Long 2 weeks

[BamaHudson]

I've listened to many of them.

It's basically a bunch of smart dudes with other smart dudes/chicks presenting smart stuff. In the end, it doesn't matter how much smart stuff we have, Turkey science is more complex than anyone ever thought.

"The more we know, the less we know"

Fingers crossed for a future of wild Turkey science, lots of stones left unturned so far.

I'm not saying it isn't complex but I do think people tend to overthink it too often.

Thin out predators
Do controlled burns
Don't kill as many birds as possible every season

 

[Displaced_Vol]

again I've not listened to them all, but based on the 10 or I've got through so far if you want to simplify it then it comes down to a bunch of states hitting the 30ish year mark since their reintroduction. Lots of other things pushing at the numbers but every state seems to start to see the curve go downward at 30 years.

 

[tree_ghost]

On the way home from Kentucky today I passed a field on 840 that had 4 hens by themselves and a field close to my house with a lone hen.

I saw 3 on Wednesday and 1 today….

 

[Antler Daddy]

A bounty system has been used in multiple places over several decades.

It has never been proven to make a difference.

But, it mihgt be more fun.

 

[poorhunter]

A bounty system has been used in multiple places over several decades.

It has never been proven to make a difference.

And it never will. Turkeys have proven over and over that they can thrive and grow their populations in the face of all kinds of predators. Predators are a factor, but that factor is pretty much a constant.

 

[NumberOne]

So, the TN biologists have 'proven' that there is zero benefit to turkey recruitment by delaying season opening 2 weeks based on their studies.

Also based on their studies, they have proven average nest initiation is the end of April/ first week of May (which means average mating time is about 7 to 10 days prior to nest initiation).

So, according to the state biologists, it doesn't matter whether you kill all the gobblers before or after the hens have mated.

Like Forest Gump said, "I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is"...

I'm a scientist by nature and profession... but sometimes just a tad of common sense is needed in 'science'. If you kill 20,000 gobblers off before the majority of hens have been bred, maybe... just maybe...

Look guys... you will not find another human being on this planet who loves to hunt and kill wild turkeys more than me. God, family, turkeys in that order (sometimes my wife would disagree).

While the 2 week delay SUCKS... in the end it changes NOTHING when it comes to killing turkeys... state kills 20,000 March 29 thru April 7th... with a season total of 28k to 33k kills. Versus state kills 20,000 April 15 thru 24... with a season total of 28k to 33k kills.

BUT... IF (and I will fully admit, its an 'if' at this point) the 2w delay results in more hens successfully hatching out poults.... well, jeez, it's a no brainer.

I think the 2w delay will end up being the 3rd most significant factor in poult recruitment. No 1 weather. No 2 (which is indirectly related to weather)- predators. No 3... allowing the majority of hens to at least breed once before most of the toms are killed.

Now I'm being a bit selfish as well.. back in the 90s before everybody turkey hunted... the single best weekend of the season to kill a bird was the start of the 3rd week of April on my farms. That was when all the satellite birds were roaming nonstop, but also the boss toms were left alone mid morning as their hens broke off to lay. Child's play calling in birds that hadn't been shot up by everybody (because there were relatively very few turkey hunters in TN back in the mid 90s).

Yeah I am surprised at the naysayers on the two week delay. I don't really care either way but there is no way you can look at it from a common sense perspective and say "yeah NOT killing 20k birds the first two weeks of April will have no effect on the population"........you are just being a stubborn ass if you think that. Its simple math......more hens will be bred this way. More hens bred the more poults have the chance to be born. Complain all you want but you are arguing with math and probability.

 

[Gravey]

I saw 3 on Wednesday and 1 today….

I see them everywhere between me and you but can't hunt them.

 

[tree_ghost]

I see them everywhere between me and you but can't hunt them.

I know a farm between us that holds the healthiest flock of birds in the county I'm sure of it. They're thick over here for sure

 

[Hymie3]

It's been a little painful to watch it green up so fast around here without being able to go. Waiting patiently…… not really …

 

[Carlos]

I feel like the title of this thread is an oxymoron.

 

[tellico4x4]

It's been a little painful to watch it green up so fast around here without being able to go. Waiting patiently…… not really …

Definitely greening up yesterday morning. Local weatherman showed a foliage map the other night that had us 20 days ahead of normal!

 

[Biggun4214]

A bounty system has been used in multiple places over several decades.

It has never been proven to make a difference (to the coyote population).

Actually in some ways it does. In places it makes situations that allow non breeding coyotes to breed and increases the population.