Wayne, Lawrence, and Giles people

[woodsman87]

Any of you talk to any of the biologist guys at the check stations this weekend?

I talked to a guy, he said they didn't know of any for sure problems as of yet. They were looking for problems, and looking for what they could rule out. Taking samples of every part of the bird looking for various diseases. They had heard the concern for these parts of the state.

I looked at the kill reports, and it looks like Giles had 80 checked in this weekend, Lawrence only had 35, and Wayne had 70 something. Looks like Lawrence is still the epicenter of the low numbers. I wish there was a way to tell how many where killed on the northern portions of the counties versus the southern portion of the counties.

It was also a bad weekend, especially Saturday, for them to get a big sample size. I think they are going to continue to take birds until they feel like they have enough of a sample size, so it looks like it was not limited to just this weekend.

 

[woodsman87]

Also, they stated that the next step of the process is to radio collar hens to track them to their nest. To observe the hens survival rate, nest survival, and hatching success.

I myself, believe that it is something to do with nesting and brood success rates. And that is even if something is wrong. I sometimes believe it is just the way it is right now, and the turkeys are all up and Maury, Marshall, and Lewis county and have no idea why they are living up there.

 

[Jarred525]

I saw they were taking data in Giles at Lib's Grocery in Elkton. He was busy so did not get to talk to him. I know it was scary slow on our place in South Giles. I am hoping its just early.

 

[PalsPal]

I wish there was a way to tell how many where killed on the northern portions of the counties versus the southern portion of the counties.

You can see how many were checked in at certain checking stations, if you know where they are located.

Of course, it won't help for those that were checked in online.

 

[woodsman87]

Yes I bet at least half are checked in online or with the cell phone thing.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

Different year, same story. No doubt there are less birds. Gobbling was good yesterday, lots of it. From five turkeys. Used to hear 15-20 from that vantage point, easy.

Talked to several folks on the western end of the county where there are no doubt more birds (and probably always has been) and they saying the same.

Miss the good ole days. :(

At least there are still birds around though. It could be worse, I've seen worse.

 

[Jarred525]

I hit the woods from 1:00 to 4:30 yesterday. Covered about 500 acres on a bad boy buggy. Did not hear the first gobble. That has never happened to me this time of year.

 

[woodsman87]

Different year, same story. No doubt there are less birds. Gobbling was good yesterday, lots of it. From five turkeys. Used to hear 15-20 from that vantage point, easy.

Talked to several folks on the western end of the county where there are no doubt more birds (and probably always has been) and they saying the same.

Miss the good ole days. :(

At least there are still birds around though. It could be worse, I've seen worse.

Yep it could be worse. I still look at the bright side and understand there are still a few out there to hear.

 

[woodsman87]

I hit the woods from 1:00 to 4:30 yesterday. Covered about 500 acres on a bad boy buggy. Did not hear the first gobble. That has never happened to me this time of year.

Just keep on trying. Still very early in the season. And the turkeys still seem to be in winter mode as well. Big flocks that are few and far between. When the grasshoppers start coming out good, them hens will start breaking up to find nesting areas and the gobblers will get pissed enough at each other to no longer be friends.
I figure this week will be a big transition week. 70s everyday, them bugs will be out in the fields

 

[Jarred525]

I hit the woods from 1:00 to 4:30 yesterday. Covered about 500 acres on a bad boy buggy. Did not hear the first gobble. That has never happened to me this time of year.

Just keep on trying. Still very early in the season. And the turkeys still seem to be in winter mode as well. Big flocks that are few and far between. When the grasshoppers start coming out good, them hens will start breaking up to find nesting areas and the gobblers will get pissed enough at each other to no longer be friends.
I figure this week will be a big transition week. 70s everyday, them bugs will be out in the fields

Thanks, I agree I hope the warm weather this week will change things.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

35 birds in Lawrence county and I bet 30 if not all of them came north of highway 64. Pitiful

 

[PickettSFHunter]

There have been more birds killed in any of the mentioned counties than in my county. I guess we are just used to low turkey numbers though.

