All those in favor of lowering the limit and season...

[Wayne D Davis]

Seems like a common sense article. Good points IMO.

https://www.turkeyandturkeyhunting.com/turkey-scratchings/are-our-turkeys-in-trouble

That's a good read

 

[XIronheadX]

Yes, and I respect likeminded folks who respect the game. In this case turkeys. Not that everyone has to do it my way, but the turkey competition tv shows and social media “reeping” have helped to enlist an army of idiots that I hope can be converted, or rejected from our numbers at some point. Everyone should try to raise a few turkeys from the egg before trying to go knock their noggins off. There’s no shame in getting beat by a turkey every now and again. That’s what makes it fun.

Getting beat is all the fun. I always go after the ones that won't budge. I tagged out in early April about 25 yrs ago. I sat home miserable wondering what was going on 100 miles down the road. I never shot 2 birds on one hunt again. And I made sure I had turkeys to hunt until the last weekend. Can't remember the last time I tagged out. Once he's about in view and I'm staring down the barrel at less than 40, I just want to freeze that moment in time. My heart rate is off the chart by then. Anything after that moment is a let down.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Well my WMA I hunt the most is 20K acres...pretty sure if I can kill more than one bird there it would be ok. If they aren’t plentiful like everyone claims then I shouldn’t be able to kill any...right?

But in answer to your question, I generally only take one per WMA as well. I’ve killed at least one bird on all the WMA’s around my area. The birds are there and in good numbers if you’re willing to work for them.

I have learned I am not the one to take someone just getting into turkey hunting. I took a guy one time and we walked all the way to lunch trying to locate a bird. We broke for lunch and I told him we had another area to try out. He chose to call it a day...I sent him a picture of a dead gobbler before he had pulled in his driveway.

I’ll be the first to admit, I suck at calling. I know it, anyone that hunts with me knows it, and there’s probably 10,000 turkeys that know it. But I’m persistent in looking for that tone deaf gobbler that wants to die. I may not always win, but I never lose. I’m always learning.

I won’t name any names, but I was fortunate enough to be “mentored” by a “kid” who has gone on to make a name for himself. He is over 20 years my junior and knows what a gobbler thinks before that gobbler knows what he’s thinking. I’ve actually text him or his brother (even younger) when being stumped by a gobbler and asked for advice. Both times I ended up killing the bird. One thing I learned...do whatever it takes. Been on places I would have bet a years pay there wasn’t a bird within 50 miles and one hunt with this kid and he’s found them and killed one. I could let jealousy get in the way and say he’s just lucky or has more of an advantage in his calling or places to hunt. I could, but this kid hunts public land almost exclusively...and kills birds. But he goes out every morning with the intent of killing a bird. And the only thing that will prevent that is sundown. If he doesn’t he learned where they aren’t. I just follow his teachings every morning I go out, whether it’s public or private land. Haven’t been on any public land down here that didn’t have turkeys or killable turkeys. Don’t see why the state should limit someone because someone else wants to hunt for an hour or two and call it quits.

I'm about average at calling but after hearing a hen that sounded sick (actually thought it was another hunter like me with less perfected calling skills) she came walking down the draw squawking as i peered on in amazement. I thought well I sound better than her

 

[Wayne D Davis]

See this is a biggie
Most of us who kill 3 birds a season have 5 or 6 properties to hunt
Those who kill more than that have multiple states to hunt.
And most of us with those situations have worked VERY hard for many years to obtain and improve those situations!
The season and regulations are fine!

True story....

See this is a biggie
Most of us who kill 3 birds a season have 5 or 6 properties to hunt
Those who kill more than that have multiple states to hunt.
And most of us with those situations have worked VERY hard for many years to obtain and improve those situations!
The season and regulations are fine!

True story. I have four wma's i frequent . With roughly 100,000 acres between them

 

[trad bow]

I hunt something year round. I’m always looking for turkey,deer, woodcock or quail sign. I fish some but not with the same desire as others. I kill enough hogs to keep some fresh meat in freezer but I have the birds on my mind year round. Habitat improvements, predator control, nesting improvement projects and dog training keeps me involved with the birds year round. Turkey, quail and deer all use the same habitat. I also do what I can to keep the duck habitat up on my leased properties.
You either live the lifestyle or you drop in once in a while to keep your Facebook reputation up

 

[Mark K]

I'm about average at calling but after hearing a hen that sounded sick (actually thought it was another hunter like me with less perfected calling skills) she came walking down the draw squawking as i peered on in amazement. I thought well I sound better than her

Haha!! I was on a local WMA and had the same thing happen. I quit calling when I realized it was getting closer. I actually got nervous and was wondering what kind of idiot comes to a hen calling calling back as much, as loud, and worse than me!?!? Turns out it was a lonely old hen I guess. She got so ticked off that she couldn’t find me that she flew up about 15 yards in front of me perched up on a pine limb and sat there looking and calling the entire time.
When she FINALLY flew down and went on about her business I figured one or two things out...there weren’t any gobblers around OR we both sounded so bad we had scared them to the other 19000 acres!!
I learned a lot this year by watching the Pinhoti Project on YouTube...it’s not so much the sound of your calling as it is when and how much to call. I would have screwed up about every single hunt they had from calling too much and at the wrong times.

