deast1988
Senior Member
I saw a 10,000 bird reported harvest. And DNR trying to say 50% compliance so did 20,000 birds get taken this spring?
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2019 Turkey Season: 2 bird limit, 2 weeks shorter
- Thread starter Gut_Pile
- Start date
brittonl
Senior Member
Lol, we were discussing this on another thread and it ended up getting weird ...
Gut_Pile
Senior Member
2016 - 11,225 turkeys reported, 16,000 estimated harvest
2017 - 11,750 turkeys reported, 26,000 estimated harvest
2018 - 11,900 turkeys reported, TBD
HD28
Senior Member
I would welcome that myself!
Something needs to be done because something IS going on with turkey populations declining!
HD28
Senior Member
mizzippi jb
Welcome back.
I don't mind cutting the number of gobbkers down, but man I hope they don't do anything with may. I don't even start hunting hard til April 20th.
Worlldbeater
Senior Member
I tag out before May so that won't be a problem for me, but I know others who will have withdrawal problems if they take away the May part of the season. The only thing holding the turkey numbers back around my land is deer hunters on the clubs by me shooting them during deer season because they are eating their deer corn. We control varmits by trapping, coon hunting with dogs and game calls.
fountain
Senior Member
Keep thinking this. For all those that you know that dont tag out, I know folks that cover that for them...and then some. Guess I hang out and know a bunch of rogues though.
fountain
Senior Member
I'm all for this Will. The way it's been going, I'm lucky to kill two a spring. Season is too long as it is. May is typically so hot and the gobblers are typically done by then. Although, I will est those words for this spring. I had a bird work in and gobble all the way into the gun the last afternoon of the season and saw several die the last week of the season. Typically this isnt the way it happens, but I guess there are times it does.
Cutting the limit to 2 may help some and shortening the season may. I just hope it doesn't come in any later becaus I dont know if I could wait until April to start hunting! January and February are pretty dull, mid March is a special time of year to me
Cutting the limit to 2 may help some and shortening the season may. I just hope it doesn't come in any later becaus I dont know if I could wait until April to start hunting! January and February are pretty dull, mid March is a special time of year to me
sea trout
2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
I'm tired of readin decoy's and blinds are the problem!!!
Those who think so may watch tv and see the huntin shows .
I've probably hunted around 30 mornins this 2018 season. Out of those I've used decoys probably 10 or 12 times. out of those...1 big gobbler came in to beat up a struttin jake decoy. The rest....the gobblers came in, saw the decoys and left!!!!
Blinds are good for kids, rain and they're not even any different in the success rate!!!!
Those who think so may watch tv and see the huntin shows .
I've probably hunted around 30 mornins this 2018 season. Out of those I've used decoys probably 10 or 12 times. out of those...1 big gobbler came in to beat up a struttin jake decoy. The rest....the gobblers came in, saw the decoys and left!!!!
Blinds are good for kids, rain and they're not even any different in the success rate!!!!
I expect them to cut the limit back to 2 I have said that for a few years now. Now if they change the season they need to adjust it based on where you are at. Up here in the mountains the birds are 2-3 weeks behind those in middle to south Georgia. The last week they were HAMMERING hard and I'd bet you a cool drink I could get up and go tomorrow morning and get on a gobbling bird. If they do any adjusting to our season up here they need to take 2 weeks from the start of the season not the end. But to be honest none of that is gonna make a difference, the harvest is not the problem it's loss of habitat and predators.
Buckman18
Senior Member
Not a lot of deviation in this 3-year average... Again, changing season dates and bag limit will have a net 0% impact... Hunter harvest and the length of our season is a non issue. The numbers speak for themselves. If the property YOU hunt is shot out, either manage it better or change.
BTW, estimated harvest data from 20 years ago is remarkably similar to the past 3 years.
sea trout
2021 Turkey Challenge Winner 2022 biggest turkey ?
I 100 percent agree with you, especially the LAST SENTENCE!!!!
My turkey properties are managed fine! The management and bird population is a product of my own decisions!
Everyone who can, make sound decisions on your huntin land!!
I understand some can't, on public land or small tracts with too much killin neighbors.
turkeykirk
Senior Member
Do you use the DNR Turn In Poachers hotline or do you just overlook it. People who kill more than their limit steal from all legal hunters.
fountain
Senior Member
They know
A good many of them are my kinfolk all through that country. That bunch of rogues spans 175 years or more. I know this for a fact.
Mean too.
fountain
Senior Member
Yep. Not really my business what they do. Same goes for deer. It's not just me and my area, it's all over. The "cover" more ground than I do
Gut_Pile
Senior Member
Not a lot of deviation in what’s being checked in but there is a lot in what is being estimated.
I have no problems killing turkeys on the properties I hunt, but I hunt some of the best managed properties in the counties I hunt.
And the amount of hunters compared to 20 years ago is not remarkably similar, so the harvest being the same is weighed more to what I am saying. More hunters killing the same amount of turkeys. Which means less turkeys killed per hunter.
Do some research, this is a problem. I’ll be glad to site SEVERAL resources for you tomorrow when I get back to my computer.
fountain
Senior Member
Have the harvest numbers ever been remotely accurate? Now is about the closest they ever have been and I still say it's about 40-50%. Numbers are down plain and simple. When you hear many people talking about it and they know what they had 20 years ago and see what it is now, I take their word.
goblr77
Senior Member
Glad to see it. I wish they’d outlaw decoys while they’re at it. That would thin out some hunters and help things out.
