Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New Trophy's
New trophy room comments
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Classifieds
Trophy Room
New items
New comments
Latest content
Latest updates
Latest reviews
Author list
Series list
Search showcase
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Tennessee Hunting Forums
Long Beards & Spurs
Mid April Opening Days Suck
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="poorhunter" data-source="post: 5891502" data-attributes="member: 16537"><p>I fully understand that I am in the vast minority that does not think there are more (not appreciably at least) best raiders today than 5,10,20 or 50 years ago. Coon hunters could barely put a dent in populations of raccoons on one specific property, much less over the entire landscape where turkeys live. Coyotes, bobcats, hawks etc have all been around, and while there are more of them now and hawks can play havoc on a flock of poults, they simply cannot have that big of an effect population wide.</p><p>What we are seeing is a vast decline over all habitat types over the entire south. There is something else going on, and it is way too oversimplified to blame nest raiders. Trapping the snot out of them will indeed reduce their population but it is VERY fleeting with their productivity.</p><p>It's not habitat either. There are square mile upon mile upon square mile of prime turkey habitat that have seen a huge decline in turkeys, and marginal habitat that is holding steady or increasing even. Urban sprawl? Turkeys are thriving there. Clear cuts or other logging? Those are a boon to turkeys over time. Turning land into row crops? Turkeys are going bonkers and have for decades in the corn belt with spotty woodlands.</p><p>All of these things may have an impact, but they are either negligible across the whole landscape or have a positive impact. No, there is something else killing our turkeys. Maybe disease. Maybe poison. Maybe too effective hunting tactics and long liberal seasons and bag limits. I don't know what it is for sure, but I am 1000% convinced it is not best raiders.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="poorhunter, post: 5891502, member: 16537"] I fully understand that I am in the vast minority that does not think there are more (not appreciably at least) best raiders today than 5,10,20 or 50 years ago. Coon hunters could barely put a dent in populations of raccoons on one specific property, much less over the entire landscape where turkeys live. Coyotes, bobcats, hawks etc have all been around, and while there are more of them now and hawks can play havoc on a flock of poults, they simply cannot have that big of an effect population wide. What we are seeing is a vast decline over all habitat types over the entire south. There is something else going on, and it is way too oversimplified to blame nest raiders. Trapping the snot out of them will indeed reduce their population but it is VERY fleeting with their productivity. It’s not habitat either. There are square mile upon mile upon square mile of prime turkey habitat that have seen a huge decline in turkeys, and marginal habitat that is holding steady or increasing even. Urban sprawl? Turkeys are thriving there. Clear cuts or other logging? Those are a boon to turkeys over time. Turning land into row crops? Turkeys are going bonkers and have for decades in the corn belt with spotty woodlands. All of these things may have an impact, but they are either negligible across the whole landscape or have a positive impact. No, there is something else killing our turkeys. Maybe disease. Maybe poison. Maybe too effective hunting tactics and long liberal seasons and bag limits. I don’t know what it is for sure, but I am 1000% convinced it is not best raiders. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Tennessee Hunting Forums
Long Beards & Spurs
Mid April Opening Days Suck
Top