2 predictions for 2018 turkey season

[megalomaniac]

#1 this will be the lowest kill since turkey restoration completed

#2 TWRA will institute regulation changes to try to mitigate the population decline.

I hope I eat crow on #1, but I pray that #2- the regulation changes will be something meaningful, not just lowering limit or eliminating bearded hen killing. TN's turkeys NEED the season pushed back 2 weeks with the same ending date, and jakes need to be off limits. OFC, I'd love to see all hen killing eliminated, spring or fall, but we really need to let the hens initiate a fertile nest before we take out the LB's, especially in those areas with marginal populations.

 

[JAY B]

I agree!

 

[Coldfusion]

Wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.

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[duckriver]

Yep. It's changed for sure. We still have birds but nothing like it was

 

[poorhunter]

I hope for the same, but doubt it'll happen very soon.

 

[Andy S.]

As long as the statewide kills continue to exceed 30k, like it has the last 15 years, I seriously doubt we will see any major changes. With that said, the areas I frequent in central middle TN could benefit A LOT from numerous measures that would grow the number of birds.

Last 5 Years (county harvest and WMAs)
2017 - 34,651
2016 - 32,303
2015 - 31,500
2014 - 32,625
2013 - 32,915

 

[muddyboots]

Yawl are experiencing what we did several years back. They didn't change anything. Our turkeys virtually disappeared. They still aren't back like they used to be but I bet I've seen and heard 60 hens this morning.

 

[Andy S.]

.......but I bet I've seen and heard 60 hens this morning.

That is a GREAT sign if you ask me, especially if there are some male birds around to breed them.

 

[bloodtrailing]

I agree, population needs help. Jakes for those under 15. I think WMAs, especially those near more populated areas, needs more or individual restrictions.

I would like to see out of state licenses need to purchase individual turkey tags versus getting 4 for one tag. Maybe with a landowner out of state exemption.

 

[REN]

One thing that is NEVER mentioned in these threads is hunter ownership. Just cause you can kill 4 doesn't mean you have to if an area can't support it. Sure a lot of guys don't but at the same time I've seen a lot of guys kill 4 then complain how the population keeps getting smaller and smaller lol

I make it a point to never kill more then 2 off any property I hunt and some years none off certain ones if the population is declining

 

[deerfever]

Thanks for posting the last five years I had ask ifanyone knew that when this topic came up before. The numbers do not seem to show the trend state wide that some of you are experiencing locally. I have been turkey hunting TN for around 35 years now and really see no difference in the population recently. If anything I think it's better! I have been fortunate to get my limit several years with 95 percent of those birds being public land. Maybe some of you are used to hearing 10 birds a morning and now hear 4 or something.I hunt mostly Cumberland countyand east and it varies but I probably hear as many if not more than the past but again I have never been used to 10 a morningand feel fortunate if I hear 1.i also travel out to different areas west of Nashville and hear birds,but again I'm not sure what you are used to hearing. Just looking at those numbers it would seem things are stable for the most part. I do want to repeat what Ren said if you feel your area is in trouble then I wouldn't kill my limit. One thought might be something similar to Alabama where certain counties and parts of the state open at different times but I have no clue if that helps at all. When they do open it later ,we will see an early spring and have to read the "the turkeys are done and its over post" LoL.

 

[TheLBLman]

The numbers do not seem to show the trend state wide that some of you are experiencing locally.

The "statewide" turkey harvest is misleading, especially going back many years in time.

Although the statewide numbers may be fairly stable over the past few years,
this is in some part due to an expansion of turkeys into areas of the state that were previously void of turkeys.

Add to this that today's hunters can more "easily" kill a turkey than the hunters of only a few years ago. IMO, we're killing relatively more of the males now.

On average, in times past it absolutely took the development of better hunting skills to kill a turkey than it does today, no matter what the turkey population. Recent years have brought us more like-like (even remote controlled) decoys, pop-up blinds that can effectively negate the need to be still (a former hunting skill required), along with guns/loads capable of killing turkeys at greater distances.

Doesn't seem that long ago (to me) that most turkey hunters considered about 40 yards to be the maximum distance they'd generally take a shot. Today, many brag more about how far rather than how close they can snipe a turkey.

Don't take this different than intended, as I'm not meaning to come across as saying all these advancements are bad. But as it's become easier for a novice turkey hunter to kill turkeys rather than learn hunting skills, it may be time to reconsider the thinking in the turkey regs.

The best TN turkey hunting I've ever experienced was back when we had a 2-bird limit.
IMO, the biggest thing wrong with our current turkey regs is the limit is too high.

Although I do hope Megalomaniac is wrong regarding his opening statement,
I fear he may be correct.

