Studies on delaying season opening?

[Joe2Kool]

Wasn't there a post on here that had links to several studies about the effects of delaying season openers? If so, can someone post a link to that post? I'm interested in reading the studies.
Thanks

 

[Joe2Kool]

Well, I've searched and searched on here and can't find it. Maybe I saw it on another site. Maybe KYDeer.com. I'll have to search it later.

 

[megalomaniac]

Don't have the link, but bases on my recollections of the data presented by turkey coordinator Shields on the 2 week delay in TN for the MS River zone, and the southern middle TN zone....

The delay was positive in the MS River zone with increased reproduction and population numbers over what was their baseline compared to the rest of the state....

The delay in southern middle TN resulted in increased poult recruitment, but not statistically significant compared to the rest of the state... in other words, inconclusive.

There really aren't any definitive studies proving delaying season opening provides any real world benefit yet. But the converse is also true, AND proven... delaying season opening is not hurting hunting success. One could argue that delaying season opening actually INCREASES hunting success SIGNIFICANTLY for opening weekend. I'm not sure TN has EVER killed 10,000 birds in just 2 days before this springs opener. OFC, all thos birds killed were a product of the traditional past opener. It will be at least 2 years before any benefit in gobbler populations can be realized.

Arkansas was a prime example cited in the past by the 'delay makes no difference in population trends' group... until this year... AR killed more birds than they have in a long time this year... which gives me hope... as bad as AR had gotten after being covered up in birds back in the early 2000s, it looks like they may actually be recovering. (Too early to say for sure... so cautious optimism)

 

[th88]

Here are a couple good podcasts talking about the results (or lack thereof) of changes to season frameworks.

Firstly, Craig Harper. The lead on the TN Research. Harper knows his stuff and is a voice worth listening to.




Next, Adam Butler with Miss. Dept. of Wildlife. This year made the 6th spring MS has had delayed openers (2 weeks) on select WMAs.




Unfortunately it takes a quite a while for peer-reviewed research to be published. But above are two great listens with preliminary data on season framework changes.

 

[deerfever]

I have attached some quick reads from various places. TN study by Dr. Harper showed no difference in delayed versus non delayed areas, findings below. States all over the south have had good hatches the last two years, TN included in both delayed and non delayed areas . The weather was perfect . Mississippi turkey coordinator said last year was the best hatch I believe since the 90s . They open March 15th and a week before is juvenile. He cited weather throughout the Southeast as the main reason for the great hatches , I included his comments. Arkansas even killed over 9,000 turkeys this year as bad as that sounds it's an increase , I have attached the article where they speak of good hatches due to the weather patterns since 2020, the no Jakes rule, and habitat improvements. No mention of the delay having an impact positive , negative or at all. Time will tell, LBL and Catoosa are two areas in TN that have always had a delayed season but no studies on either . You may ask some guys that hunt those places how things are going and if they continued to expand in turkey population as other areas declined since they have always had a delay. Those two would be perfect case studies. Again time will tell and I am sure more information will come available as we move forward. I certainly hope we have another great hatch. I hope guys start posting lots of pictures soon!

 

[Bullfrog]

, LBL and Catoosa are two areas in TN that have always had a delayed season but no studies on either . You may ask some guys that hunt those places how things are going and if they continued to expand in turkey population as other areas declined since they have always had a delay. Those two would be perfect case studies. Again time will tell and I am sure more information will come available as we move forward. I certainly hope we have another great hatch. I hope guys start posting lots of pictures soon!

I think one of LBL's biggest issues, was the amount of people hunting there during the off period. Hopefully, the later state opening guidelines will help with some of that.

 

[recurve60#]

How can we have results of a study in Tennessee already on a delayed season? Studies take years.

 

[deerfever]

How can we have results of a study in Tennessee already on a delayed season? Studies take years.

We had counties delayed already before we switched the whole state to it.

 

[recurve60#]

We had counties delayed already before we switched the whole state to it.

For how long?

 

[deerfever]

For how long?

I believe we studied certain counties 6 years but some were only delayed two or three? . Dr. Harper tells all of that in the podcast above, he tells how many hens they studied and gives all the details. They could not compare delayed versus non delayed areas any longer as commission voted to delay the whole state.

 

[th88]

I believe we studied certain counties 6 years but some were only delayed two or three? . Dr. Harper tells all of that in the podcast above, he tells how many hens they studied and gives all the details. They could not compare delayed versus non delayed areas any longer as commission voted to delay the whole state.

Yup, just two springs. Then the commission jumped the gun and screwed up the study. They'd already been tracking hens, collecting brood and demographic data for several years.

 

[Joe2Kool]

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[recurve60#]

Its too early imo to know anything.

 

[poorhunter]

We do know there has been a significant population decline in much of Tennessee (and the Southeast), and to do nothing is not an option. There are things that can be done to reduce the pressure on the population, but they "reduce opportunity" for hunters, which for some is like taking confiscating their guns away. I prefer to take a conservative cautious approach and reduce limits and season length to see if it helps, because too many people do not have the ability to limit themselves without it being regulated.

 

[TheLBLman]

I prefer to take a conservative cautious approach and reduce limits and season length to see if it helps, because too many people do not have the ability to limit themselves without it being regulated.

Exactly.
Look at all the avid turkey hunters who year after year killed 4 birds, then took others turkey hunting to kill more. Some of the "must get their limit every year" hunters now say we should close turkey season entirely, putting their getting their limit above everything else. Limit is zero, they can still claim they limited out?

I appreciate Dr. Harper and his desire to continue his controlled turkey study with as few new variables as possible. Craig is a great guy (even if Randy Travis is his brother). But the lowest holes in the bucket needed plugging before more was lost. Delayed season opening with reduced limit was a big step to help the statewide turkey populations.

The turkeys need all the help we and Mother Nature can give them.

Hopefully between these reg changes and turkeys statewide generally having good nesting success & poult survival the past 2 years, things can at least more potentially get back closer to those good ole turkey hunting days.

My fear remains whatever happened to the quail, and the grouse, is also happening to the turkeys.
With the quail & the grouse, their decline had little to do with hunting regs or hunting, and some say it had little to do with nesting success.