SKFOOTER
Well-Known Member
I was told that the commission discussed banning TSS and no decoys the first 2 weeks of turkey season beginning next year. Has anyone else heard that??
TWRA Commission Meeting
- Thread starter SKFOOTER
- Start date
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
What's the point of banning TSS? If it's because "everyone is shooting long distances" then ban Long beard XR while they're at it
I have not heard that. Source of information?
I have not heard that but banning tss is the least of their worries lol. I could see banning decoys.
Wrangler95
Well-Known Member
I am for anything that benefits the turkeys,as I'm sure most everyone is!
I don't think TSS is a big problem. Decoys should not be used period, but what would help the population more is to delay the opening a week or even two.
Guess the hunting industry's birds are coming home to roost. If decoys are bad for the first two weeks they are bad the whole time. It's like baiting would be ok the last 2 weeks of the season with that reasoning.
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megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
It's not April 1st yet
By the looks of it we need to ban youth hunts! Those young folks are laying the smack down!
Y'all know I'm kidding
Y'all know I'm kidding
Willysman
Well-Known Member
Not heard anything like that.
That's absurd
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
You can watch the entire meeting online. I just did. They didn't even mention turkeys, much less TSS or decoys. I'm sure turkeys will be a big focus at the April and May meetings as always. So if there are Questions you'd like to ask or changes you'd like to see, now is the time to contact your commissioner.
^^ Thanks SS!
MickThompson
Well-Known Member
I just watched and came here to say the same thing. TnDeer used to be a reasonable place to talk hunting but lately it's as bad or worse than any random Facebook group
Setterman
Well-Known Member
Haha, knew this was bs. Especially the TSS, no reason to ban it and to good to be true on the decoys
catman529
Well-Known Member
I'd like to see if this has actually been discussed or not. TSS patterns way better than Longbeard XR, specifically meaning it isn't too tight at close range and puts way more pellets in the bird. I don't see a reason for banning it at all, it's expensive but it's effective. And I am not a fan of long range shots at a turkey, personally.
As for the decoys I'll remain neutral on that one. I never use them, but haven't seen scientific data showing that they are hurting the reproductive capability of turkeys. I will say I think it's entirely possible they are, but I'd like to see something definitive, not just heresay or speculation.
Edit: I just read the rest of the replies, doesn't surprise me it was just a rumor.
A lot of us are also still waiting on the scientific data showing hens aren't getting breed/breeding is delayed due to the "dominant gobbler theory". As well as the data showing bag limit reductions will significantly help turkey populations on a landscape level.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of the GPS collard hen data coming out is showing that the majority of hens aren't even starting to breed until well after season opens in many locales. Perhaps it's just because biologists were wrong back in the 80's when they assumed hens were all bred before season opened and subsequent biologists took it as gospel. Doesn't matter about the 'dominant gobbler' theory if the majority of breeding doesn't occur until AFTER season opening (since nearly 1/3 of the entire season's kill is in the first 9d of the season).
Bag limit reduction does nothing, IMO... The real focus needs to be on 'when', 'where', and 'which'.
WHEN- after hens have been bred.
WHERE- reduced (or NO harvest) in areas with marginal/ unhuntable populations
WHICH- quit killing jakes. Ensure there is a 2y/o the following year to service hens in that local population if all the toms were killed during hunting season in that locale. An another note about 'no jakes'... it will actually save quite a few gobblers as well. Every year here in MS I pass a male bird that comes in to the call, often gobbling, that I cannot positively identify as an 'adult gobbler (definition set by state of MS)'. Enact that on a statewide level, and not only are there thousands more jakes allowed to mature for the following season, but a not insignificant number of gobblers that get passed because they could not be positively identified as adults.
