marc,
        I recently read a study that stated one of the biggest threats to turkey populations was house cats. Said they were the number 1 nest raider in some areas of the country. I believe it was part of the study being done in southern middle Tennessee and north Alabama but cant remember for sure.

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

Habitat and preditor control are the keys for turkey and especially quail population. Prescribed burning program is the best thing for habitat I believe if your a land owner managing for wildlife burning a 1/3 of your property every year is one of the best things you can do to improve the habitat. Preditor control IMO especially nest robbers is the next thing we have to address to improve numbers of turkey and quail. I believe Quail are a fragile creature if you have a strong quail population all other wildlife will thrive as well.

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[guesswho]

My opinion.  I've seen it here in Bama and Georgia for several years.  Simple math is your biggest enemy.  Everybody wants to blame the yotes, bobcats and nest robbers.   Birds have been faced with that from day one.   The simple math I mentioned.   More and more hunters, less and less suitable habitat.  Then factor in a turkey isn't that hard to kill in the spring.   States allow way to many aides to hunt a bird that isn't that hard to kill to begin with, blinds, decoys etc.  So more people, less suitable habitat, long seasons in the South and numerous aides to make even a novice a successful turkey hunter.  And throw in the desire to post hero shots and videos on social media.   When I do the math I come up with less turkeys.  Again, just my opinion and I'm a crazy old man.