 

[pressfit]

I had a guy tell me the state though that the turkeys were eating chicken litter from chicken houses and that was killing them..

 

[CAW]

I had a guy tell me the state though that the turkeys were eating chicken litter from chicken houses and that was killing them..

Yep. That's exactly what I heard. Some farmers were using it for fertilizer and the turkeys were vanishing from those farms.

 

[Jarred525]

I had a guy tell me the state though that the turkeys were eating chicken litter from chicken houses and that was killing them..

Yep. That's exactly what I heard. Some farmers were using it for fertilizer and the turkeys were vanishing from those farms.

Yep, I had heard this is one of the theories being batted around.

 

[woodsman87]

I had a guy tell me the state though that the turkeys were eating chicken litter from chicken houses and that was killing them..

Yep. That's exactly what I heard. Some farmers were using it for fertilizer and the turkeys were vanishing from those farms.

Yep, I had heard this is one of the theories being batted around.

I have heard this rumor. It has some merit, but I don't think I will 100% believe it until this study is finished and the biologist post their findings.

As of now, I am still on the nesting success and poult survival bandwagon. That is because I haven't seen a poult withing a 15 mile radius of my land in 10 years. Honest to God truth.

 

[rem7-08]

I won't believe the chicken litter theory until proven either cause I have family friends who have spread litter for years and they have more birds on and around there place than most around. My main observation on my farm and the farms for miles around is since the feral hogs have been here the number of birds have deminished rapidly. Used to kill a long beard on my place every year but haven't heard a bird in two years. Just my thought on it

 

[BigGameGuy]

I had a guy tell me the state though that the turkeys were eating chicken litter from chicken houses and that was killing them..

The state does NOT believe that is what is happening. However, we will be doing some disease testing in that area to try to determine If there are any disease related issues.

 

[pressfit]

thanks BGG

 

[Jarred525]

I had a guy tell me the state though that the turkeys were eating chicken litter from chicken houses and that was killing them..

The state does NOT believe that is what is happening. However, we will be doing some disease testing in that area to try to determine If there are any disease related issues.

Thanks BGG, do you guys have any theories that you are batting around that you can share with us?

 

[BigGameGuy]

Sure...square one for us is simply trying to figure out if there actually IS a problem in those three counties. Are those counties killing less birds than they were ten years ago? Absolutely.

However, standard population trajectories for restored wildlife populations tend to show an exponential rise in population until it hits a peak at K (K = carrying capacity), then that population drops down somewhere below K and begins to stabalize. From that point forward it usually oscillates with annual peaks and valleys due to numerous factors such as weather or other factors which may affect recruitment. Believe it or not, two out of those three counties are exhibiting that standard trend where the population appears to be stabalizing. Another thing to consider is Giles and Wayne are currently sitting at #11 and #12 in the state in total harvest right now (Lawrence is at #46). So to say those counties are hurting may not be accurate.

In order to see if there is something happening, we have conducted aerial surveys to see if there's a difference in population between North and South of 64. We are also conducting a postcard survey to see where the birds are being killed in those counties. Lastly we are contracting with the University of TN to see if there are any disease issues in that area as compared to other areas of the state. All told we will be spending close to a quater million dollars in that area just to determine if there is a problem but at least it can be said we are responding to the hunter's concerns.

 

[rem7-08]

Thanks bgg y'all have definitely responded to our concerns and it's greatly appreciated

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Sure...square one for us is simply trying to figure out if there actually IS a problem in those three counties. Are those counties killing less birds than they were ten years ago? Absolutely.

However, standard population trajectories for restored wildlife populations tend to show an exponential rise in population until it hits a peak at K (K = carrying capacity), then that population drops down somewhere below K and begins to stabalize. From that point forward it usually oscillates with annual peaks and valleys due to numerous factors such as weather or other factors which may affect recruitment. Believe it or not, two out of those three counties are exhibiting that standard trend where the population appears to be stabalizing. Another thing to consider is Giles and Wayne are currently sitting at #11 and #12 in the state in total harvest right now (Lawrence is at #46). So to say those counties are hurting may not be accurate.

