Well-Managed Private Property for Turkeys

[youngun15]

God I hope he never try's to take a piss around you.

Okay Let's

So Cromer, with the limit lowered to 3, how does it feel to STILL not fill all of your tags?

I just had water come out my nose lmao

[GobblerHntr]

Okay Let's

So Cromer, with the limit lowered to 3, how does it feel to STILL not fill all of your tags?

That's like coming from the rope that's above the top rope!

Wow!

[LabLuvR]

Gut,

Probably the same as when your girlfriend tells you she can't feel it.

[Calibogue]

Gut,

About like it feels when your girlfriend tells you she can't feel it.

Yep, wouldn't know that feelin!

[2thDoc]

I said that in my post dingleberry.

well then why did you edit my post to leave out your name?

[2thDoc]

l o l

[LabLuvR]

well then why did you edit my post to leave out your name?

Mistake

[LabLuvR]

One property I hunt is some of the best turkey habitat you can find. Lots of hardwood bottom and mature pine stands that are burned on a rotation. Only thing it's lacking is some agriculture.

The turkey population has plummeted on this 5000 acre tract. I swear there might be 5 longbeards on the entire place now.

Good Lord, what the hell has changed??

[Tuffy]

I leave for just a couple of hours and look what happens. The question was: What do the managers of well-managed turkey property do to enhance their turkey populations?

I gather the answer is that they lob & burn the habitat and restrict the hunting pressure. Oh yeah, the predators? Any season restrictions tighter than the regulations? Any direct feeding? Feel a real influence from how the neighbors do/don't manage their lands? Cali seems to have the floor for success and direct involvement. Anyone from Williamsburg or Georgetown that is doing well? Newberry or Union? Charleston or Berkeley? It helps to hear the description of good lands that are hunted, but I'm not hearing a lot of what they are doing with it and I am hearing that many of those areas have experienced some decline. Am I not summarizing correctly?

[Gut_Pile]

Gut,

Probably the same as when your girlfriend tells you she can't feel it.

That's all you could come up with? A little dick joke?

Come on man...

[LabLuvR]

What you are hearing is that those who manage pines seem to have sustainable turkey populations. In areas where the pines are NOT managed, turk populations have declined. Hence the change in population numbers in the upstate.

[Tuffy]

Yeah, BUT. I was also up there way-back-when and the pines were not being managed then either... and there were plenty of birds. If we only look at the last 15 or so years, the Harvest (Population?) has continued to decline and there has been no real change in amount or management of those pines. The habitat management is, at best, a way to slow the decline in very limited areas. It's never really been THE problem and I'm afraid it is not THE solution. This one has been too interesting, but there needs to be a number of discussions about season timing and hunting pressure. Disease and genetics may be in there, but there are people that are getting paid to think about that.

[trkykilr]

As I've said many times, and I honestly believe it, if you want to reduce the harvest, outlaw the use of any decoy that represents a male turkey. Call it a safety issue and be done with it. The number of people that kill turkeys is FAR greater than the number of people that can successfully yelp up and kill a turkey. Sure, a dumb two year old will make folks look good every now and then, but most people won't have the patience required to find that turkey.

As for habitat, I've seen and hunted places that were managed well and not managed at all. If you have all the requirements, you'll have birds. If you don't, you won't. Management of those requirements certainly helps

[PBiz]

The amount of idiot in this thread is damn near mind boggling..

[Strick9]

Indeed ^ , the very reason the Bobwhite quail decline was allowed to be shuffled under the table is shown within the pages of this forum. That could go for waterfowl as well.

Its not the why, that everyone needs to get behind and stand together upon its the fact that there is a decline and that nothing of note is being done correctly about it legally/management wise.

[LabLuvR]

Yeah, BUT. I was also up there way-back-when and the pines were not being managed then either... and there were plenty of birds. If we only look at the last 15 or so years, the Harvest (Population?) has continued to decline and there has been no real change in amount or management of those pines. The habitat management is, at best, a way to slow the decline in very limited areas. It's never really been THE problem and I'm afraid it is not THE solution. This one has been too interesting, but there needs to be a number of discussions about season timing and hunting pressure. Disease and genetics may be in there, but there are people that are getting paid to think about that.

Yea, but, you also forget that pine plantations were not nearly as prominent as they are now. Both counties are now predominantly pine plantations vs years ago. All those old fields up around Blair are nearly gone, as is the hardwood pine mix stands. All are now pine plantations. I'm sorry but there really is no other explanation for the decline other than loss of mixed habitat.

People can deny that all they want, but their heads are stuck in the sand.

[LabLuvR]

Indeed ^ , the very reason the Bobwhite quail decline was allowed to be shuffled under the table is shown within the pages of this forum. That could go for waterfowl as well.

Its not the why, that everyone needs to get behind and stand together upon its the fact that there is a decline and that nothing of note is being done correctly about it legally/management wise.

I agree! The NWTF should come out with a SuperFund to help landowners with some of the cost. They provide seed at low cost I know, but more could be done.

[GBelly]

I have been doing my part to down every pine tree I can.

If anyone has a "large acreage" tract of those nuisance trees, call me.

Sincerely,

Timber Dollars Support My Family

[LabLuvR]

Thanks Gene! Seems like we are working toward a common goal!

[GBelly]

I'm gonna call Fran and let her know it's time to make a clear cut next door.