Peak Incubation for hen turkeys in GA

[Gut_Pile]

If you have any type of social media (twitter, facebook, Instagram) and are not following Michael Chamberlain you are missing out. His "turkey Tuesday" post are always extremely informative. This info mirrors what SC biologist presented to the house and senate this previous year to attempt to make changes for the 2020 season. According to Mike Chamberlain, the best season dates for GA would be April 15-May 15th. Hopefully some of this research can help with changes to the seasons in GA in the near future.

 

[antharper]

Great info , thanks !

 

[Mark K]

Surprised all the folks with “no turkeys” aren’t singing praises for this info.
It would be nice to get other states first then be back in time for Georgia’s opener.

 

[Gut_Pile]

"but the recent changes in South Carolina illustrate some important points. One, making changes always is difficult, we don't like change. Two, biology loses sometimes, oftentimes."

This little excerpt is the one that bothers me the most. I have friends that were majorly involved in attempting to help design the new regulations for SC turkey season. They were all but ignored, and politics took over. It's sad when elected officials are able to make the laws instead of biologist.

 

[XIronheadX]

Those with no turkeys won't ever have any turkeys.

 

[Buckman18]

Oh Geez not this season changing/season reducing nonsense again! Georgia needs no changes to its season! We do not have a turkey population problem, and the season has been like it is for decades.

 

[buckpasser]

If the season for extreme south GA goes to a mid April for opening day, and I were to wait on it to start hunting, I’d be in the 6-9% that did. These Jackwagons don’t wait on opening day as it is and it’s Mid March!!!

Not a great idea unless we get a real force of LEOs out there and that ain’t happening. I have some great friends that are the GW, but let’s face it, Georgia operates on the honor system.

 

[XIronheadX]

Maybe it means the best dates for killing turkeys. lol

 

[Mark K]

Maybe it means the best dates for killing turkeys. lol

Now that you mention it...seems about right, lol!

 

[Gut_Pile]

Maybe it means the best dates for killing turkeys. lol

In a way it does. The most hens are on the nest, so these are great dates for killing turkeys. Especially if the hens have been bred beforehand.

 

[Gut_Pile]

Oh Geez not this season changing/season reducing nonsense again! Georgia needs no changes to its season! We do not have a turkey population problem, and the season has been like it is for decades.

You are part of the problem. It has been proven that GA is losing turkeys. Biology has proven their is a problem. Your area might not be one of the areas, but overall, the state is losing birds.

 

[buckpasser]

In a way it does. The most hens are on the nest, so these are great dates for killing turkeys. Especially if the hens have been bred beforehand.

The good hunting makes sense, but I have to ask. When else would a hen be bred if not before setting eggs?

 

[gobble79]

So is the consensus that the decline is mostly related to the breeding of the hens? Not so sure I can buy into that.

 

[Buckman18]

You are part of the problem. It has been proven that GA is losing turkeys. Biology has proven their is a problem. Your area might not be one of the areas, but overall, the state is losing birds.

Im part of what problem? Your problem? I’m not sure what’s going on between your ears, but I have absolutely nothing to do with you apparently not managing the land you hunt. Changing the hunting regs will have no impact. Controlling predators and improving habitat will.

 

[Buckman18]

So is the consensus that the decline is mostly related to the breeding of the hens? Not so sure I can buy into that.

Sounds like Fake News to me also.

 

[Gut_Pile]

So is the consensus that the decline is mostly related to the breeding of the hens? Not so sure I can buy into that.

No, it's related to hens NOT being bred. Hens look for the best gobblers to breed with. Inadvertently these gobblers are usually the ones that gobble and strut the most. These are the same gobblers that turkey hunters usually pursue due to them being the dominate bird and gobbling the most. When they are killed hens don't just find another gobbler the next day. It takes time and the more a gobbler (or gobblers) can breed with a hen before she starts incubating, the better off.

So, killing off a majority of your gobbler population before peak incubation, gives a much higher chance for an unsuccessful hatch.

 

[Gut_Pile]

The good hunting makes sense, but I have to ask. When else would a hen be bred if not before setting eggs?

Of course she is bred before setting eggs, but science has proven the more gobblers she can breed with, the better off she will be. Therefor, killing gobblers beforehand gives a lower rate of a successful hatch.

 

[Gut_Pile]

Im part of what problem? Your problem? I’m not sure what’s going on between your ears, but I have absolutely nothing to do with you apparently not managing the land you hunt. Changing the hunting regs will have no impact. Controlling predators and improving habitat will.

My land is managed just as well as any in the state. You live in the mountains where turkeys are doing just fine. Come to the piedmont, it's atrocious. I'm not trying to argue with you, i'm just saying that you haven't seen it first hand and saying that the state (as a whole) has no problem is just 100% false. I know sooooo many people in the piedmont that have lost turkeys and have not killed them. They trap, and burn, and plant, etc. It's a real problem. Around where I grew up I promise you there is not 10% of the turkey population there was 10 years ago. Look at the kills at PNWR since 2013. Look at the kills on ONF, Cedar Creek, BF Grant, etc. It is an issue. A PROVEN issue.

 

[XIronheadX]

I'm still trying to find where he says anything about the best season dates being April 15th to May 15th.

 

[buckpasser]

Of course she is bred before setting eggs, but science has proven the more gobblers she can breed with, the better off she will be. Therefor, killing gobblers beforehand gives a lower rate of a successful hatch.

I’m not being argumentative, but has science truly proven that? Science has proven many things before, like the impending ice age of the 1970s and the impending world flood and fire apocalypse of twelve years from now, and that the earth is flat, and and and...

I wouldn’t put much stock in one Tom from another. Any bird that can survive for years unattended by man and that’s made of edible turkey flesh in a sea of predators has pretty good genetics friend, I assure you.