 

[TheLBLman]

One thing that is NEVER mentioned in these threads is hunter ownership. Just cause you can kill 4 doesn't mean you have to if an area can't support it. Sure a lot of guys don't but at the same time I've seen a lot of guys kill 4 then complain how the population keeps getting smaller and smaller lol

I make it a point to never kill more then 2 off any property I hunt and some years none off certain ones if the population is declining

I agree.
Last time I had any desire to "limit out" was when we had a 2-bird limit.
Every since, I've typically limited myself to 2 or 3 birds annually, usually just two, a few years have been a purposeful zero or one due to so few birds.

But more of the younger shooters today seem totally focused on limiting out, ASAP, however possible.
Few seem to have considered how too few older Toms harm the sustainability of good turkey densities
even when the habitat is great for more turkeys to healthily exist in the area.

Ren, just because you may decide 2 is "enough" for an area,
that doesn't mean some other hunters don't come in behind you and wipe out what's remaining.
Later, when some of the early nesters are unsuccessful, they can make a 2nd nesting attempt with infertile eggs,
which might have been "fertile" eggs had there been more older Toms around to breed them in later April or May.

 

[TheLBLman]

On second thought, it may be that if our TN season opened a week later (but still closed about the same time in May),
that might be the best single reg change to improve or sustain our statewide turkey population.

 

[REN]

One thing that is NEVER mentioned in these threads is hunter ownership. Just cause you can kill 4 doesn't mean you have to if an area can't support it. Sure a lot of guys don't but at the same time I've seen a lot of guys kill 4 then complain how the population keeps getting smaller and smaller lol

I make it a point to never kill more then 2 off any property I hunt and some years none off certain ones if the population is declining

I agree.
Last time I had any desire to "limit out" was when we had a 2-bird limit.
Every since, I've typically limited myself to 2 or 3 birds annually, usually just two, a few years have been a purposeful zero or one due to so few birds.

But more of the younger shooters today seem totally focused on limiting out, ASAP, however possible.
Few seem to have considered how too few older Toms harm the sustainability of good turkey densities
even when the habitat is great for more turkeys to healthily exist in the area.

Ren, just because you may decide 2 is "enough" for an area,
that doesn't mean some other hunters don't come in behind you and wipe out what's remaining.
Later, when some of the early nesters are unsuccessful, they can make a 2nd nesting attempt with infertile eggs,
which might have been "fertile" eggs had there been more older Toms around to breed them in later April or May.

I don't disagree and it's a possibility on one private spot I hunt. That one has a lot of turkeys but because the owner lets a guy com from time to time I really limit that place to 1 or 2 tops depending on the flock that year. I just assume he will shoot at least one and plan for it. If he doesn't even better.

I have another spot that use to be loaded with turkeys but has been very sparse the past 3 years so I haven't even hunted it and don't plan to till I see a rebound out there.


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[X-Tennessean]

One thing that is NEVER mentioned in these threads is hunter ownership. Just cause you can kill 4 doesn't mean you have to if an area can't support it. Sure a lot of guys don't but at the same time I've seen a lot of guys kill 4 then complain how the population keeps getting smaller and smaller lol

I make it a point to never kill more then 2 off any property I hunt and some years none off certain ones if the population is declining

Most logical post in this thread, thank you!!
I would like to add for more strict and ENFORCED regulations, the GW in my county just doesn't seem to care....if it aint someone shooting from the road he could care less whether it be baiting, trespassing or killing way over the limit.

 

[Setterman]

If the goal is more turkeys and more gobblers nothing will matter until.

1. The season limit is dropped to two, doesn't matter when it open if the limit is still 4.
2. No hen killing, period. Especially bearded hens in the spring.
3. Limit jake harvest to one.
4. Outlaw decoys, fans etc. this will have the biggest impact on gobbler numbers and it isn't debatable. Any one who think it doesn't have a massive impact I'd love to hear your stance. It makes difficult birds easy. Googans who normally wouldn't sniff a turkey can have instant success by crawling or sticking a decoy in a field. This single thing would help more than anything else.
5. At some point long range ammo might need to be addressed as well. This goes back to #4, people who couldn't ever get a bird inside 40'yards are now successful because they can shoot 60.

Any conversation whining about turkey numbers in properties where decoys are used to kill multiple birds each year need to do some self reflection. I don't hunt those places but understand why the tactic is employed. However, it's good to have some birds that don't die each year.

 

[PalsPal]

On second thought, it may be that if our TN season opened a week later (but still closed about the same time in May) that might be the best single reg change to improve or sustain our statewide turkey population.

This seems to be the most logical, and relatively easiest, change to make without affecting the dollars involved, except for out-of-state license sales which would probably be affected by those who come in to get a start to their season before their seasons open.

A drop to a two-bird limit would also help to a degree, as there really aren't that many who kill 4 or even 3 in relation to overall hunters. It wouldn't really affect me as I'll find somebody else to take.

One adverse circumstance of that would be more birds that go un-checked. It would be interesting to know the number of birds that do not get checked in now with the new online systems vs the old tag system.

 

[Setterman]

Shifting the season opener or length will make zero difference. Most hunters really only hunt a few times the first couple of weeks.

