Telecheck Results 2020 *Final numbers posted**

[Gut_Pile]

I have been doing this thread for 5 years now. You can find the results from the previous years at the threads below

2019
https://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2019-final-numbers-posted-page-4.941473/

2018
http://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2018-updated-5-17.917581/

2017
http://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2017-final-results-page-5.896288/

2016
http://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-so-far-updated-4-18-page-3.869649/

So far in 2020 we are 18 days into a 58 day season (youth weekend included). As of 4/6/20 at 2:10 PM there have been 8360 turkeys killed. This is a average of 464 per day and puts us on pace for 26,937 turkeys killed in 2020. So far we are off to a record pace.

As the season progresses the total number will drop due to people limiting out and people just losing interest. As of right now there have been more turkeys killed in 2020 than there were killed on April 16 last year. I expect this year to have the highest reported harvest yet. I'm thinking 13-15k reported. COVID-19 will play a huge roll in this with more people in the woods than ever before.

We will see how this plays out over the next month

 

[QuackAttack101]

I'm scared Covid-19 is going to wipe out the turkeys completely in some places. The public land I hunt has been getting hit hard (even harder than normal years), even during the week. The harvest count for this place for 2020 has already exceeded the harvests reported in both 2017 and 2018. I'm confident by next weekend that we'll surpass the 2019 total as well.

It is worth noting that the population here seems to be great this year, so I'm sure that's partially responsible for increased harvest numbers. My buddy saw a flock of 12 longbeards out there before the season (almost unheard of for easterns from my experience).

Even with a healthy flock, I still worry how many male turkeys will be left on this piece of public by May 15th.

 

[Gut_Pile]

The public land I hunt has been getting hit hard (even harder than normal years), even during the week. The harvest count for this place for 2020 has already exceeded the harvests reported in both 2017 and 2018. I'm confident by next weekend that we'll surpass the 2019 total as well.

Good point and I think that is where Covid-19 is going to hit the birds the hardest. Here are the telecheck results for total WMA harvest the past 5 years

2016: 1197
2017: 1520
2018: 1370
2019: 1338

2020 (as of 4/6): 1105

 

[QuackAttack101]

Good point and I think that is where Covid-19 is going to hit the birds the hardest. Here are the telecheck results for total WMA harvest the past 5 years

2016: 1197
2017: 1520
2018: 1370
2019: 1338

2020 (as of 4/6): 1105

Wow. That's kinda scary. I guess my one little WMA may be indicative of what's going on everywhere then. I was kinda afraid it was

Maybe folks will get frustrated with turkeys/tired of the heat and start fishing instead of turkey hunting. Lol

 

[fullstrut]

Agreed. Lots of folks in the woods. I hunt private and public. You'd think it was deer season. ?

 

[tad1]

I’ve been assuming more folks would be getting out in the woods w this Covid thing too, interesting to see how that data looks. If you can’t work you might as well get out and “stretch the legs” and stay sane...
Was the turkey hatch from 2 years ago a little better? Seems DNR maybe reported so.
JT

 

[goblr77]

It's not just COVID-19. More people are turkey hunting now than ever before. Everybody wants to be a social media hero. Turkey hunting is having a Duck Commander type craze due to facebook, instagram, youtube, etc. I know of many guys in their late teens and early twenties in my area that really could care less about turkeys but they're going out with full strut decoys and knocking them off with their buddies, bragging about it on social media. The remedy is to outlaw decoys. The majority of these guys would go home with their tails tucked a few times and give it up.

 

[XIronheadX]

It's not just COVID-19. More people are turkey hunting now than ever before. Everybody wants to be a social media hero. Turkey hunting is having a Duck Commander type craze due to facebook, instagram, youtube, etc. I know of many guys in their late teens and early twenties in my area that really could care less about turkeys but they're going out with full strut decoys and knocking them off with their buddies, bragging about it on social media. The remedy is to outlaw decoys. The majority of these guys would go home with their tails tucked a few times and give it up.

Are you saying they're in love with themselves more than the wild turkey? Are they crawling around like a slug too? lol

 

[01Foreman400]

I’m a little worried about what it’s going to do to the turkey population overall in the next few seasons. I’ve been given the opportunity to hunt more due to Covid-19 but really haven’t hunted anymore than I usually do. 2-3 hunts a week.

