What Is Being Done In Your State?

[GobbleNut]

We have been discussing the decline in turkey numbers in regions of the country.  So here is my question?  What, if anything, is being done in your state to research and address these declines by your wildlife departments,...and/or in conjunction with the NWTF?

[RutnNStrutn]

Florida does virtually nothing to my knowledge. Everyone has to come here for the Osceolas, so they are more about making money. FWC is routinely underfunded and has drastically cut turkey management programs.

[Spitten and drummen]

I havent seen anything being done in the state of Ms. not saying it hasnt but nothing that I am aware of.

[Gentry]

Louisiana has moved the opening date back a couple weeks.  I think it has had a positive impact? That's all I know of.


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[guesswho]

I talked to a local GW here in Ga about 6 months ago.   He said they felt the timing of opening weekend was a big factor and they were looking at moving it back a week.  I'm not convinced that's an issue.   We've had the same opener for years without any problems other than the typical bad hatch years from bad weather.    And Alabama has moved their opener back six days this year and added three to the end of the season.  So shortened the season by 3 days as well as move the opener back.  Still a 5 bird limit though as far as I know. 

[Rzrbac]

MO's turkey biologist seems to think it's just cyclic and to my knowledge nothing is being done.

[tracker#1]

NY closed 2 weeks of the fall season and promotes "not shooting " hens in the fall. They have 2 studies going on by DEC biologists but I've heard nothing of solid answers other than they blame "wet springs". Springs are always wet in WNY. There are "pockets" of birds around the state that are doing better. The DEC took way to long to react to the numbers dropping IMO. The numbers rose a little few years back because the racoon population had a rabbi academic. The population is back up, no one hunts or traps racoons much anymore. Personally, I only take 1 spring gobbler even though I'm allowed two and haven't hunted the past 5 years the fall season. When you engage and talk with DEC officials you get the "run around". You mise well talk to the wall. ...

[rifleman]

I agree with Tracker on a large part of the problem being predators.  Back in the days when turkeys were plentiful coon hunting was a money maker and virtually every hillbilly had a dog and hunted.  Now coyotes are rampant as well as other turkey predators.  I don't see shorter fall seasons and basing populations on fall harvest as a valid means of managing turkey populations. Fall hunting is just about dead anymore here in WV.  I haven't hunted fall birds in several years as old age catches up with guys of my era and young hunters are fixated on bowhunting.  I think just over 1k were killed last fall and down from the year before.  So the WV fall season will probably be messed with again since it really doesn't make money or put hunters out there.

[randy6471]

  Not sure what, if anything the Pa Game Commission is doing. I don't hunt public land, but I think I read somewhere that the Game Commission along with the local NWTF chapters have done some habitat improvement work on state ground.

  The Game Commission did begin offering a "special" extra turkey tag a few years ago, to provide hunters with the "opportunity" to harvest a second bird. Of course there is an extra "special" price of $21.90 for residents and $41.90 for non residents to purchase this extra tag. Initially the proceeds were designated to go toward turkey research and habitat improvement, but we never hear any follow up info around how that's working out. My guess is that after administration fees, other costs associated with this "special" tag and the usual mismanagement of funds....there isn't much....if anything left for turkeys. Or if there is...it gets redirected to higher priority items.

  I do know that over the last couple of years they have added some new jobs to the payroll, including making a big splash last year by hiring Matt Morrett, to provide his "expertise of the outdoor industry" and put him in charge of "new hunter recruitment". Not sure how that's working out either.

  What I do know is that, at least in my area, land management for hunting is a pretty big deal. Many landowners, including myself, spend countless hours of effort and sometimes ridiculous amounts of money on food plots and habitat improvement. The abundance of year round food sources and quality habitat is what I believe to be the key in keeping a good population of birds in my area.

  Still the overall number of turkeys in my area is down significantly from 15 years ago and I totally agree with what others have said around predators and specifically coons having had the biggest negative impact. Plus, it's now common to see bobcats, fishers and an occasional bald eagle in our area, which was unheard of 15 years ago.

 

 

 

[Spurs]

As I stated in another thread, the Arkansas Game and Fish say is it due to multiple factors:  Flooding, bad hatches, predators, hogs, timber company changes in harvesting, etc. 

My opinion is that is all true with a dash of nature.  I do think the AGFC could be doing more; like the creation of a Stream Management Zone LAW...most timber companies only loosely follow and true SMZ.

[shatcher]

TN needs to cut the 4 bird bag limit.

[Spurs]

TN needs to cut the 4 bird bag limit.

While I can see why many would like that, it has not been proven to work in other states.  Also, pushing back seasons has not helped.

Now if someone has evidence contrary to what I have stated, I would be more open minded about restriction.  But mindlessly throwing regulations at a dart board with nothing more that a theory is what hurts hunting more in the long run.

[shatcher]

Everything mentioned could be argued that it is a theory.  Fact is, everyone here has mentioned something that is correct.  No easy fix.

[Gooserbat]

Oklahoma plants food plots on WMAs, kills a few hogs, finally opened coon season all year and has a county by county bag limit to spread out the harvest.  I guess it's better than some. 

[buzzardroost]

TN is basically just looking around commie Nashville and thinking everything is great when it's really not in the rest of the state.