Population talk.

[Woodsman10]

Maybe this will not turn into another thread where all of us in the southern part complain. But I must say this....
I have driven nearly 350 miles through Giles, Lawrence, and Wayne County for work the past three days. Not on Highway 64 and such either, on the small roads. I've seen lots of turkeys in Wayne County, one turkey in lawrence, 0 in giles

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[ZachMarkus]

I seen a ton in Giles the other day riding around, one field had 19 strutters in it. Too bad I can't hunt there lol.


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[MickThompson]

I think they are still wadded up pretty good. I see birds a couple times a week right now, but I just happen to drive past a wood lot where a small flock overwintered. This is in Putnam. Can't speak for other areas.

 

[Woodsman10]

You two are correct, the many I saw in Wayne were flocked up. Just several flocks.

To the defensive of Giles county, only about 25 of the nearly 350 miles were in Giles.

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[elknturkey]

As of right now I want be buying a Tenn license. The population the last 2 years on public has sucked in the northeast corner. Haven't heard a bird or even seen any sign. Only heard 2 birds last year in about 50 days including scouting. Two straight years of acorn failure seems to have em pushed to the fields on private.

 

[WORM82]

As of right now I want be buying a Tenn license. The population the last 2 years on public has sucked in the northeast corner. Haven't heard a bird or even seen any sign. Only heard 2 birds last year in about 50 days including scouting. Two straight years of acorn failure seems to have em pushed to the fields on private.

I'm in Washington Co and haven't been seeing them flocked up in the fields like usual. I haven't been seeing any at all but the woods are full of scratching and sign. I'm hoping it's the over abundance of acorns and hickory nuts that's keeping them out of the fields and in the woods and not a population decline.

 

[elknturkey]

As of right now I want be buying a Tenn license. The population the last 2 years on public has sucked in the northeast corner. Haven't heard a bird or even seen any sign. Only heard 2 birds last year in about 50 days including scouting. Two straight years of acorn failure seems to have em pushed to the fields on private.

I'm in Washington Co and haven't been seeing them flocked up in the fields like usual. I haven't been seeing any at all but the woods are full of scratching and sign. I'm hoping it's the over abundance of acorns and hickory nuts that's keeping them out of the fields and in the woods and not a population decline.

In your case yes that's most likely the reason. There are no acorns where I've been in Sullivan county. The fields have been full of birds on private. They are hitting the acorns on the Virginia side pretty heavy still.

 

[WORM82]

As of right now I want be buying a Tenn license. The population the last 2 years on public has sucked in the northeast corner. Haven't heard a bird or even seen any sign. Only heard 2 birds last year in about 50 days including scouting. Two straight years of acorn failure seems to have em pushed to the fields on private.

I'm in Washington Co and haven't been seeing them flocked up in the fields like usual. I haven't been seeing any at all but the woods are full of scratching and sign. I'm hoping it's the over abundance of acorns and hickory nuts that's keeping them out of the fields and in the woods and not a population decline.

In your case yes that's most likely the reason. There are no acorns where I've been in Sullivan county. The fields have been full of birds on private. They are hitting the acorns on the Virginia side pretty heavy still.

I hope your right as I have yet to hear a gobble. Hopefully with this weather the next 2 weeks they will start spreading out and the mushrooms will start popping up.

 

[REN]

driving around on rds should never indicate population #s. I get what your saying though but on the flip side just because you people dont see them as they drive by at certain times of the day really doesn't say much other then IF there are turkeys around thats not where they are at that time.

 

[catman529]

driving around on rds should never indicate population #s. I get what your saying though but on the flip side just because you people dont see them as they drive by at certain times of the day really doesn't say much other then IF there are turkeys around thats not where they are at that time.

this is true, sometimes I go weeks or even a couple months without seeing anything from the road, but they are there, and they show up more in the spring with strutters in the fields


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[Hunt 365]

Driving for work it's been either all or nothing. Big groups few and far between- don't throw n towel and yet!

 

[MickThompson]

Drove Cookeville to Bradyville and back today, different ways going and coming. I saw nothing from the highway, but 4 strutters with hens on the shoulder of a backroad way up in the hills almost to where I was headed.


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[Rockhound]

I found a single set of tracks in Lawrence County a couple weeks ago. Does that count?

 

[Rockhound]

Could it be that the population is getting back to what it really should be, following an abundance of birds? I believe they were overpopulated in recent seasons and things are just now settling down following that. As Sportsmen we all understand the up's and down's of nature. It sounds like many are unhappy that there's not an over abundance of turkeys in each county. In times like these, when Sportsmen begin to think turkeys populations are falling, and twra isn't doing anything about it, we should remind ourselves that our reason for being afield in the first place is not only about killing a turkey. We all know Kroger has them for only $15 on average. It's about the memories spent in the great outdoors, not about shooting a Tom every morning.

Maybe we all need to step back and rethink our priorities here. Thanks all!

That's may be the case where birds still exist but here... no they literally don't exist anymore

 

[elknturkey]

Could it be that the population is getting back to what it really should be, following an abundance of birds? I believe they were overpopulated in recent seasons and things are just now settling down following that. As Sportsmen we all understand the up's and down's of nature. It sounds like many are unhappy that there's not an over abundance of turkeys in each county. In times like these, when Sportsmen begin to think turkeys populations are falling, and twra isn't doing anything about it, we should remind ourselves that our reason for being afield in the first place is not only about killing a turkey. We all know Kroger has them for only $15 on average. It's about the memories spent in the great outdoors, not about shooting a Tom every morning.

Maybe we all need to step back and rethink our priorities here. Thanks all!

That's may be the case where birds still exist but here... no they literally don't exist anymore

Rock it's been going constantly down for close to 15 years now on public. I don't really know the answer as for why. I've got my theories but that's all they are. I had 2 jam up spots. One it was nothing to hear 15+ from one spot and the other 10+. The real good spot was a few miles in and I would get up on a cliff. Any bird within a square mile I would hear. Around 2002 it was like you flipped a switch. I still go back every year hoping. Here was a view from the cliff.

 

[Gray Ghost]

Im in Sullivan too. Good to see some local boys posting!


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[JChunts]

Maybe this will not turn into another thread where all of us in the southern part complain. But I must say this....
I have driven nearly 350 miles through Giles, Lawrence, and Wayne County for work the past three days. Not on Highway 64 and such either, on the small roads. I've seen lots of turkeys in Wayne County, one turkey in lawrence, 0 in giles

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What part of Wayne were you in to see all of the turkey. I have some property to hunt in northern wayne between 13 and 99 and the numbers on that place have been down the last several years. I pulled a month worth of pics off cams last week and had a flock of 8 hens and a 2 jakes on one cam and 3 jakes on another cam, didnt have a single longbeard pic. I use to see big flocks of 50-100 during deer season and early spring before they busted up. I didn't see a turkey all deer season this last year.