Telecheck Results 2020 *Final numbers posted**

[Wayne D Davis]

I've noticed a trend in my averages of harvest (deer and turkey) . The higher the number of state wide harvest , my harvest drop off the map. The years that are slow with low numbers i fill my grocery kart

 

[MesquiteHeat]

Some areas were bound for increased harvests whether Covid-19 showed up or not. On the coast for example areas were hit with Hurricanes three years in a row, when poults were only months old and surely suffered. Record river flooding for two years in a row as well, some hens in the river swamp KNOW where to nest but not all do.

 

[Turkeytider]

I highly doubt it. I really hope I'm wrong but I have no faith in our elected officials.

Unfortunately, all the biologists can do is make recommendations. Politicians are too afraid to upset the masses and not get reelected so they're going to be hesitant to introduce legislation that will upset lots of voters. And let's face it, doing anything about over harvest would only upset most turkey hunters. They're too dense to listen to science and all that fancy college stuff. That's essentially our government in a nutshell - Do what will get me reelected, regardless of what's right and needs to be done.

Just read threads on here about the subject. "I killed three birds last year so there's no possible way the population is down. I don't care what scientists and data say. I'm going off of my own small sample size that fits my agenda"

Every reputable turkey biologist in the southeast acknowledges a decline in turkey numbers but the masses don't buy it so neither are the politicians.

" Science is fine and all, right up to the point its findings inconvenience me and/or otherwise indicates something that I simply do not wish to accept. "- Most people ( and in our case, that includes far too many Georgia turkey hunters, I fear ).

 

[antharper]

Some areas were bound for increased harvests whether Covid-19 showed up or not. On the coast for example areas were hit with Hurricanes three years in a row, when poults were only months old and surely suffered. Record river flooding for two years in a row as well, some hens in the river swamp KNOW where to nest but not all do.

How does your example prove bound for increased harvests ?

 

[MesquiteHeat]

16 and 17 storms worse than 18, with a much better hatch rate in 2018 in the coastal plains area because of it. And with increased river flooding a lot of birds the last two years that would usually be secluded and possibly never gotten to, have been forced on the hill and into WMA hotspots. So with better hatch rates two years ago than the previous two, and by a long shot, and more birds accessible to be killed, harvest rates have increased significantly.

 

[MesquiteHeat]

Also Ant, what I meant by the hens nesting comment is that in the River swamp when there's strong and late flooding some hens know and have experience on where to nest and stay, but many move out entirely onto the hill and nest, raise, etc. and many of those birds never go back to the deep places their mother had to leave.

 

[antharper]

I just misunderstood your post to say that you’ve had bad hatches for the past 3 years due to hurricanes and flooding , and I agree with u with the county’s I hunt . I believe our harvest numbers would of also been higher with or without covid19

 

[Gut_Pile]

5/8 update

So far in 2020 we are 51 days into a 58 day season (youth weekend included). As of 10:08 AM there have been 13,764 turkeys killed. This is a average of 269 per day and puts us on pace for 15,563 turkeys killed in 2020.

One week to go and looks like we'll end up right around 14k and some change.

 

[Gut_Pile]

Public land birds have gotten hammered.

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

2020 (as of 5/08): 1764

 

[antharper]

Not gonna be much difference as past few years , I actually believe just more people are using the game check !

 

[Gut_Pile]

Not gonna be much difference as past few years , I actually believe just more people are using the game check !

We'll see, and I hope they are. The telephone survey will tell all. With the amount of pressure reported throughout the state, I don't see how we won't see an increase in harvest.

 

[deerpoacher1970]

Those numbers can't be true everyone says we don't have any turkeys.

 

[antharper]

We'll see, and I hope they are. The telephone survey will tell all. With the amount of pressure reported throughout the state, I don't see how we won't see an increase in harvest.

Telephone survey ?

 

[Turkeytider]

Is there a web site that shows harvest by county?

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Is there a web site that shows harvest by county?

Go to the game check app then pull up check harvest then hit real time results

 

[Turkeytider]

Go to the game check app then pull up check harvest then hit real time results

Thank you sir.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Thank you sir.

Very welcome sir

 

[antharper]

I added one more to Troup co this morning !

 

[Gut_Pile]

Telephone survey ?

Yes, the telephone survey the state does after season is what they use to come up with the overall harvest #.

 

[antharper]

Yes, the telephone survey the state does after season is what they use to come up with the overall harvest #.

How do they get our number , I’ve turkey hunted 30+ years and never got a call