H4820 Turkey Bill, Senate Subcommitte next Thursday.....

**Whackumstackum** · 03-29-2024, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Tater

Like the mob that only shows up here to be seen only when turkey season rolls around or some other mob?

Bill has “quit” this place more times than I can count.

**Luvin' Labs** · 03-29-2024, 02:35 PM

I haven't killed a turkey in 20 years. I'm pretty sure I'm doing my part.

**UPSTATEWATERFOWLER** · 03-29-2024, 03:20 PM

I don’t know about the lower part of the state but the upstate has a lot less turkeys than when I started hunting them 20 years ago. IMO, it’s a combination of issues: predators, less habitat due to growth, less farming, and probably us over hunting them in the past. I would like to have 5 tags, but it’s not practical anymore. If 3 is too many, I’m good with cutting it to 2. The DNR can’t “do nothing ” and hope it gets better. Hope is not a strategy.

**Calibogue** · 03-29-2024, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by PJ1012

I recently listened to Cuz’s podcast Fist Full of Dirt. It was a 2 part podcast with the head Mississippi biologist Adam Butler. In part 1 Adam discusses season frameworks. I think it’s around the 40 minute mark if you’d like to listen. He talks about on some of their public land they have pushed season dates back to see if it boost the turkey populations any. Their studies showed it had no impact on the population. I say all this to say our biologist in this state have had the results of this study now for around 5 years. They also have full control on the bag limits and season dates for public land in this state. Why have they not already implemented these dates on public land if it’s going to help so much? We could’ve had 5 years of data showing if it works or not.

Also I realize their study says April 10th is peak nesting, but most of the time my 20-25 hen flocks are down to 2-4 by April 1st. This year it was down to 2-4 when the season had started. I was seeing a majority of solo hens before we even started hunting. Which means many of them were bred before the season even started.

Happy Easter buddy……

As I understand it, that project was neither peer-reviewed nor was it published. These are extremely important things in The credibility of Wildlife Research and without them, that project pretty much means nothing. It sounds to me like they did not have enough measurable data to pass judgment on reproductive success.

**JBtflo** · 03-29-2024, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by Calibogue

As I understand it, that project was neither peer-reviewed nor was it published. These are extremely important things in The credibility of Wildlife Research and without them, that project pretty much means nothing. It sounds to me like they did not have enough measurable data to pass judgment on reproductive success.

Wasn't that study based on hunter observations and not on GPS turkey movements and nesting data? Why does NC have better populations than most with a later start date and arguably the same predator levels as SC?

**PJ1012** · 03-29-2024, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by JBtflo

Wasn't that study based on hunter observations and not on GPS turkey movements and nesting data? Why does NC have better populations than most with a later start date and arguably the same predator levels as SC?

NC trap and relocate program didn’t end until around 2005 if I’m not mistaken. Therefore perhaps their numbers have not peaked yet like ours did in the early 2000s and began to fall.

**Glenn** · 03-29-2024, 06:18 PM

I got 10 pages out of my thread. I’m guessing this one makes it 6. Maybe 7 if we can keep up the personal insults and attacks. That’s just good Jesus right there.

**KRT** · 03-29-2024, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by tman

I wonder what the problem is????

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Wonder what increased turkey “hunters” and social media play into the decline?

**GBelly** · 03-29-2024, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by KRT

Wonder what increased turkey “hunters” and social media play into the decline?

Too much

**Duck cutter** · 03-29-2024, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Glenn

I got 10 pages out of my thread. I’m guessing this one makes it 6. Maybe 7 if we can keep up the personal insults and attacks. That’s just good Jesus right there.

If this thread had been started on a slow, midweek work day and not a holiday Friday it would already be at 7 pages

**Duck cutter** · 03-29-2024, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by KRT

Wonder what increased turkey “hunters” and social media play into the decline?

Social media

Like the TFC Instagram page?

**trkykilr** · 03-30-2024, 05:24 AM

Originally Posted by Duck cutter

Social media

Like the TFC Instagram page?

That thing has been on fire lately. Sheweee

**LabLuvR** · 03-30-2024, 09:38 AM

I've hunted turkeys since before most you were born, around mid 70's. Unmanage pine plantations are the number one problem and I will go to my grave believing that.

Starting around 90 when the clearcutting of land became a monster, soon after is when the decline was noticeable to me. It just was not as visible as it has been in the last decade. I warned of this twenty years ago and was called a goofball. Until habitat is better managed I don't see much chance for improvement.

**Whackumstackum** · 03-30-2024, 12:40 PM

Here’s how you properly attach a tag to one’s leg, then you sit out until April 1. ALOT of people have issues doing this I’ve heard.
IMG_1026.jpg

**Timberman22** · 03-30-2024, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by LabLuvR

I've hunted turkeys since before most you were born, around mid 70's. Unmanage pine plantations are the number one problem and I will go to my grave believing that.

Starting around 90 when the clearcutting of land became a monster, soon after is when the decline was noticeable to me. It just was not as visible as it has been in the last decade. I warned of this twenty years ago and was called a goofball. Until habitat is better managed I don't see much chance for improvement.

I disagree. Private landowners are managing pine stands more intensively than ever. Especially with the abundance of cost share money there is more intensive silviculture in pine plantations with burning, spraying and food plots. Mine love clearcuts, January burns, and clover plots.

**flockbuster** · 03-30-2024, 01:55 PM

Is anybody planning on going Thursday?

**TXFowler** · 03-30-2024, 04:03 PM

There are a shit load of factors to why turkeys are declining. Not shooting them until the second week of April with ONLY HELP! Is it the only answer, no! But it’s a damn good start! Until John Dutton is our governor, you can bet the damn Yankees and fags from California will continue to flock here and land will continue to be developed. Predators and scavengers will continue their circle of life, and Michael Waddell will always “show him” that turkey fan. Nest success rates will not change, but if there are more gobblers around to breed every hen, there will be more nests. More nests = more poults. Mare poults = more turkeys.

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