Well, I hate to say I told you so…

[WOODIE13]

The number of fertilized eggs that are laid are not the issue. The number that are born and survive the first spring is.

But it does take two whatever way you look at it.

If it's early enough, a hen can nest a second time

 

[furtaker]

When you have a struggling deer population, you protect the does, not the bucks.

I realize hens are already protected but I don't see how more and more legislation aimed at protecting the gobblers will accomplish a thing in the long run. Killing gobblers isn't the issue. Something else is to blame.

 

[Nicodemus]

I find it ironic that the state with the most turkeys also has the most coyotes.

 

[WOODIE13]

You bump a hen off a nest enough and she'll abandon it.

 

[WOODIE13]

I find it ironic that the state with the most turkeys also has the most coyotes.

Very true. Toss in bobcats as well, suppose to be the top predator of adult birds I was told.

Fur market sucks, add to that all the avian predators that have made a comeback.

 

[buckpasser]

You bump a hen off a nest enough and she'll abandon it.

I don’t believe many hunters bump hens to the point of no return while hunting. If they do, the only fix would be to never step foot in the woods from late Feb to Aug.

 

[WOODIE13]

I don’t believe many hunters bump hens to the point of no return while hunting. If they do, the only fix would be to never step foot in the woods from late Feb to Aug.

I bumped one once on an old strip mines, she never came back unless something ate her. Checked back last day of season and the eggs were still there uncovered.

Bumped them at other places, just avoided the area.

 

[NCHillbilly]

The big problem is human's hunt turkeys approx.. 30 days a year, everything else hunts them, 24 hours a day 365 days a year. We are not the big problem.

Everything else been hunting them 24/7/365 for umpteen thousands of years, and there were always plenty of turkeys until human intervention came along.

 

[furtaker]

Everything else been hunting them 24/7/365 for umpteen thousands of years, and there were always plenty of turkeys until human intervention came along.

Humans usually find a way to ruin something.

 

[WOODIE13]

Everything else been hunting them 24/7/365 for umpteen thousands of years, and there were always plenty of turkeys until human intervention came along.

Toss in habitat loss, fire ants, food, predators, disease and who knows what else

 

[NCHillbilly]

Toss in habitat loss, fire ants, food, predators, disease and who knows what else

We have a lot less predators now than there has ever been historically. And the early southeastern explorers described bazillions of turkeys, along with bazzillions of predators. Invasive stuff and disease are probably very applicable.

 

[WOODIE13]

We have a lot less predators now than there has ever been historically. And the early southeastern explorers described bazillions of turkeys, along with bazzillions of predators. Invasive stuff and disease are probably very applicable.

Time for hawk and owl season...plus legalize snares for GA, very effective

 

[buckpasser]

We have a lot less predators now than there has ever been historically. And the early southeastern explorers described bazillions of turkeys, along with bazzillions of predators. Invasive stuff and disease are probably very applicable.

Not arguing, but what do you base the historical low statement on? I’m not studied up, but would think the 1970’s and 80’s would have been far lower than today. That’s in avian, nest and large predator categories.

Disease is my guess on the population dip. Plain ‘ol everyday factors are my guess for why they can’t just bounce right back.

The best thing that can come from this is a dip in turkey hunter numbers IMO. We have become overpopulated.

 

[Nicodemus]

Red shouldered hawks, oak snakes, great horned owls, possums, and coons. These predators probably do more damage to the turkey flock than anything, in my opinion. At least in my observations.

 

[buckpasser]

Time for hawk and owl season...plus legalize snares for GA, very effective

Footholds work great too, if a guy has time to check them. Most folks don’t.

 

[buckpasser]

Red shouldered hawks, oak snakes, great horned owls, possums, and coons. These predators probably do more damage to the turkey flock than anything, in my opinion. At least in my observations.

I was just reading a news paper article from the Thomasville Times Enterprise from the 1950’s. It was about a deer a friend of mine killed. He head shot it with a .22 and it says in the article he was such a good shot because he was constantly killing hawks and owls with it on the farm. We need to get back to that.

 

[buckpasser]

 

[NCHillbilly]

Not arguing, but what do you base the historical low statement on? I’m not studied up, but would think the 1970’s and 80’s would have been far lower than today. That’s in avian, nest and large predator categories.

Disease is my guess on the population dip. Plain ‘ol everyday factors are my guess for why they can’t just bounce right back.

The best thing that can come from this is a dip in turkey hunter numbers IMO. We have become overpopulated.

Turkeys have been here for tens of thousands of years. So have all the predators we have, plus panthers, wolves, and such that we don't even have now. I have an extensive collection of writings form the first European explorers of the southeast. They all describe ridiculous amounts of turkeys, along with commenting on how many predators there were, along with Indians eating turkeys. Predators aren't the problem. We are. Probably not from direct kill numbers, but more from land use issues.

 

[WOODIE13]

Footholds work great too, if a guy has time to check them. Most folks don’t.

They do, but snares definitely pass the learning curve, especially with the likes of me.

Shoot, catching a fox in a DP was epic as well.

They could pay someone or allow them to hunt their property for said trapping, toss it in with the money spent on a food plot

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Don’t see how any conclusive info can be generated without closing the season for a couple of years. I’d be on board with that. I’d love for my kids to have turkeys to hunt. Closing it may not solve a thing or it may shed some light on the issue. I appreciate all who seek to find the missing link. Some will be wrong along the way but the fact that they are trying holds more weight than those who bash their efforts in my opinion.