In order to see if there is something happening, we have conducted aerial surveys to see if there's a difference in population between North and South of 64. We are also conducting a postcard survey to see where the birds are being killed in those counties. Lastly we are contracting with the University of TN to see if there are any disease issues in that area as compared to other areas of the state. All told we will be spending close to a quater million dollars in that area just to determine if there is a problem but at least it can be said we are responding to the hunter's concerns.

And we really do appreciate it, with that said there is a cutoff at 64 for some reason.

What's hard for me to believe, (I'm not calling you or anyone a liar BTW) is that the fact we had so many turkeys at one point and are now to the point of what I would call near extinction, and call it stabilization. The same 10,000 ish acres I have access to now used to hold hundreds of birds, now probably holds less than 20 (honest to God)

 

[pressfit]

The same 10,000 ish acres I have access to now used to hold hundreds of birds, now probably holds less than 20 (honest to God)

you killed them all!!

 

[deerchaser007]

Sure...square one for us is simply trying to figure out if there actually IS a problem in those three counties. Are those counties killing less birds than they were ten years ago? Absolutely.

However, standard population trajectories for restored wildlife populations tend to show an exponential rise in population until it hits a peak at K (K = carrying capacity), then that population drops down somewhere below K and begins to stabalize. From that point forward it usually oscillates with annual peaks and valleys due to numerous factors such as weather or other factors which may affect recruitment. Believe it or not, two out of those three counties are exhibiting that standard trend where the population appears to be stabalizing. Another thing to consider is Giles and Wayne are currently sitting at #11 and #12 in the state in total harvest right now (Lawrence is at #46). So to say those counties are hurting may not be accurate.

In order to see if there is something happening, we have conducted aerial surveys to see if there's a difference in population between North and South of 64. We are also conducting a postcard survey to see where the birds are being killed in those counties. Lastly we are contracting with the University of TN to see if there are any disease issues in that area as compared to other areas of the state. All told we will be spending close to a quater million dollars in that area just to determine if there is a problem but at least it can be said we are responding to the hunter's concerns.

Just wondering, is "K" the year 2006? I remember most of the state suffered poor poult production the few years after 2006. I know in my area we have not recovered the numbers we had of the late 90's and early 2000's.Its been really up and down since then, but i fully expect to never see it like the good ole days.

I'm lucky to have a huntable population of birds on the farms i hunt, is it like it use to be, HECK NO! But, i don't worry about tagging out to keep my population in check also. With that said, for those of you guys in these counties that are seeing significant drops and losses, i truly feel for ya. I love turkey hunting, and i love gobbling toms, and i know y'all do too.

 

[AT Hiker]

I have noticed that the turkeys are congregating in a general area more than they used to, basically its like they are staying in their winter pattern all year. One place may be covered up in them and a mile down the road its like aliens took them.

Sounds like Lawrence County is hurting for sure and hopefully TWRA can pin point what it is.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

The same 10,000 ish acres I have access to now used to hold hundreds of birds, now probably holds less than 20 (honest to God)

you killed them all!!

Ha I wasn't old enough tohave killed very many when they disappeared

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

It wouldn't bother me not yo have the 12 or 15 we used to have I would be happy to have 5 or 6 to actually hunt.

There are two things that absolutely chap me about thewhole situation,

1. The opportunity, there are no more "after work or before work hunts" for us. We have to drive an hour, sure we could go turkey hunt but we could go black panther hunting and do just as well LOL

2. You try to explain what has happened and what you are experiencing and people, some on this site, tell you your stupid and just dont know how to hunt turkeys because they are everywhere. That really pisses me off

 

[Anonymous]

Just about all the hunters I know say we have about 1/3 the birds we had 10 years ago. Something is going on other than natural fluctuations in the population. Knowing that there is a problem and proving it (scientifically) are two separate things.

 

[Anonymous]

BBG after collecting data what does the state have to compare to for these specific counties? Were the population surveys done then the same as now? Thanks