 

[Gut_Pile]

The remedy is to outlaw decoys.

SC DNR/biologist suggested banning male decoys to the legislature last year. It got shot down with the quickness.

"reaping" was made illegal on public lands though

 

[QuackAttack101]

SC DNR/biologist suggested banning male decoys to the legislature last year. It got shot down with the quickness.

"reaping" was made illegal on public lands though

Kinda sad that we need laws to say "it's not smart to hide behind a decoy that looks identical to the birds everyone is trying to shoot", but here we are. I like the appearance of my face too much to hide behind a strutting decoy, especially on a piece of property where another hunter could literally be anywhere at any given time.

What is also kinda sad is that the politicians won't listen to the experts and continue to make laws that support their own self interests. I guess state legislatures aren't any different that the legislature in D.C.

 

[bfriendly]

I see more trucks during the week than years prior, but it is early in the season. I’m hoping that’s just it cause quite frankly Im used to having this place to myself. Im also seeing a lot more cars near the trout access points and lots more folks doing that. There are certainly a lot more folks out there than years past no bout a doubt it!

There plenty of places to go still.......I think the birds are on to us though.

 

[bigblocktransam]

Sad thing is even if we set record numbers and wiped out all the turkeys the biologist wouldn’t do anything about it. The basic response is “ we had a record harvest, must mean we had to many turkeys” that’s how they treat deer anyway.

 

[fountain]

Some numbers coming in on harvest this far;
Statewide harvests up 30%
WMA harvests up 50%
Overall participation is up 39%

I actually thought about this thread this morning and wondered if Will would have one up and going. It's going to be very interesting to see the final numbers at the end of the season. It would suit me just fine if they ended season May1 or earlier this spring..and future springs to be honest. I'm scared that there will be very few gobblers left to hunt by May 1. I sure hope they have had a decent breeding season so far and hope the hatch season to come is favorable

 

[devolve]

In my area (Gilmer, Fannin) the number of birds seen in the last 4 months leading up to season is dramatically down. The same places I’ve hunted for a decade and have had large numbers now have little to zero birds. Pretty crazy, no idea what’s going on. Last season I had a group of 6 Jakes and countless hens on one place and this year I have seen 1 bird there. My other “gold mine” turkey property is always loaded. I have seen 2 birds this year. No hens at all. I haven’t seen or heard a hen since opening day and I only saw a couple that day.

 

[chrislibby88]

I think it’s a combination of more birds, and more hunters with more time to hunt. I personally have had more time to hunt, but I feel like I haven’t really hunted more than normal. I’ve definitely seen/heard more birds this year than the last two years combined, could be more birds, or maybe I’m just getting better at finding turkeys? I’ve also seen more trucks and hunters than previous years too, I’m guessing about half will be burned out in the next week or two.
I’m not too worried about next year unless we have a bad hatch this spring. I pretty much always see hens with poults late summer around here though. Saw 7 jakes in one morning on the 30th of March, so that’s a good sign for next year.

 

[Gut_Pile]

4/13 update

So far in 2020 we are 25 days into a 58 day season (youth weekend included). As of 11:18 AM there have been 10,241 turkeys killed. This is a average of 409 per day and puts us on pace for 23,759 turkeys killed in 2020.

2019 total was 11,132

 

[bfriendly]

4/13 update

So far in 2020 we are 25 days into a 58 day season (youth weekend included). As of 11:18 AM there have been 10,241 turkeys killed. This is a average of 409 per day and puts us on pace for 23,759 turkeys killed in 2020.

2019 total was 11,132

Surely that pace will slow towards the end right? Still, that’s a substantial increase and I haven’t even killed one......yet!

 

[goblr77]

Surely that pace will slow towards the end right? Still, that’s a substantial increase and I haven’t even killed one......yet!

Yes, historically it slows down towards the end of season.

 

[QuackAttack101]

Looks like the biologists have also taken note of the Covid-19 impacts on turkey hunting and populations.

http://www.rnr.lsu.edu/bret/BretWeb...0nCIDpyEIZQYjZDRu0CjQTEKQ8QpsmIvbmPM_BTdCWIRE