You want change get rid of the crutches that allow thousands of birds to be killed that normally would survive.

 

[Os2 Outdoors]

#1 this will be the lowest kill since turkey restoration completed

#2 TWRA will institute regulation changes to try to mitigate the population decline.

I hope I eat crow on #1, but I pray that #2- the regulation changes will be something meaningful, not just lowering limit or eliminating bearded hen killing. TN's turkeys NEED the season pushed back 2 weeks with the same ending date, and jakes need to be off limits. OFC, I'd love to see all hen killing eliminated, spring or fall, but we really need to let the hens initiate a fertile nest before we take out the LB's, especially in those areas with marginal populations.

Word from the underground is TWRA only recommend change for next year is reduction to 2 gobblers.

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[TN Whitetail Freak]

I witnesses multiple breedings today

 

[prstide]

Decent discussion a few weeks ago in this thread about some of the same:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=359977&hilit=Turkeys+dying

In my opinion the responsibility lies on both the state(commission) and the hunters. I trust a regulation/law change backed by enforcement would be more reliable than to trust the next guy to hunt with the resource in mind due to social media and hunting personalities making it sound like hunters who don't "tag out" are somehow less skilled in the woods.

 

[REN]

The outlaw of decoys will not come because that would remove a large population of license purchasers which is less money for the state. Even bama eventually caved on the same topic years back. Sure the TWRA cares about the animals but they also care how many license they sell. Someone has to pay for the new system they contracted out in recent years.

You make it to hard on novice hunters to be successful they won't buy licenses period. It's one o the reasons they have never gone to a species tag system where you could separate turkey and deer license.


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[SKFOOTER]

I've been saying for years now that we don't have the birds that we used to have. If the limit is not reduced statewide, it definitely needs to be reduced in the counties that are experiencing a decline in harvest. And require a 6 inch beard on a gobbler to make it legal with the exception being youth harvest. TWRA needs to start being proactive and stop being reactive!! :smash:

 

[Setterman]

The outlaw of decoys will not come because that would remove a large population of license purchasers which is less money for the state. Even bama eventually caved on the same topic years back. Sure the TWRA cares about the animals but they also care how many license they sell. Someone has to pay for the new system they contracted out in recent years.

You make it to hard on novice hunters to be successful they won't buy licenses period. It's one o the reasons they have never gone to a species tag system where you could separate turkey and deer license.


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I agree with your view on this, and I also find it ironic that Bama's population has been on a steady decline since the regulation change. Their hunters are just as worried as us.

What good is a game agency if they can't make changes for the betterment of the critters they're in charge of managing?

 

[deerfever]

Thanks for the insight LBL Man, I realized turkey expansion had brought turkeys into areas that previously did not have them but I just simply thought looking at the numbers for 5 years those areas where counted all 5 years in the statewide kill also. In other words if you look we have killed around 32,000 all 5 years with last year being 34,000.Just looking at it simply if our turkey population was going down as bad as some think would it not go from 32,000 to let say 29,000,28,000, 26,000? Understand I am willing to do whatever if needed. I am old school and would rather turkey hunt than any other kind of hunting. First thing I would do if needed is cut the fall season and killing of hens all together. 2. Could you start with a limit of 3 , instead of cutting it in half?. I am not arguing at all just trying to see what you guys think. By the way getting rid of decoys would not bother me in the least but I do not see that happening , that may be the only law needed to get a big reduction in kills ! Thanks for the insight as I enjoy learning from you guys!

 

[knightrider]

some of you are really grasping at straws here, remember the twra manages the whole state not just your property only you can manage the way you see fit. if you only can stand to kill two than do it,dont want to shoot hens than don't, wanna lets jakes walk let them, im telling you turkey hunting is headed the same way of deer hunting!!!!

 

[catman529]

The outlaw of decoys will not come because that would remove a large population of license purchasers which is less money for the state. Even bama eventually caved on the same topic years back. Sure the TWRA cares about the animals but they also care how many license they sell. Someone has to pay for the new system they contracted out in recent years.

You make it to hard on novice hunters to be successful they won't buy licenses period. It's one o the reasons they have never gone to a species tag system where you could separate turkey and deer license.


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I agree, outlawing decoys is not a good idea. I wouldn't be against outlawing fanning, even though it's pretty fun to do.


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[SKFOOTER]

some of you are really grasping at straws here, remember the twra manages the whole state not just your property only you can manage the way you see fit. if you only can stand to kill two than do it,dont want to shoot hens than don't, wanna lets jakes walk let them, im telling you turkey hunting is headed the same way of deer hunting!!!!

And it needs to head that way!!

 

[knightrider]

some of you are really grasping at straws here, remember the twra manages the whole state not just your property only you can manage the way you see fit. if you only can stand to kill two than do it,dont want to shoot hens than don't, wanna lets jakes walk let them, im telling you turkey hunting is headed the same way of deer hunting!!!!

And it needs to head that way!!

why?