Does burning nests matter?

Does destroying turkey nests with late rx fire matter?

  • Yes

    Votes: 69 80.2%
  • No

    Votes: 8 9.3%
  • I’m not sure

    Votes: 9 10.5%

  • Total voters
    86

Hoosier06

DIPSTICK yankee
I came by Ft Benning yesterday and they were burning south of Upatoi creek. I think that’ll get rid of some poults for sure.

That would be true if there were any turkeys left.I talked to the bio there who was a turkey hunter. The numbers are so great he quit hunting. They havnt planted food plots there for years and it has very little mast crop. His opinion was that predators and poor habitat caused the demise.
 

2dye4

Senior Member
That would be true if there were any turkeys left.I talked to the bio there who was a turkey hunter. The numbers are so great he quit hunting. They havnt planted food plots there for years and it has very little mast crop. His opinion was that predators and poor habitat caused the demise.
I couldn’t agree more, but I think their plan(whoever manages military installations) is to manage the timber(long leaf pines) and not wildlife. However the hogs are multiplying by leaps and bounds and there is 0(zero) predator control.
 
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Hoosier06

DIPSTICK yankee
I couldn’t agree more, but I think their plan(whoever manages military installations) is to manage the timber(long leaf pines) and not wildlife. However the hogs are multiplying by leaps and bounds and there is 0(zero) predator control.

They are doing a real good job at doing nothing. I spent half a day there scouting and saw zero turkey sign. All the old wildlife foodplots are overgrown.If they are not going to manage wildlife they could save 80k a year and cut the GS 11/12 position in charge of management. Not all installations are the same. I used to hunt on one that shall not be named. It had a joint venture with the NWTF for habitat management and had mowed clearings, rotational burning, hog trapping selective timber harvest and mast trees were left alone. It was no big deal to find a gobbler there.
 

2dye4

Senior Member
They are doing a real good job at doing nothing. I spent half a day there scouting and saw zero turkey sign. All the old wildlife foodplots are overgrown.If they are not going to manage wildlife they could save 80k a year and cut the GS 11/12 position in charge of management. Not all installations are the same. I used to hunt on one that shall not be named. It had a joint venture with the NWTF for habitat management and had mowed clearings, rotational burning, hog trapping selective timber harvest and mast trees were left alone. It was no big deal to find a gobbler there.
Well I see nothing happening at Ft Benning. Sad to see such a great place go to heck in a hand basket. I have a friend that hunts there and he seems to waste his time. No effort whatsoever to enhance wildlife habitat.
 

antharper

“Well Rounded Outdoorsman MOD “
Staff member
Well I see nothing happening at Ft Benning. Sad to see such a great place go to heck in a hand basket. I have a friend that hunts there and he seems to waste his time. No effort whatsoever to enhance wildlife habitat.
This is crazy news for me to hear . I also have a friend that has hunted Ft Benning for years . Kills him limit every season and was done this season opening weekend . 2 hunts , 2 fine gobblers
 

Hoosier06

DIPSTICK yankee
This is crazy news for me to hear . I also have a friend that has hunted Ft Benning for years . Kills him limit every season and was done this season opening weekend . 2 hunts , 2 fine gobblers
He found a good spot which is possible on 110000 acres. I also didnt go to the bama side which might change the equation. look at the harvest data for that county, .1 birds tagged per square mile which is one of the worst spots in the state. I make more efficient use of my time going elsewhere.
 

Gadget

Senior Member
As stated several times the people making these decisions don’t give a crap about wild turkey, they manage the land for $$ and that’s how it always will be, end of story.

similar to how the Ga DNR pays out of state hunters to come hunt Ga public land and promote it on the internet to attract more out of state hunters in the mist of a drastic turkey decline..$$, they’re coin operated too, money comes first wildlife second.
 

WOODIE13

2023 TURKEY CHALLENGE 1st place Team
This is crazy news for me to hear . I also have a friend that has hunted Ft Benning for years . Kills him limit every season and was done this season opening weekend . 2 hunts , 2 fine gobblers

Just have to find them, the BBs and @ Lafayette road always had turkeys and quail, but that was a bit ago. My buddies are still putting them down as well.
 

GLS

Classic Southern Gentleman
The Corps of Engineers is typically in charge of forestry operations on military reservations, or at least one I am familiar with or the forestry managers fall under its umbrella. On one military installation which I hold dear, the timber management program was formerly diameter cuts unless pine beetles were present or if land was cleared for tank or other track vehicle maneuvers. Recently I've seen massive clear cutting in areas with nothing left standing. If wildlife benefits, it's unintended. In the past 20 years, turkey oaks, oaks of all kinds, dogwood, and other wildlife food source trees have been selectively targeted, ringed or poisoned so as to not compete with pines. I'm witnessing an end of an era. Gil
 

WOODIE13

2023 TURKEY CHALLENGE 1st place Team
I'm familiar with a few military institutions, Bragg, Lackland AFB, Quantico, AP Hill, Benning, Belvoir, and Camp Bullis. Most had their own forestry and conservation programs/departments. They also partnered with state and federal agencies IRT their respective programs. Some may have changed with the base realignment and consolidation.

A few got matching funds from state DNRs for allowing civilians to hunt/fish on their installations, boat ramps, etc.

Screenshot_20220523-074428_Drive.jpgScreenshot_20220523-074619_Drive.jpg
 
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