Have you noticed?

[Dupree]

A lot of the “will a jake breed” and “dominant gobblers only” questions should be answered after the auburn university study is completed. They are starting year two of it now. Every bird that you submit, has a list of questions in a survey to determine that gobbler’s behavior. I’m about to walk out the door to go listen, but will post some more info on that when I settled down this evening. They are asking the right questions to determine this dominant gobbler theory.

Here is the survey questions that get answered for every turkey submitted into the auburn university fertility study. They sent me a paper copy in my packet of stuff this year, but the people who bring me birds and myself use an online survey with the same questions.

 

[Swamprat]

Gonna throw out two separate years that may or not be the issue.

2011 - Georgia allowed bating in the Southern zone for deer eliminating the 200 yard requirement and maybe the feeder had to be out of site.

2014 - Georgia had it's first youth season for turkeys.

We all should know the risk associated with alfatoxin in corn, moldy corn, possible disease transmission with a concentrated feed area.

Like I said, not sure if these two years are the issue but most folks will say they started noticing problems basically 10 years plus or minus.

Not sure how the decline correlates from private to public but know down here FWC is busting folks as much as they can on public for baiting. I have called it in before on public, not about to be set up close to bait I had no idea was there and take the rap for it.

 

[buckpasser]

Gonna throw out two separate years that may or not be the issue.

2011 - Georgia allowed bating in the Southern zone for deer eliminating the 200 yard requirement and maybe the feeder had to be out of site.

2014 - Georgia had it's first youth season for turkeys.

We all should know the risk associated with alfatoxin in corn, moldy corn, possible disease transmission with a concentrated feed area.

Like I said, not sure if these two years are the issue but most folks will say they started noticing problems basically 10 years plus or minus.

Not sure how the decline correlates from private to public but know down here FWC is busting folks as much as they can on public for baiting. I have called it in before on public, not about to be set up close to bait I had no idea was there and take the rap for it.

Had a guy ask me today when deer bait became legal in GA. I couldn’t recall but would have thought it was much earlier. If it really was 2011 my suspicions are even stronger on baiting be a big player! Thanks

 

[cj580guitar]

I noticed the turkey decline in my area around 2001-2002. We had decent numbers then the following spring they had disappeared. Couldnt see a turkey for the next several years. Now I see a flock or two on the area I hunt. But nothing like pre-2000. I’m not sure what happened but it happened.

 

[Swamprat]

Had a guy ask me today when deer bait became legal in GA. I couldn’t recall but would have thought it was much earlier. If it really was 2011 my suspicions are even stronger on baiting be a big player! Thanks

I believe it had been legal prior to 2011 but you had to be 200 yards and if I remember correct out of sight from the feeder.

2011 they did away with those requirements but believe you had to prove/claim it was a active feeder all year long. Still think the 100 yard law is in effect for turkeys. at least that is the case for FL.

 

[buckpasser]

I noticed the turkey decline in my area around 2001-2002. We had decent numbers then the following spring they had disappeared. Couldnt see a turkey for the next several years. Now I see a flock or two on the area I hunt. But nothing like pre-2000. I’m not sure what happened but it happened.

2010 was probably the top of the mountain here.

 

[buckpasser]

I believe it had been legal prior to 2011 but you had to be 200 yards and if I remember correct out of sight from the feeder.

2011 they did away with those requirements but believe you had to prove/claim it was a active feeder all year long. Still think the 100 yard law is in effect for turkeys. at least that is the case for FL.

Yes. I remember the rule change. There’s no clear “turkey rule” in GA. It’s illegal to hunt over bait, but the proximity is the question.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I have had lots of glory days as well. I have a wall full of beards and tails to prove it just like you and hopefully one day you and I can sit around and drink a few beers and tell some good old stories.

I think that we both just want to see Turkey succeed. Nobody has the magic wand. Unfortunately.

If I had a magic wand, I can promise you I would have a flock of 50 birds in my front field right now….. and for that matter, everybody would.

I have that. (Flock of 50 inthe front field.)We have much more restrictive turkey regulations. Coincidence or not? I don't know.

 

[cowhornedspike]

I think they have pretty much settled on 200 yds as a guideline but not sure it is the law.

 

[Swamprat]

Kind of confusing....have heard no bait at all, can have bait if it was a active feeder all year but you had to be at least 100 yards from it.

Throwing out corn, bird seed, scratch, wheat seed, etc, is still a no go as far as I know distance or not.

 

[cowhornedspike]

Kind of confusing....have heard no bait at all, can have bait if it was a active feeder all year but you had to be at least 100 yards from it.

Throwing out corn, bird seed, scratch, wheat seed, etc, is still a no go as far as I know distance or not.

You can not hunt turkeys over bait.
You can feed year round or at any time you feel like it but it can't impact your turkey hunting or you can be charged. Feeding year round gives you no different legal status than just throwing it out one time.
I have been told that there is no official 200 yd rule but that they follow that pretty close.
Your mileage may differ and this ain't Florida.

