Wrangler95
Well-Known Member
For those that are interested,here is harvest for each county thru Apr 18!!
https://hunterstoolbox.gooutdoorstennessee.com/?reportId=187
https://hunterstoolbox.gooutdoorstennessee.com/?reportId=187
Harvest Report Data!
- Thread starter Wrangler95
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Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
I was actually just going through some of the statewide numbers yesterday. Using the same time range (first 17 days of regular season plus juvenile weekend):
2022 - 20,389 turkeys killed
2021 - 23,598 turkeys killed
We are currently about 13.6% down from last year in total kill numbers. Not terribly surprising given recent trends. But we will probably still kill > 30,000 by year end, so those who measure population health only by kill numbers will insist that there is nothing to worry about.
One thing that concerns me (among several) is the jake kill numbers. Although the total kill numbers have decreased by more than 13%, the jake kill numbers have increased by more than 30% (3012 vs 2308 this time last year).
2022 - 20,389 turkeys killed
2021 - 23,598 turkeys killed
We are currently about 13.6% down from last year in total kill numbers. Not terribly surprising given recent trends. But we will probably still kill > 30,000 by year end, so those who measure population health only by kill numbers will insist that there is nothing to worry about.
One thing that concerns me (among several) is the jake kill numbers. Although the total kill numbers have decreased by more than 13%, the jake kill numbers have increased by more than 30% (3012 vs 2308 this time last year).
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Folks are slamming jakes this year for some reason.
If that's because there are so many jakes from a population explosion last year, maybe we'll be ok...
but in prior years with excellent prior year's hatch, Jake harvest has never been over 17% in my counties... This year it's up to 27% IIRC. That's a major problem.
Jakes need to be off limits to everyone except kids for sustainable (my future grandkids) harvest
Levee Jumper
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I think we will have a statewide opener the 3rd Saturday in April with a limit of 2 turkeys within the next 5 years.
Just hate that it will be 8-10 years later than it should have been.
Just hate that it will be 8-10 years later than it should have been.
Buzzard Breath
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There's been a 73% increase in the jake harvest on WMA's through the first 3 weekends of the regular season.
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Someone popped a hen at bear hollow
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
I've referenced the turkey busts in MO and AR in the past but in both cases, the jake harvest exploded. In retrospect, it was a leading indicator of fewer adult toms available to kill and folks simply didn't want to eat a tag. Not sure if that's what's happening here or not but it for sure happened in those 2 states.
Most hunters aren't gonna kill a jake if there's available toms to kill.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
I'd love this! Except I think we could go back to a 4 bird limit with opening dates after hens have been bred if we outlawed jake killing. I don't need or want to kill 4 birds in TN... but it might pacify the killers who wouldn't want to give up the end of March/ first of April start dates.
Give folks a choice. 1 bird limit if u kill before April 15th. Or 4 bird limit if u wait to kill until after April 15th. Earn an additional tag for every 10 coons removed.
I've talked to several younger folks who say they don't really care if it's a jake or longbeard. A turkey is a turkey to them.
Granted, that's a small sample size based on one man's encounters, but it does seem to match up with today's societal traits of lack of patience and self control.
Obviously a lot can happen between now and then, but in 2024 that would be the 20th of April. That would be a hard sell to the majority of hunters.
The Jake harvest is probably due to the number of Jakes this year. I've seen more than I ever have, they are everywhere. I think maybe some are getting shot because hunters have seen the high numbers and aren't worried about knocking one off. Then there is probably some hunters killing one that normally wouldn't be able to get an adult. I just wish the dang jakes would stop harassing the gobblers I'm trying to work.
My 80 yr old dad and 84 yr old friend, who I take every chance I can, feel the same way.
They actually think I'm crazy when I don't shoot a Jake if given the opportunity. The friend says they taste better :D !
Top Pin
Well-Known Member
I'm willing to make a bet that the increase in Jake kills are coming from out of state hunters. It's tough spending a bunch of money to hunt away from home only to go home empty handed. It would be nice for TWRA to show that data!
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
Non-res license sales were WAY up last year but that didn't increase the jake kill. Maybe I'm being Chicken Little — I hope that's the case — but I'm guessing the increased jake kill is due largely to the lack of available gobblers. Many people only hunt one or two farms. If they go to those farms, hear a few gobblers, and feel like they'll kill one soon, the jakes aren't as tempting. If they go 2-3 times and listen to silent sunrises, then call up a pack of jakes . . . Out-of-staters likely do the same thing in that scenario, but it's not unique to them.
I have a good family friend who is an accomplished deer hunter and a good woodsman, but has never claimed to be a "real" turkey hunter (his word). I say that only to point out that he doesn't keep up with population trends or public sentiment regarding turkeys. Several years back he bought a good deer farm in Carroll County. It had plenty of turkeys, he was there a lot anyway, so he started hunting them and killed a couple every spring. I had lunch with him today. The subject of turkeys came up and he told me "I don't know what it is, but the turkeys up there just don't gobble anymore."
Sadly, I know of a few farms where they just don't gobble anymore.
