NE GA Mtn Decline

[C.Killmaster]

Can someone actually show me a study that proves that hens are going unbred based on overhunting or early hunting?

Just published in January.

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.21804

I'll try to get you the full text version.

 

[XIronheadX]

I'm trying to interpret it. I guess removal of males had to have a negative effect on daily gobbling activity if gobblers weren't alive to gobble the next day.

 

[buckpasser]

Charlie, I don’t pretend to be the researcher of game animals that I know you are, but I didn’t see the actual reproductive impact mentioned in the abstract. I’m certain that pressured and dead Toms gobble much less than live and happy ones, but I still find it difficult to believe that hens anywhere in Georgia regularly fail to breed based on the absence of gobblers due to hunting within the season dates and limits. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.

 

[C.Killmaster]

Charlie, I don’t pretend to be the researcher of game animals that I know you are, but I didn’t see the actual reproductive impact mentioned in the abstract. I’m certain that pressured and dead Toms gobble much less than live and happy ones, but I still find it difficult to believe that hens anywhere in Georgia regularly fail to breed based on the absence of gobblers due to hunting within the season dates and limits. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong.

The hunting pressure causes them to stop gobbling, something we are all familiar with. This has also been shown scientifically by audio recorders monitoring gobbling on hunted and un-hunted properties. The problem is that gobbling is a necessary part of breeding and plays a big role in hens locating gobblers and vice versa. Our season starts long before most breeding starts to occur, so we end up with not only fewer gobblers to breed but much less vocal ones.

 

[buckpasser]

The hunting pressure causes them to stop gobbling, something we are all familiar with. This has also been shown scientifically by audio recorders monitoring gobbling on hunted and un-hunted properties. The problem is that gobbling is a necessary part of breeding and plays a big role in hens locating gobblers and vice versa. Our season starts long before most breeding starts to occur, so we end up with not only fewer gobblers to breed but much less vocal ones.

I’m in a county bordering Florida and I can positively assure you that there is at least some breeding that occurs here prior to opening day. I fully understand that the season is not a “one size fits all” solution for a state this deep N to S. Do you see zoning as a possible solution?

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

The hunting pressure causes them to stop gobbling, something we are all familiar with. This has also been shown scientifically by audio recorders monitoring gobbling on hunted and un-hunted properties. The problem is that gobbling is a necessary part of breeding and plays a big role in hens locating gobblers and vice versa. Our season starts long before most breeding starts to occur, so we end up with not only fewer gobblers to breed but much less vocal ones.

Ok that’s as long as I can hold it back and bite my tongue.
Why do we shoot all out gobblers before breeding season?
I’m no turkey hunter but seems we might outta let em breed out first then kill a tom considering we have a turkey numbers issue.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

I've heard allot of breeding has already began.... now im hearing this isn't so. Which is it . I know the gobbling Saturday and Sunday was wide open... heard from a friend

 

[buckpasser]

Season’s been like it is for quite some time. There are other factors besides the gun that have caused this “must fix it” movement. Just because some aren’t hearing and killing like they used to, doesn’t mean we need the .gov to do anything. Turkeys were flourishing ten years ago under these exact human circumstances. Keep that in mind.

 

[XIronheadX]

Peak hatch is early May per DNR. 28 days earlier started incubation, 12-14 days before that they started laying 8 to 12 eggs. Week or two before that they bred. Sorry but the WMA/public land season limit is now half a turkey.

 

[tree cutter 08]

Some of the best hunting on WMA's is the private and leased land bordering them. All the birds are lured off the wma with corn and clover. ?

Turkeys go where the food is. I seen 2 hens last season that successfully raised up over 20 between the 2 of them. This is on private property that borders nf land in white county. See flocks of birds from 10 to 30 each year in the high country during deer season but they are where the food is at. Seen close to 20 a few weeks ago while hog hunting at close to 3k ft.

