Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New Trophy's
New trophy room comments
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Classifieds
Trophy Room
New items
New comments
Latest content
Latest updates
Latest reviews
Author list
Series list
Search showcase
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Tennessee Hunting Forums
Long Beards & Spurs
Nesting data
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="TheLBLman" data-source="post: 4605822" data-attributes="member: 1409"><p>Another piece of the puzzle I believe has been missed regarding our statewide turkey population decline:</p><p></p><p>Collateral Damage</p><p></p><p>Let me explain.</p><p></p><p>Every time one of us fires at a longbeard,</p><p>there is risk, often unknown, of hitting a hen in the background.</p><p>Sometimes it is a nesting hen, maybe 75 yards away, taking a pellet to the head,</p><p>and we are never aware our shot that killed a longbeard, also killed a hen.</p><p></p><p>This particular risk, whatever it is, has significantly increased in just the past few years,</p><p>for two reasons. First, our turkey limit increased. That means more shooting.</p><p>Next, we have more hunters shooting longer range loads.</p><p></p><p>Should a single pellet hit a sitting hen in the head,</p><p>at how many yards would it be lethal?</p><p></p><p>Even if not lethal, the wound could cause some bleeding,</p><p>which in turn could bring predators to the hen.</p><p>Doesn't take much.</p><p></p><p>But "collateral damage" may be more the result of hunting activities than from shooting.</p><p>Our hunting often disrupts turkey breeding, activity leading to it, even nesting.</p><p>(Other human activities also do this.)</p><p></p><p>Please don't think for a second I want to sound like an anti-hunter,</p><p>but I do want to protect and enhance the resource,</p><p>and my concern is too much of a good thing may have become akin to us killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.</p><p></p><p>There are legitimate reasons the KY statewide turkey season opens 2 weeks later than TN's,</p><p>and it's not just about latitude.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TheLBLman, post: 4605822, member: 1409"] Another piece of the puzzle I believe has been missed regarding our statewide turkey population decline: Collateral Damage Let me explain. Every time one of us fires at a longbeard, there is risk, often unknown, of hitting a hen in the background. Sometimes it is a nesting hen, maybe 75 yards away, taking a pellet to the head, and we are never aware our shot that killed a longbeard, also killed a hen. This particular risk, whatever it is, has significantly increased in just the past few years, for two reasons. First, our turkey limit increased. That means more shooting. Next, we have more hunters shooting longer range loads. Should a single pellet hit a sitting hen in the head, at how many yards would it be lethal? Even if not lethal, the wound could cause some bleeding, which in turn could bring predators to the hen. Doesn't take much. But "collateral damage" may be more the result of hunting activities than from shooting. Our hunting often disrupts turkey breeding, activity leading to it, even nesting. (Other human activities also do this.) Please don't think for a second I want to sound like an anti-hunter, but I do want to protect and enhance the resource, and my concern is too much of a good thing may have become akin to us killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. There are legitimate reasons the KY statewide turkey season opens 2 weeks later than TN's, and it's not just about latitude. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Tennessee Hunting Forums
Long Beards & Spurs
Nesting data
Top