I seen a younger guy on Facebook from Pennsylvania couple weeks ago he was talking about how his group
Came down and limited out first week of season. 8/9 was jakes come to find out Had to fill them tags….
Bgoodman30
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I am hoping its only because its a target rich environment and not because hunters are getting desperate...
Bgoodman30
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Saw that say they do it every year...
Levee Jumper
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You are probably right but protecting jakes would be hard because it's obviously too difficult to tell the difference in a mature tom and a jake or even a hen based on how the current regs are written.
hooks
Well-Known Member
I am all for pushing the season back; even if it is just one week. Think it would help a ton on the NR pressure on public lands.
Bone Collector
Well-Known Member
Yep they're whacking them where I hunt. called in 7-8 first day of season. Just from what I heard and knowing the gobbles I heard were jake gobbles, I think 3 have been limb lifted, but I haven't seen any in that area since weekend #2, so they may have wiped them all out.
I agree, I have never seen so many non residents in our state as this year. The combination of other states pushing season back and the promotion of our state for license sales has been detrimental to our public lands this season. Not against non residents hunting here but we have got to limit the amount that can come by a quota draw or move our season a little so we are not the only state open and it will spread them out.
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Levee Jumper
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Iowa already has it figured out. Shouldn't be hard to implement.
TheLBLman
Well-Known Member
Or, just open the season a week later, and half of them will decide to go elsewhere?
And the other half has less opportunity to decimate public land birds?
Drop the limit back to 2 birds annually?
Just some observations:
The "early" season non-resident turkey hunters tend to be much more accomplished turkey hunters (or killers) than most TN resident turkey hunters. They also seem to have less concern for the sustainability of the resource than do our resident hunters.
Never mind I am sometimes myself a non-resident hunter in other states, and I have friends who come to TN as non-resident hunters, so this not meant to come across as a hatred of non-residents. Just saying, non-residents, as a collective group of turkey hunters, have been "invited" by TWRA to come decimate our public lands' turkeys via of our early season opening and high bag limit.
Our non-resident turkey hunter "problem" has been caused more by TWRA than by those non-resident turkey hunters themselves?
Speedwell-Hunter
Well-Known Member
that or make out of state turkey licenses expensive.
Yes I agree with that but what I am seeing this year in particular is the down south Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, boys coming up because they have already filled there home state tags so they are traveling north. All awhile the north states are taking advantage of our early start date. I have saw more out of state tags this year than the Covid year which is saying something.
With all that being said I am a out of state hunter my self I love it,but every state I travel to,which is not many so I am no expert. But I apply for a non resident tag if a draw awesome if not there is always next year. But those states operating this way are light years ahead imo.
I think that's going to be the best way to fight this battle especially with all the you tube stars chasing 49 states. Even if we drop back to 2 birds and back season up. Establish a NR quota and you know what is coming and going imo
hooks
Well-Known Member
I usually don't like to toss the term 'quota' around because it always means a lack of opportunity for someone, but for NRs and turkey hunting, I do support one. If other states can figure it out and put one in place, there is no reason we cannot. Other states do not have a monopoly on brain power. I do fear that it could eventually lead to a resident quota on certain public grounds though if resident pressure is deemed excessive somehow. After seeing and hearing about the duck hunting disaster this past fall, I guess that fear has already came to fruition in a way.
I think a better idea would be to introduce a turkey stamp to hunt spring turkey and greatly increase the price for NRs. I would be glad to separate turkey hunting out of the big game stamp and pay for it separately in the spring; albeit at a decent price since I am a resident. I see residents benefitting with reduced NR pressure and improved public lands (assuming that money made on turkey stamps would be reinvested). I also see cash flows staying relatively stable for TWRA and potentially increasing. Also, no BS 3-day or 7-day turkey stamp for NRs. If they want to hunt turkeys in TN, pay up for the resource that is being utilized.
I think a better idea would be to introduce a turkey stamp to hunt spring turkey and greatly increase the price for NRs. I would be glad to separate turkey hunting out of the big game stamp and pay for it separately in the spring; albeit at a decent price since I am a resident. I see residents benefitting with reduced NR pressure and improved public lands (assuming that money made on turkey stamps would be reinvested). I also see cash flows staying relatively stable for TWRA and potentially increasing. Also, no BS 3-day or 7-day turkey stamp for NRs. If they want to hunt turkeys in TN, pay up for the resource that is being utilized.
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
And actual paid advertisements, paid for with our license fees, literally inviting non-residents to come kill our turkeys, which advertisements aired during youtube videos showing non-residents hunting public lands by boat and killing TN turkeys.
I've mentioned it before but it's worth mentioning again. Careful what you wish for on limiting NR hunters because NR hunters make up approx 70% of the budgeted funds. That's a lot of money slated for resident use and upkeep of public lands. You reduce that by 30-40% that's a huge loss in revenue and residents are the ones that will feel that.
Again not debating one way or the other but just make sure you understand where the money comes from that we all benefit from and then form your opinions from that. I fully understand both sides of the coin so I don't know what the answer is.
Again not debating one way or the other but just make sure you understand where the money comes from that we all benefit from and then form your opinions from that. I fully understand both sides of the coin so I don't know what the answer is.