 

[Mark K]

I hunt something year round. I’m always looking for turkey,deer, woodcock or quail sign. I fish some but not with the same desire as others. I kill enough hogs to keep some fresh meat in freezer but I have the birds on my mind year round. Habitat improvements, predator control, nesting improvement projects and dog training keeps me involved with the birds year round. Turkey, quail and deer all use the same habitat. I also do what I can to keep the duck habitat up on my leased properties.
You either live the lifestyle or you drop in once in a while to keep your Facebook reputation up

The rule of thumb is, if you manage for quail the other two prosper as well!

 

[trad bow]

Patience is a virtue in the Turkey woods. Overcalling doesn’t work 99% of the time on public birds.

 

[strothershwacker]

I been seeing birds bout near every time I go to the woods lately, and this year's lookin real good in my corner of the state. I've found good numbers on 3 outta 4 WMAs & on NF in region 1. Hate to admit but I had been belly aching myself but I think I just called it too soon.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Haha!! I was on a local WMA and had the same thing happen. I quit calling when I realized it was getting closer. I actually got nervous and was wondering what kind of idiot comes to a hen calling calling back as much, as loud, and worse than me!?!? Turns out it was a lonely old hen I guess. She got so ticked off that she couldn’t find me that she flew up about 15 yards in front of me perched up on a pine limb and sat there looking and calling the entire time.
When she FINALLY flew down and went on about her business I figured one or two things out...there weren’t any gobblers around OR we both sounded so bad we had scared them to the other 19000 acres!!
I learned a lot this year by watching the Pinhoti Project on YouTube...it’s not so much the sound of your calling as it is when and how much to call. I would have screwed up about every single hunt they had from calling too much and at the wrong times.

Laughing..... yea strangest thing I remember about that other hen I thought was a hunter had two gobblers going nuts. Here I am putting when she arrived then wandered off to meet the gobblers I'm sure .

 

[Mark K]

I been seeing birds bout near every time I go to the woods lately, and this year's lookin real good in my corner of the state. I've found good numbers on 3 outta 4 WMAs & on NF in region 1. Hate to admit but I had been belly aching myself but I think I just called it too soon.

This post wasn’t meant to call anyone out. It was meant to get people doing something to help out the birds, especially you have your own land or a lease/club.
Trap, burn, plant native grasses, supplement feeding during the off season...anything to actually help other than calling for more regulations.
Doubt there’s a turkey hunter on this forum that hasn’t called in a predator while turkey hunting. If we can, you know they must be on the menu!
Heck, I talked with a guy yesterday who’s even started working on the fire ants on his property. We can lower the limit to one bird and only a week to hunt and the predators are still going to take their toll.
I took 1 coyote, 3 bobcats, 3 fox, 5 coons, and 4 possums off a 30ac tract a guy lets me turkey hunt a few weeks ago. Wonder how many poults, chicks, and fawns I just helped out?

 

[trad bow]

Don’t pass up the chance to shoot a predator. This young yote came to my calling on last day of season several years ago with a bird gobbling a hundred yards away. Didn’t get the bird which would have gave me three with the recurve that year but I was more happy with taking out a predator

 

[Mark K]

Excellent shot! You are the man with the recurve!!
I’ve had many a turkey hunt turn into a coyote hunt, lol!

 

[trad bow]

It gets back to patience and moving slow. I was sitting in a downed tree top and shot that yote at three yards. A mouse call brought him from thirty yards to wanting to sit in my lap.

 

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

Don't change the limit or season length. Put a ban on TSS, decoys, and blinds. See what would happen then.

 

[trad bow]

Wait a minute Kentuck. You mean you want people to rely on skills and woodmanship. What a novel concept. ?

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Don't change the limit or season length. Put a ban on TSS, decoys, and blinds. See what would happen then.

Long as I can keep my 3rd Degree 3.5" mags and war paint Im good

 

[buckpasser]

Don't change the limit or season length. Put a ban on TSS, decoys, and blinds. See what would happen then.

Why the TSS ban? You feel like it’s too deadly at long range or what? I feel like I’d rather leave the TSS and let people have the dead gobbler instead of the worms and weasels getting him on a slow copper plated number 5 death, cause they’re gonna pull the trigger either way.

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Just scoping out Outdoor Life and there is a estimated 300,000 turkey in Georgia. The 2018 harvest data 17,066. Northwest ridge and valley are going to be hottest action.....bang bang

 

[DRBugman85]

There's over 90,000 acres of WMA within a 1 hour drive from my home and ALL have a GOOD population of turkeys and as many turkey hunters that harass every gobbling bird from February till the day of the season,Then complain about not hearing are seeing turkeys.There is ZERO Predator control on these WMA'S and turkey flourish on ALL,Most hunters in these WMA'S give up and head to the house by 8am and WHINE there are no turkeys.We (4) hunters lease 17,000 acres for deer and turkey hunting and Predator control and food plots keep our population stable and we have a 2 GOBBLER limit and NO Jakes,then we go to the WMA'S and hunt pressured Birds and that can be a challenge but with persistence most of us tag out yearly. IMO there is NO reason to shorten the season are limits in Georgia, Turkey hunting is the NEWEST game in hunting and every You tube video and social media keeps sending more turkey hunter want to be's to the woods that whine they can't Harvest a bird.Once you change the season and limits it will be HARD to get it back. As I said before the squeaky wheel gets the oil.No decoy no blind just the gobbler and me that's the game we play as did our forefathers Hunted . With all the new shot shells,blinds and decoys IT'S a MARKETING TOOL for the Almighty dollar. Leave the LIMIT & SEASON as is and learn how to hunt.