Does burning nests matter?

[cowhornedspike]

All I can say is if burning up nests is good for the turkeys, we ought to have a crapload of them here in GA...

 

[Gaswamp]

Growing Season Prescribed Burns Benefit Turkey Habitat (kawx.org)

 

[Ihunt]

I have read and heard for years that if a nest is destroyed early enough that the hen will renest. Not sure what early enough is but with all of the other issues they deal with I can’t see a late burn being beneficial to turkeys as far as the nest is concerned.

Imo, we are not dealing with a single problem. I honestly think that disease from chicken litter is what really hurt us and that late burns, a long season, 3 gobbler limit, and predators are what is holding our population from rebounding as quickly as it should.

I, for one, have no problem with this years reduced limit and 1 week shorter season. If I made the decisions, many of you would be bent out of shape. It would be one turkey and a 4 week season. I would split the season in two zones so that the north and south would both have equal opportunities.

 

[buckpasser]

Growing Season Prescribed Burns Benefit Turkey Habitat (kawx.org)

That pretty much hit on all the talking points I’ve heard them use. Quail plantations around here all burn late for reasons listed on that article and they have always been some of the poorest places per acre to find wild turkeys. I realize that’s “large scale” and I’m guessing “the science” suggests we only burn a moderate percent of the nests through “small scale” burning, whatever that is?

 

[buckpasser]

I have read and heard for years that if a nest is destroyed early enough that the hen will renest. Not sure what early enough is but with all of the other issues they deal with I can’t see a late burn being beneficial to turkeys as far as the nest is concerned.

Imo, we are not dealing with a single problem. I honestly think that disease from chicken litter is what really hurt us and that late burns, a long season, 3 gobbler limit, and predators are what is holding our population from rebounding as quickly as it should.

I, for one, have no problem with this years reduced limit and 1 week shorter season. If I made the decisions, many of you would be bent out of shape. It would be one turkey and a 4 week season. I would split the season in two zones so that the north and south would both have equal opportunities.

I can appreciate your views there. The only place you and I diverge is the effect of gobbler killing. I just can’t get on board with male turkey death rates effecting poult recruitment or overall population more just their count.

I don’t really mind about the shorter season if we did have the zones you mentioned to balance that. The peak of the breeding was over a good long while before opening day here this year.

 

[Gaswamp]

Wild turkeys and prescribed fire in the Southern Piney Woods (nwtf.org)

 

[buckpasser]

Wild turkeys and prescribed fire in the Southern Piney Woods (nwtf.org)

I guess that settles it then.

Happy Easter everyone! I just found a mockingbird nest in my yard. I really enjoy them, so I’m about to go burn it.

 

[kayaksteve]

Im not educated enough to form a strong opinion on burning. It seems burning a little earlier or later is better for turkeys but I don’t know enough to argue either way so for now I put my trust the department of natural resources to make those calls. I’m not against a zoned season at all. It really sounds like the best option from a management and opportunity perspective but it seems like that could significantly increase pressure on the earliest opening and latest closing zones? Could that end up negatively impacting some areas that zoning would intend to help?

 

[RedHills]

I usually just read thru a lot of these threads...about the fragility of our turkey populations and always have a single question. How is there even 1 Osceola turkey left in the State of Florida??
Sorry to sidetrack it.

 

[bfriendly]

I’d like to see burning done beforehand too……..or way late

 

[HermanMerman]

Of course burning nests has a negative impact. I mentioned it in another thread, Dr. Grant Woods talks about timing your burns depending upon your goals; January for grass germination and August for broadleaf germination. He also calls out not burning when poults or fawns aren’t capable of getting out of the way. But if your aim is strictly timber management, you probably don’t consider timing your burns for wildlife purposes.

 

[Ihunt]

I can appreciate your views there. The only place you and I diverge is the effect of gobbler killing. I just can’t get on board with male turkey death rates effecting poult recruitment or overall population more just their count.

I don’t really mind about the shorter season if we did have the zones you mentioned to balance that. The peak of the breeding was over a good long while before opening day here this year.

I totally agree that shooting gobblers does very little to the overall population or at least used to. I honestly think on some properties that they may need all of the help they can get.

I’ll never be convinced that disease isn’t what happened. I have access to 900 acres that looks like something out of a NWTF magazine. It used to be loaded with turkeys 5-6 years ago. In 2 years, they all disappeared. Nothing kills an entire population but disease. They’re slowly coming back but it’s sad compared to what it used to be.

I have seen firsthand how trapping coons can help a population. Problem is no one traps anymore. And while I think all of Gods creatures are important and need to be managed, coons are out of hand on most properties.

 

[buckpasser]

I totally agree that shooting gobblers does very little to the overall population or at least used to. I honestly think on some properties that they may need all of the help they can get.

I’ll never be convinced that disease isn’t what happened. I have access to 900 acres that looks like something out of a NWTF magazine. It used to be loaded with turkeys 5-6 years ago. In 2 years, they all disappeared. Nothing kills an entire population but disease. They’re slowly coming back but it’s sad compared to what it used to be.

Pretty much same timeline for here. It happened much too rapidly to NOT be mostly disease. No doubt in my mind. Thanks for the post!

 

[TJay]

Our land mgr burned about a third of our lease on opening weekend. Can't see how it wouldn't affect the turkeys/nesting. I haven't been back yet to scope it out.

 

[buckpasser]

Our land mgr burned about a third of our lease on opening weekend. Can't see how it wouldn't affect the turkeys/nesting. I haven't been back yet to scope it out.

I wouldn’t put up with that I don’t believe.

 

[buckpasser]

I usually just read thru a lot of these threads...about the fragility of our turkey populations and always have a single question. How is there even 1 Osceola turkey left in the State of Florida??
Sorry to sidetrack it.

I’m sorry, maybe I’m a little slow. Is the implication that all of FL burns late every year? Maybe that was not your intention? Sorry if so.

 

[RedHills]

I’m sorry, maybe I’m a little slow. Is the implication that all of FL burns late every year? Maybe that was not your intention? Sorry if so.

Nope...Im just seriously amazed there are any osceolas left. There has to be more pressure on them than any other, but they keep surviving, and I guess maintain a healthy population.

 

[kayaksteve]

I have seen firsthand how trapping coons can help a population. Problem is no one traps anymore. And while I think all of Gods creatures are important and need to be managed, coons are out of hand on most properties.

I heard on a Georgia based hunting podcast the other day that Georgia only has a little over a thousand licensed trappers. I know licensed trappers only account for a portion of people actually trapping but that number still really surprised me

 

[buckpasser]

I heard on a Georgia based hunting podcast the other day that Georgia only has a little over a thousand licensed trappers. I know licensed trappers only account for a portion of people actually trapping but that number still really surprised me

There are not many trappers in GA for sure. I’m one, and I know a few, but outside of beaver nuisance problems and quail plantations, there is only a tiny amount of trapping going on. Only a minuscule amount of that trapping is turkey specific. Predators are almost completely unchecked here unfortunately.

With that being how it is, I say we at least do our part in RESPONSIBLE burning.

 

[Tail Chaser]

Where I am, I have a hard deadline of March 7 to complete all burns by. That is based on the first poults I see each year. That, in theory will keep me from burning very many, if any nests. I’m glad your work is paying off!

Do you see poults the first week of March year after year or are you setting March 7 as a date, 28 days prior to seeing the first poult?