Mississippi following suit

[ruger7mag]

Looks like Mississippi is going to regulate how many non residents hunt public land early in the season next year.

Spring Turkey Season Changes proposed for non-residents in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – During its July meeting, the Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks voted to adopt a set of proposals to curb hunting pressure from non-residents visiting public…

www.wjtv.com

 

[Andy S.]

Thanks for sharing. They had no choice. The early season bullseye was square on MS based on other southern states changing their seasons/eligibility/daily limits recently.

 

[akachuck]

That'll be good for the population.

 

[megalomaniac]

Common sense, but won't help the population. But jeez, it was on the verge of getting downright dangerous on public lands down here with the overcrowding. May have helped save a couple of travelling turkey hunters.

I'd really be interested to see what the NR cap is during the first 2 weeks. Also really surprised they didn't make the app draw for a small $10 fee to generate addl revenue.

Looking forward to hitting other spots further north the first couple weeks now. No way I was going north on public land without a limited entry WMA tag before.

 

[th88]

Glad to see a state looking out for its residents rather than pimping out the public land turkey hunting through "influencers"!!!

 

[Andy S.]

MDWFP - PR: Spring Turkey Season Changes

www.mdwfp.com

 

[Newt]

Good move

 

[Andy S.]

 

[Andy S.]

Full turkey proposal:

https://www.sos.ms.gov/adminsearch/ACProposed/00025726b.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0NB0GnmQcIUzRO-fv0d2jeFMRqxJRQzrW0DnFZ3hVHNdrb-xdZMNWGnn8

 

[bloodtrailing]

More of this to come as Covid and Youtube kills the outdoors.

 

[megalomaniac]

More of this to come as Covid and Youtube kills the outdoors.

Covid and YouTube have certainly caused increased pressure and a higher percentage of the male portion of the flock to be removed annually, but the real problem is the lack of reproductive success of the hens. Had both hit a decade ago, I dont think either would have hurt the population much. But jeez now, it is downright scary what the future looks like for the wild turkey

 

[Boll Weevil]

This sentence says it all:
"Quality hunting cannot be maintained on a limited resource when faced with ever-increasing pressure."

In terms of managing a finite wildlife resource, I've never understood the whole "bring more hunters into the ranks." Akin to already commercially overfished waters how would more fishermen be a good thing without some other limiting factor?

 

[Andy S.]

This sentence says it all:
"Quality hunting cannot be maintained on a limited resource when faced with ever-increasing pressure."

Amen!!!

 

[Rakkin6]

View attachment 83051

Andy so is one adult gobbler and a gobbler with a 6" beard the same or is it saying every gobbler you kill has to have a 6" beard? Not that I have ever hunted Mississippi but if I ever do just trying to get clarity on that point, want to stay legal.

 

[th88]

Andy so is one adult gobbler and a gobbler with a 6" beard the same or is it saying every gobbler you kill has to have a 6" beard? Not that I have ever hunted Mississippi but if I ever do just trying to get clarity on that point, want to stay legal.

It is the same.

They use 'adult gobbler' terminology to cover adults birds with <6" beards (beard rot, beard absent, etc.). I hunt Mississippi and have knowingly pulled the trigger on adult birds with <6" beards multiple times. In each case I knew by the bird's body characteristics (one being the full tail fan) and behavior that it was an adult bird.

Technically you could kill a 6" bearded jake and be legal, but as we all know those are extremely far and few between.

 

[megalomaniac]

Th88 is spot on...

But to further clarify, MS defines a legal bird as an ADULT male OR a MALE bird (bearded hens are illegal) with a 6in or longer beard.

An ADULT male is defined by having either a full fan, >1/2 in spurs, 6in beard (only one of the 3 must be met). I can't remember if adult wing coverlets are a criteria.

A MALE bird with > 6in beard is self explanatory. A superjake would be the only critter fitting into this category.

 

[AT Hiker]

This sentence says it all:
"Quality hunting cannot be maintained on a limited resource when faced with ever-increasing pressure."

In terms of managing a finite wildlife resource, I've never understood the whole "bring more hunters into the ranks." Akin to already commercially overfished waters how would more fishermen be a good thing without some other limiting factor?

Agreed! I will also never understand why some people simply do not understand this or is it they refuse to understand?

 

[megalomaniac]

I dont think it's a refusal to understand in many cases by state biologists... but rather a function of necessity... money Trumps wildlife... even to the state wildlife agencies (NOT just TN or MS). Self preservation of the department is essential. And the vast majority of $$$ is coming in from deer hunting. And jeez, it doesn't take a biologist to mange deer in the south. They do great with no management at this point.

Management of turkeys is like growing orchids (my mom used to grow the most beautiful orchids in a greenhouse we had attached to our house). The first couple years they grow great in any pot... the next few years, they take a lot of work repotting, pruning, etc. Finally after 5 to 10 years they bloom.... and at that point, they will continue to bloom with only water and sunlight... but 5 or 6 years later, they take as much work to maintain as they took at the beginning to get started. We're at that point with turkeys. What worked 5 or 6 years ago to keep them going is not going to work any longer.

 

[th88]

And it passed today along with an increase in the cost of 3 and 7-day non-rez licenses and the non-rez turkey permit.

RIP TN public lands!

 

[megalomaniac]

And it passed today along with an increase in the cost of 3 and 7-day non-rez licenses and the non-rez turkey permit.

RIP TN public lands!

How many NR free early entry permits will be issued?