 

[herb mcclure]

Turkeys go where the food is. I seen 2 hens last season that successfully raised up over 20 between the 2 of them. This is on private property that borders nf land in white county. See flocks of birds from 10 to 30 each year in the high country during deer season but they are where the food is at. Seen close to 20 a few weeks ago while hog hunting at close to 3k ft.

tree cutter and Timber 1, I have lots of respect for both your pieces of knowledge and posttests on this forum.
Timber 1, I went yesterday to the southern foothills of Lumpkin county where I have hunted years ago, and yes, there were red oak acorns there and turkeys too, which I expected to be there. For a couple of friends I plan to take hunting this season I will expose them to turkeys where the acorns are.
tree cutter, so glad to know there are food and game in some 3k ft. mountains somewhere.
My original concern still stands for the area where there is no food or game in the 3k ft mountains for the last two years and the population has been going down for several years now where I prefer to hunt. Yes, I learned many years ago that you half to find food to find any game! But when you get old you can get set in your ways!

 

[gma1320]

Tell ‘em, Nic. They are going to wish they had never heard of those things. If y’all don’t believe me maybe y’all will listen to an old woodsman like Nic.

I agree with you, i have seen some of the best looking deer habitat completely barren of any deer sign but covered in hog g sign.

 

[gma1320]

The hunting pressure causes them to stop gobbling, something we are all familiar with. This has also been shown scientifically by audio recorders monitoring gobbling on hunted and un-hunted properties. The problem is that gobbling is a necessary part of breeding and plays a big role in hens locating gobblers and vice versa. Our season starts long before most breeding starts to occur, so we end up with not only fewer gobblers to breed but much less vocal ones.

My dad said for years before he died our season should start later. Always said we messed up the hunting before it got good. Looks like it messes up more than the hunting.

 

[Jnort9]

https://www.gon.com/hunting/2020-turkey-special-no-rebound-for-turkeys
I’m sure y’all saw this. What I found most interesting is the poult per hen count. Big change from where it was

 

[C.Killmaster]

Just published in January.

https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.21804

I'll try to get you the full text version.

Here is the full text article along with another from the same project.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Here is the full text article along with another from the same project.

Downloaded for viewing on PC later.... thanks

 

[XIronheadX]

Here is the full text article along with another from the same project.

Thanks for sharing, Charlie.

 

[antharper]

I’m fortunate to hunt a area that still has a good population , not like it was 10 years ago but still good , and I still think it has a lot to do with coyotes . How many have u called up during turkey season , me several , I’ve killed more during turkey season than I have predator hunting , they don’t chance them for their exercise ! I also believe coyotes have a lot to do with less gobbling because the turkeys know they are telling the coyotes where they are , the private property I hunt is perfect habitat, and I’ll let y’all know in a couple years if it helps to remove every coyote, Coon and possum I can , and I have done a number on the crow population the last few years , now that’s some fun !

 

[XIronheadX]

I’m fortunate to hunt a area that still has a good population , not like it was 10 years ago but still good , and I still think it has a lot to do with coyotes . How many have u called up during turkey season , me several , I’ve killed more during turkey season than I have predator hunting , they don’t chance them for their exercise ! I also believe coyotes have a lot to do with less gobbling because the turkeys know they are telling the coyotes where they are , the private property I hunt is perfect habitat, and I’ll let y’all know in a couple years if it helps to remove every coyote, Coon and possum I can , and I have done a number on the crow population the last few years , now that’s some fun !

I've called in about as many bobcats as coyotes, too. The '17 season the turkeys didn't gobble until late morning, very low hunting pressure, and lots of turkeys. Anything that visually disturbs a turkey and it's more than likely going to go silent a few hours in most cases, not all. I've watched roosted toms see a predator and go silent the rest of the morning, and others go back to gobbling 15 minutes later.

 

[XIronheadX]

A gobbling survey out of S.C. I got from Mike Chamberlains page. I see about the same thing.