Turkey harvest log for 2016 season

How many of you turkey hunters are aware of the new regulation for recording and reporting turkey harvests? the forms will be avilable after March 1 2016.

Yeah, I heard about it last year. It's fine with me. It will make it easier to report when hunting WMA's. I won't have to drive to the check station, that's in the wrong direction and too far a away.

For those of us who get a turkey harvest survey card from the state wildlife biologist Mr. B. Bond every year, does this mean we will no longer get one? I guess there will be no need for one now.

flyfisher1 said:

For those of us who get a turkey harvest survey card from the state wildlife biologist Mr. B. Bond every year, does this mean we will no longer get one? I guess there will be no need for one now.

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That's a wrong assupmtion.

There is still plenty of data that only comes from the turkey harvest card and cannot be obtained from the new harvest reporting system.

Therefore, be on the lookout for your harvest card again next year.

Thanks for you're participation
BBond

I have an question regarding the checking out on WMA's. Is the harvest information for the WMA's going to be available to see "during" the season?

Many times if I am in the general area, I will stop by the check station to see what has been checked out recently and see if I recognize any names. In some cases, I might even drive out of my way a little to see what is being killed.

I have went to Lake Russell WMA in early April to hunt and stopped by the check station to see what has been killed. On one particular occasion there had been like 40 birds signed out by that first week in April. I did not hear anything that morning and needless to say I did not go back that season. With that information, I concentrated my efforts on other WMA's/national forest to get my birds.

In some years, when I was having difficulty hearing birds in the mountains, my cousin would visit the check station during the week to see if any had been signed our recently. One particular occasion I remember, there had been some birds being signed out recently so we made a trip up and I called up a bird for him.

So yes, going by the check station to sign out a bird can be a pain at times but it's not like you are going very often. At times, the kill sheet can provide some information that may help someone in deciding where they may want to spend their time hunting.

NorthGaHunter said:

I have an question regarding the checking out on WMA's. Is the harvest information for the WMA's going to be available to see "during" the season?

Many times if I am in the general area, I will stop by the check station to see what has been checked out recently and see if I recognize any names. In some cases, I might even drive out of my way a little to see what is being killed.

I have went to Lake Russell WMA in early April to hunt and stopped by the check station to see what has been killed. On one particular occasion there had been like 40 birds signed out by that first week in April. I did not hear anything that morning and needless to say I did not go back that season. With that information, I concentrated my efforts on other WMA's/national forest to get my birds.

In some years, when I was having difficulty hearing birds in the mountains, my cousin would visit the check station during the week to see if any had been signed our recently. One particular occasion I remember, there had been some birds being signed out recently so we made a trip up and I called up a bird for him.

So yes, going by the check station to sign out a bird can be a pain at times but it's not like you are going very often. At times, the kill sheet can provide some information that may help someone in deciding where they may want to spend their time hunting.

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And why would you want to help someone spend their time hunting in your area?

Yall must hunt different than I do.

Covehnter said:

And why would you want to help someone spend their time hunting in your area?

Yall must hunt different than I do.

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Actually, I am like most hunters that have been hunting for a good part of their life. I don’t want to help anyone hunt my area…LOL but most of my areas typically covers around 9 counties which contains 7 WMA’s and national forest.

For me, I like to know just how many birds have been taken off of a WMA and maybe when they have been taken. Lake Russell WMA has been a good place to hunt over the years. If I decide to hunt it around mid April, it would be nice to know whether there has already been 40 plus birds taken. In that case, I would just rather take my butt back up to the mountain WMA’s/CNF not waste any more of my time on a place that has been hammered that hard. Also it’s nice to see how many jakes/adults have been taken. When you see almost all adults being signed out, that says a little about the previous years reproduction. It can be nice to see if there is any trend as to when the birds are being taken. If a WMA has only had ten or so birds taken yet 75% of those have been taken within the last 5 days of when you stopped by the check station, you better be burning some boot leather.

On some days, I am liable to be on 2 or 3 WMA’s and/or CNF. If I have been unsuccessful at finding birds yet a good number of birds are being checked out, then I need to hunt a harder and maybe check out some places I may have not hunted in a few years. In some instances where you are seeing a lot of birds starting to be signed out, you may need to see about moving some vacation days around and taking them sooner rather than later. In some cases it motivates me to hunt harder. The mountains can really wear a hunter down physically and sometimes a guy needs all motivation he can find to keep pushing himself.

Every year tends to be a little different in one way or the other. The mountains tend to lag a few weeks behind than the rest of the state yet some years the first couple of weeks can be good. Some years that second week or so of April can be good and some years May can be great. Weather, population, availability of food, early / late springs, etc impact a turkey hunters success. I am like most in that I don’t get to hunt as much as I like but I typically hunt around 20 to 32 days each spring. Many times if I am around a check station I will check to see if any birds are being checked out. In some instances that information has help me in planning when I take any future vacation days.

If this information is not going to be available till after the turkey season has closed, then this looks to be something like the decision to take away the last week of deer hunting on the national forest. Yes it might be easier on some that may have to drive a distance to sign out a bird, but that kind of information would be nice to know. I sure don’t want to spend a lot of time on a WMA that has already had 40 or 50 birds taken.

I reckon I just don't put that much thought into the numbers on the sign out sheet. Mostly because I don't trust them. . . . I hate going to a check station.

NorthGaHunter said:

I have an question regarding the checking out on WMA's. Is the harvest information for the WMA's going to be available to see "during" the season?

Many times if I am in the general area, I will stop by the check station to see what has been checked out recently and see if I recognize any names. In some cases, I might even drive out of my way a little to see what is being killed.

I have went to Lake Russell WMA in early April to hunt and stopped by the check station to see what has been killed. On one particular occasion there had been like 40 birds signed out by that first week in April. I did not hear anything that morning and needless to say I did not go back that season. With that information, I concentrated my efforts on other WMA's/national forest to get my birds.

In some years, when I was having difficulty hearing birds in the mountains, my cousin would visit the check station during the week to see if any had been signed our recently. One particular occasion I remember, there had been some birds being signed out recently so we made a trip up and I called up a bird for him.

So yes, going by the check station to sign out a bird can be a pain at times but it's not like you are going very often. At times, the kill sheet can provide some information that may help someone in deciding where they may want to spend their time hunting.

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The intent is to have all harvest information readily available on the website as close to real-time as possible. I'll know more once they start developing the system. In most states with harvest reporting, the information is usually available the following day.

Harvest information will be broken down by area or WMA on public lands and by county on private lands.

C.Killmaster said:

The intent is to have all harvest information readily available on the website as close to real-time as possible. I'll know more once they start developing the system. In most states with harvest reporting, the information is usually available the following day.

Harvest information will be broken down by area or WMA on public lands and by county on private lands.

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That would be great! Thanks!

That's a big 10-4, you have told about, Mr Kevin, and this new system; might save some boot-leather and time.
herb mcclure

herb mcclure said:

That's a big 10-4, you have told about, Mr Kevin, and this new system; might save some boot-leather and time.
herb mcclure

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Yes you have a point there Herb. Sometimes I would drive by the check station while resting/catching my breath and trying to decide where to go next. Now if I have a cell signal, I can bring it up on my phone so I won't have an excuse to rest!