Depressing

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muddyboots

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savannah, tn., usa
I went to my lease sunday morning and didnt hear nothing. Ive been in this lease for 18 years and this is the first time i have never heard nothing. It is sad. A property where hearing 10 birds a morning was the norm now you are lucky to hear two. Been just getting worse for the last 4 years. Kinda sad. Guess its time to find greener pastures.
 
I got trail cam pics. the other day, and they were still in their fall flocks. Here are some closeups to get you fired up.

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I went to my place Saturday morning too
and did not hear the first bird.
Then this morning as was leaving for work I heard 2 or 3 gobble
and this is right in town
 
I have had 4 years in a row of poor hatchings. I have about 25 percent of the birds I did 5 years ago. I hope this trend ends soon. I quit hunting last year because there simply wasn't enough birds. I was afraid to kill anymore.
 
Hillbilly Hunter said:
I have had 4 years in a row of poor hatchings. I have about 25 percent of the birds I did 5 years ago. I hope this trend ends soon. I quit hunting last year because there simply wasn't enough birds. I was afraid to kill anymore.
Click to expand...

I guess we'll find out in a few weeks when they've all broken up and settled in.
I have 2 hunting leases. Interestingly, the one that is normally a slam dunk on birds was a complete bust last year. The one that usually sucks had lots more birds last year. I don't know what to think about that type of soft data.
 
Hillbilly Hunter said:
I have had 4 years in a row of poor hatchings. I have about 25 percent of the birds I did 5 years ago. I hope this trend ends soon. I quit hunting last year because there simply wasn't enough birds. I was afraid to kill anymore.
Click to expand...

Ditto man. I almost feel bad shooting one here now.
 
gil1 said:
I don't know what to think about that type of soft data.
Click to expand...

The data isn't soft, though... Kill numbers have been nosediving statewide over the past 3 years. Population IS down and will continue to decline under current liberal harvest regulations unless spring hatches improve.

I imposed a 2 bird limit on myself and those that hunt my properties several years ago. Even though we took 5 birds in the first 3 days of last years season (3 people), and I was done with the killing, I kept on hunting. Called in several other birds within gun range and just passed on them... which is just as fun to me.
 
megalomaniac said:
gil1 said:
I don't know what to think about that type of soft data.
Click to expand...

The data isn't soft, though... Kill numbers have been nosediving statewide over the past 3 years. Population IS down and will continue to decline under current liberal harvest regulations unless spring hatches improve.

I imposed a 2 bird limit on myself and those that hunt my properties several years ago. Even though we took 5 birds in the first 3 days of last years season (3 people), and I was done with the killing, I kept on hunting. Called in several other birds within gun range and just passed on them... which is just as fun to me.
Click to expand...
GOOD FOR YOU ON PASSING BIRDS
Hunters like to complain when the numbers are down but they still continue to blast away.
 
Lawrence said:
megalomaniac said:
gil1 said:
I don't know what to think about that type of soft data.
Click to expand...

The data isn't soft, though... Kill numbers have been nosediving statewide over the past 3 years. Population IS down and will continue to decline under current liberal harvest regulations unless spring hatches improve.

I imposed a 2 bird limit on myself and those that hunt my properties several years ago. Even though we took 5 birds in the first 3 days of last years season (3 people), and I was done with the killing, I kept on hunting. Called in several other birds within gun range and just passed on them... which is just as fun to me.
Click to expand...
GOOD FOR YOU ON PASSING BIRDS
Hunters like to complain when the numbers are down but they still continue to blast away.
Click to expand...

It's not exactly the same thing, but instead of passing up birds, I just started bow only a few years ago. Last year, I called 6 gobblers within shotgun range. 3 of those came within bow range. I didn't get a shot at any of them. I don't have to pass them up - they pass ME up! :D
 
gil1 said:
Lawrence said:
megalomaniac said:
gil1 said:
I don't know what to think about that type of soft data.
Click to expand...

The data isn't soft, though... Kill numbers have been nosediving statewide over the past 3 years. Population IS down and will continue to decline under current liberal harvest regulations unless spring hatches improve.

I imposed a 2 bird limit on myself and those that hunt my properties several years ago. Even though we took 5 birds in the first 3 days of last years season (3 people), and I was done with the killing, I kept on hunting. Called in several other birds within gun range and just passed on them... which is just as fun to me.
Click to expand...
GOOD FOR YOU ON PASSING BIRDS
Hunters like to complain when the numbers are down but they still continue to blast away.
Click to expand...

It's not exactly the same thing, but instead of passing up birds, I just started bow only a few years ago. Last year, I called 6 gobblers within shotgun range. 3 of those came within bow range. I didn't get a shot at any of them. I don't have to pass them up - they pass ME up! :D
Click to expand...

LOL!

I bowhunted for them several years ago and never cussed so much my entire life. I made myself a vow that year to never, ever, do that again :)
 
You know, whether it is caused by higher limits, poor hatches or that curve thing someone posted about the other day it just basically sucks. This property is 900 acres of pines, hardwoods and fields. As few as 5 years ago you could hear between 8 to 12 birds gobble any morning you went. Everytime you hunted you saw turkeys. Now you are lucky to hear one and can go two or three days and not see one. Its like they just vanished. this is where i learned to turkey hunt and it is just sad.
 
I personally think it is the limits. The places that have historically been good hunting - In other words the places people knew that there were turkeys there and got hunted alot are way down. The places that didnt used to have turkeys are up. Very weird.
 
I think its the limit and the bad hatches. I only seen four jakes all of last season, and two the season before. For years we would have between 10 and 20 jakes on our farm each season. Most of the toms we have (less than a dozen) are over 4 years old, when they are gone we will be in bad shape. Even if we have a good hatch next year it will be two years before I hunt them. I use to hunt in MO back in the late 80's early 90's, I'll probably be hunting there some again next year.
 
We went out this weekend and did hear anything both Saturday, and Sunday.

I think last year was the best hatch we've had. Should see alot of jakes killed this year!!!
 
i remember seeing more poults survive thru late summer last year than i ever had saw before. this was in fentress county but i don't know if this was just an isolated case or what but i have high hopes of seeing alot of jakes this year and some pretty nice toms
 
splitter said:
i remember seeing more poults survive thru late summer last year than i ever had saw before. this was in fentress county but i don't know if this was just an isolated case or what but i have high hopes of seeing alot of jakes this year and some pretty nice toms
Click to expand...

Yep I think we will have alot of jakes, we will see if they represent a larger than normal percentage of the harvest.
 
I'm right there with you Muddy. Last year we had one gobbling bird on almost 2000 acres. I can remember just a few years ago 10-15 wouldn't be unusual. We left this bird alone last year - he could have died a hundred times. Started hunting other places and other states. I saw several longbeards during deer season and have several trail cam pics with several gobblers in them. Keeping my fingers crossed for a hard gobbling year.
Picked up 500 acres in Decatur Co. 2 weeks ago thanks to a mess of sauger - I hope it has as many bird as the farmer says. I also leased some turkey rights in Carroll Co. You can never have too many places!!
 

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