Anyone else seeing a large amount of turkey population?

[RealtreeVol]

I've seen more turkey this deer season than I can ever remember in West TN........

 

[Flint]

There's a lot here in middle TN.

 

[TN Larry]

I just made that comment the other day. I have saw more turkeys and more turkey scratching in the woods across different properties and counties than I have seen in many, many years.

 

[TNTreeman]

They are plentiful at my place.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Earlier in season I wasnt seeing them like years past...then towards end of muzzleloader they started showing up in bigger winter flocks....looking good now. Very encouraging to see strong numbers.

 

[DoubleRidge]

They are plentiful at my place. View attachment 256396

Hey....theres a buck photo bombed your turkey picture :)

 

[knightrider]

Nope

 

[Gravey]

They are plentiful at my place. View attachment 256396

You probably need help managing all of those.

New place I'm hunting in Humphreys county has quite a few. Only hunted 2 weekends but seen them every day.

 

[Popcorn]

Stewart county is covered up with turkey, Trigg county Ky has fewer than I have seen in years

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Things are looking up a bit here.

 

[Planking]

Things look better here as well. I even have a small covey of quail. Going to keep trapping.

 

[TNTreeman]

You probably need help managing all of those.

New place I'm hunting in Humphreys county has quite a few. Only hunted 2 weekends but seen them every day.

I passed two other open areas on my route to that plot and there were equally as many in those . I can't be exact but I've seen close to 100 birds all together . My bobcats and yotes are plentiful to .

 

[Gravey]

I passed two other open areas on my route to that plot and there were equally as many in those . I can't be exact but I've seen close to 100 birds all together . My bobcats and yotes are plentiful to .

We can shoot them too!

 

[Rabbitkil]

East Tennessee is covered up I can take you to multiple places where you can see 30-50 and one property where I quit counting at 100 in a field at once

 

[tntrkkllr]

TWRA disapproves of this post

 

[poorhunter]

Yes, a lot more than the last many years, but still less than half what was here prior to 2016. The population has steadily increased the last 3-4 years but this year looks to be a big jump. Just as many coyotes, bobcats, coons, skunks and hawks as past years, so like I've been saying it isn't predators that are controlling the population of turkeys. Could be weather or disease or later season start date, but we need to stop blaming nest raiders as they've always been there. I'm all for killing them, and so every chance I get, but they are not to blame for the massive decline in turkey populations seen throughout the southeast.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

we've seen more on our place this summer-Fall than any years past.

 

[megalomaniac]

Noticeable uptick on 4 out of 5 farms. Quite a few jakes and jennies, quite a few of 2023 hatch jakes that are about to become 2yos.

 

[Bgoodman30]

Hatch looks to be much better around here in 2024 than 2023. Cicadas certainly helped but seems to be good in areas without them as well.

 

[Whitetaillane8]

We are covered up with the nuisance critters. I saw 14 longbeards in one bunch yesterday afternoon.

 

[Huntaholic]

We are covered up with the nuisance critters. I saw 14 longbeards in one bunch yesterday afternoon.

Theres a bunch of us that would be more than happy to fix that issue for you!

 

[deerfever]

We seem to have had good hatches the last few years. The 22 Hatch was unbelievable! I have seen and heard several while deer hunting this season ,Glad to read all the positive comments.

 

[Mr. Hawk]

Same here

 

[deerhunter10]

Yes thanks to the last few years hatches numbers coming up. No where near what they were but a lot better then the last 8 to 10 years by a lot.

 

[megalomaniac]

Yes thanks to the last few years hatches numbers coming up. No where near what they were but a lot better then the last 8 to 10 years by a lot.

Nowhere CLOSE to what they were in the early 2000s. On this farm the hens and this year's poults hooked up with the toms for a couple hours.

Back in the day, I called up 35 jakes at the same time in a juvie group while hunting.

But still WAY better that what we had 4 or 5 years ago.

 

[th88]

It is almost like turkey populations are naturally cyclical and Mother Nature has the biggest effect on hatches. That explanation doesn't warrant hysteria and generate research $$ money though.

Thrilled for the rebound! Lets enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[Gravey]

We are covered up with the nuisance critters. I saw 14 longbeards in one bunch yesterday afternoon.

 

[Woodsman10]

No birds around here.

 

[Andy S.]

It is almost like turkey populations are naturally cyclical and Mother Nature has the biggest effect on hatches. That explanation doesn't warrant hysteria and generate research $$ money though.

Thrilled for the rebound! Lets enjoy it while it lasts.

Ditto!

 

[MidTennFisher]

It is almost like turkey populations are naturally cyclical and Mother Nature has the biggest effect on hatches. That explanation doesn't warrant hysteria and generate research $$ money though.

Thrilled for the rebound! Lets enjoy it while it lasts.

You don't think the later starting date is helping with the hatch? I'm not 100% convinced but it does seem like giving the hens an extra 2 weeks to get eggs on the ground before we go disrupting things can't hurt. More of the older Toms get to breed before they fall victim to strutter decoys.