Got a Ga. turkey survey call today

[High road]

I was phone surveyed today on turkeys only, the DNR must be taking the lower harvest numbers serious. All the questions about changing the dates and limits started with if science shows would you support? They asked a ton of questions that I was glad to answer. Been hunting these mts for 40 years and can remember going to public land and hearing multiple birds almost every morning back in the 80's and early 90's. No it's become very hard to even find a gobbling turkey in these same areas. I'm talking about thousands of acres on Blue Ridge, Chestatee, Coopers Creek and most of the CNF in between. It's a huge area with drastic population changes that have happened over the past few years. Don't get me wrong they are birds here and there but it ain't as easy as it used to be!
There could be some changes coming in the future for Ga turkey hunting as the lady asking the questions would say if science supports this.
Any body else been surveyed?

 

[Covehnter]

I've turkey hunted turkeys in Georgia ever since I could stand upright and I've never gotten a phone survey. Which I (like alot of people I would imagine) no longer answer unknown phone numbers. It seems like email would be much more efficient and successful pooling option. But what do I know? I did just send in my turkey cooperators card.

 

[High road]

At first I thought it was a telemarketer and was ready to say put me on the don't call list but I quickly changed my attitude to yes I would be glad to participate!

 

[XIronheadX]

Hopefully, they start showing us some of this science soon.

 

[Turkeytider]

I've turkey hunted turkeys in Georgia ever since I could stand upright and I've never gotten a phone survey. Which I (like alot of people I would imagine) no longer answer unknown phone numbers. It seems like email would be much more efficient and successful pooling option. But what do I know? I did just send in my turkey cooperators card.

Yep, IMO a phone survey would probably go nowhere fast for the reason you mentioned. I don't answer unknown numbers either. Figure if it's important they'll leave a message.

 

[turkeykirk]

You would think they would identify themselves as the DNR on the phone call list. Like others have said I don’t answer unknown numbers.

 

[Gaswamp]

I've turkey hunted turkeys in Georgia ever since I could stand upright and I've never gotten a phone survey. Which I (like alot of people I would imagine) no longer answer unknown phone numbers. It seems like email would be much more efficient and successful pooling option. But what do I know? I did just send in my turkey cooperators card.

I'm sure you send in more than one

 

[Timber1]

Turkey hunting was never suppose to be easy. That's what separated the turkey hunters from the rest. It got easy by stocking and restocking. And was made even easier by all the innovations when it started becoming popular and everyone wanted to make a buck off it. Now the populations are dropping and what has become the norm, easy hunting, is starting to revert to pre-stocking days and everyone is crying where are the birds. You reap what you sow. Maybe yall should just give it up.

 

[delacroix]

Were they calling while out in the field working or from a desk or robocall? I'm tired of them taking data out of context and making political decisions. If they spent the time actually working in the field they would come to the same conclusions as the rest of us. I have yet to talk to a biologist who understands or is at least willing to admit the difference between what scientific gathering of data through blind measurement and statistical analysis shows and what experienced woodsmen know from time in the field. Both have value, but government biologists won't admit the severe limitation of the tools they have.

Don't think you'll get my hard earned information and then turn it around to use against me. "I haven't seen a turkey." "What is a turkey?" Get out and get to work for the money we give you.

 

[wvdawg]

They survey a certain percentage of hunters each year. I have gotten calls at least twice in the past four or five years. (not this year)

 

[FootLongDawg]

High Road. Why do you think they called you? Did you report a kill this year through the reporting process? No big deal. I just wonder how they decide who they will call

 

[High road]

High Road. Why do you think they called you? Did you report a kill this year through the reporting process? No big deal. I just wonder how they decide who they will call

A couple of months ago I got a phone survey call about general hunting in Ga. Had alot of questions about how many days I hunted each species it also asked how many coyotes, hogs, bears, small game and turkeys I harvested. They both asked if I reported my game using the game check system. Both calls had nothing on the caller id showing who it was from.
At the end of the 1st survey I told the lady I would be glad to help out any way I could.

She must have put a note by my name.

 

[High road]

High Road. Why do you think they called you? Did you report a kill this year through the reporting process? No big deal. I just wonder how they decide who they will call

Sorry I didn't answer all of your question.
Yes I have reported both deer and turkey on the game check since it started. I'm guessing I was just randomly selected.
Does anyone know approximately how many people are surveyed each year?

 

[Mark K]

I was called a few years ago, but they wanted to question the dates of my kills, lol. I remember a few other questions about how many heard/seen, but that’s the one that stuck with me.

 

[six]

I've never been contacted, could be because I rarely answer my phone.

The talk about moving the opening date back got me to thinking. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for what I'm about to mention and am in no way complaining about it. But if the opening date could have an affect on populations, I wonder if the introduction of youth season could be a contributing factor. Now that they have mentioned the general opener could be a factor it got me to thinking. If my memory serves me correctly it seems like turkey populations started to decline around the same time or shortly after the introduction of a youth season. (I'm not complaining, just thinking out loud). Could this earlier disruption of a turkeys breeding cycle be a factor? If it's not a factor then I don't think the original opening date is a factor. Again, I'm not complaining, and I like the fact that the kids get a little head start. I'd even give up a week of my season for the kids. Just food for thought, discussion.

 

[tr21]

in a normal year most hens have already been breed by the opening of the season. I was told they were doing a controlled burn before the season and had a hen jump up off a full nest. my opinion is, and I have discussed this with a few friends at the dnr the coyotes are eating them up. between that, the weather and even armadillos they don't have much chance of reaching adulthood. they need to put a bounty on them yotes. I have had turkeys gobbling to my calls, then saw coyotes headed their way and all went quiet. some think the gobblers are getting wise to this and not gobbling, if that's the case they have also learned to walk and leave no tracks or droppings.

 

[Mark K]

Why do they need to put a bounty on coyotes? If you truly believe they are the problem then start hunting them or trapping them. Actions speak louder than words...

 

[tr21]

why did Florida put a bounty on pythons?

 

[Mark K]

Have no clue about pythons, don’t live in Florida. If I saw one in Georgia I’d probably shoot it before anyone told me I should. I can figure out the predator/prey logic pretty easily without the DNR having to tell me or encourage me, lol.
Sorta like limits...just because they say I can shoot a certain number doesn’t mean I have to. If they aren’t there to reproduce I don’t shoot. Seems common sense is a dying thought process.

 

[Turkeytider]

why did Florida put a bounty on pythons?

I've always assumed that it was to encourage people to kill as many of the ****ed things as possible.