 

[buckpasser]

Kind of confusing....have heard no bait at all, can have bait if it was a active feeder all year but you had to be at least 100 yards from it.

Throwing out corn, bird seed, scratch, wheat seed, etc, is still a no go as far as I know distance or not.

We don’t have the feeder all year thing either. Could be a feeder for the last half hour with same regs.

 

[buckpasser]

I have that. (Flock of 50 inthe front field.)We have much more restrictive turkey regulations. Coincidence or not? I don't know.

I listened to a NC turkey biologist today on a podcast. He said, like you have, that the population is stable in NC. Just curious, what’s the law on baiting deer there?

 

[Swamprat]

Cowhornedspike.....know it is not Florida but own property in GA with my wife and BIL.

Just stating what I have heard and been told. Rule book is geared more toward public both in GA and FL. Both states you have to read between the lines as far as private and even that is not clear and up for interpretation by GW's

 

[cj580guitar]

And also I saw the same thing happen on the family land I hunt in south central Ky too. Lots of birds then a few years ago less and less gobbling. Even though I don’t live there the small family farms are still the same as they were when I started hunting up there. Not sure what changed to cause this to happen.

 

[saltysenior]

I noticed the turkey decline in my area around 2001-2002. We had decent numbers then the following spring they had disappeared. Couldnt see a turkey for the next several years. Now I see a flock or two on the area I hunt. But nothing like pre-2000. I’m not sure what happened but it happened.

Another example of a large turkey population disappearing quickly.....one cannot place the blame on habitat loss, predators , or over harvest..the one reason that stands out is disease ......but it seems that reason is always on the way back burner..

 

[Swamprat]

Whatever the problem is to me shortened seasons, reduced limits, restricted access is not the answer. Time for state biologists to dig deeper into the issue instead of most game commissions boot stepping to one mans unproven theory.

Like i have said before, once you loose something regarding hunting more than likely you will never see it returned.

Ask for the science and that science backs up their decisions for lost opportunity. You will find none, just theory.

Peak gobbling sound surveys prove nothing as far as decline in turkey population. Yes, we heard less birds but the root should be why are we hearing less.

 

[furtaker]

Whatever the problem is to me shortened seasons, reduced limits, restricted access is not the answer. Time for state biologists to dig deeper into the issue instead of most game commissions boot stepping to one mans unproven theory.

Like i have said before, once you loose something regarding hunting more than likely you will never see it returned.

Ask for the science and that science backs up their decisions for lost opportunity. You will find none, just theory.

Peak gobbling sound surveys prove nothing as far as decline in turkey population. Yes, we heard less birds but the root should be why are we hearing less.

Yep. The declining population won't be fixed until the problem is found and dealt with. Shortened seasons, no decoys, and a one bird limit is like putting a bandaid on a leg amputation.

 

[Sixes]

I listened to a NC turkey biologist today on a podcast. He said, like you have, that the population is stable in NC. Just curious, what’s the law on baiting deer there?

NC allows bait for deer as well as Florida.

2011 was when the 200 yard restriction was done away with in south Georgia. The 200 yard rule had been in place for a long time before 2011.

The disappearance that I saw happen was around 17-19. I didn't see the disappearance as bad in west Georgia or in Cherokee county, where I live. Northern Cherokee has had a stable population for years and years. Other than land disappearing at a rapid pace, there is no farming to speak of in this area.

Where I hunt in west Georgia, the population fell but a lot less than other areas. The primary area that I saw the turkeys disappear was Laurens, Bleckley, Dodge area and everyone I know that lives in that area (from Macon to Dublin to Milledgeville) all say the same thing. The turkeys disappeared almost over night.

The big thing that I saw was the increased, heavy use of chicken litter during the immediate time before the disappearance. I am not blaming that for the disappearance, but the farm that I hunted had no other changes during that time and no changes in crops and consists of ~10,000 acres. The birds all but disappeared (hens and gobblers) from the property.

 

[across the river]

Kind of confusing....have heard no bait at all, can have bait if it was a active feeder all year but you had to be at least 100 yards from it.

Throwing out corn, bird seed, scratch, wheat seed, etc, is still a no go as far as I know distance or not.

​

Directly from the regs.​

​

It is unlawful for any person to:​

• Hunt any game animal (except as noted below) or game bird upon, over, around, or within 200 yards of bait.
• Hunt any area for a period of 10 days following complete removal of all bait.
• Hunt any game or feral hog over bait, or place bait, on any State or Federal managed lands.
• Place bait in a manner that will cause hunting on an adjacent property to be prohibited.

Taking of any big game, other than deer, over bait is subject to a fine of $5,000 and/or imprisonment up to 12 months.

Exceptions for Deer and Feral Hogs:​

• Deer and feral hogs may be hunted over or near any bait on private lands in all counties, provided the hunter has written permission from the landowner. It is unlawful to hunt deer over bait, or place bait, on any state or federally managed lands.
• Placing bait for deer or hogs may make a property (or portion of a property) un-huntable for other species, such as turkeys. Hunters are urged to communicate with others who may hunt other species on or near an area where baiting for deer or hogs is being considered.