SCDNR turkey hunting survey

[jwmetz]

numbers aren’t even close to accurate.

Lots of turkey killers on here that kill too many and don’t check them in.

That might be the case, but that would be true every year. Either the turkeys are not there or hunters let up on them

[joshua2]

numbers aren’t even close to accurate.

Lots of turkey killers on here that kill too many and don’t check them in.

Say it again for the ones in the back.

[Calibogue]

Say it again for the ones in the back.

If you have first-hand knowledge of this, call them out on it! The only way it's going to stop is to shame people out of doing it. However, if all you have is hearsay then pack it up and take it somewhere else.

[TXFowler]

That might be the case, but that would be true every year. Either the turkeys are not there or hunters let up on them

Even if it was, harvest rate is not equal to turkey success rate. Thats just the easiest number to “assume” a population. It was one of the hottest seasons that I can remember and I imagine that I wasn’t the only one that spent less time in the woods because of it.


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[JBtflo]

numbers aren’t even close to accurate.

Lots of turkey killers on here that kill too many and don’t check them in.

This has always been the case, regardless of the checking procedure. It's about the best you can get and the trends will still be the same because there's always a segment of the population that is not going to comply.

[TXFowler]

Even if it was, harvest rate is not equal to turkey success rate. Thats just the easiest number to “assume” a population. It was one of the hottest seasons that I can remember and I imagine that I wasn’t the only one that spent less time in the woods because of it.


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I can only imagine that the vast majority of folks follow the tagging and reporting procedures. I’m not saying the current harvest data on the app or DNRs website is current, but I don’t believe the number of folks that choose not to tag or report harvest is minute and would not skew the data. I’d be willing to bet the number killed by vehicles outweighs the number killed by poachers and those choosing not to follow the tagging procedures, 10 fold, year round. Then you throw in the predation number that we will likely never be able to put a number on, and that poacher number becomes even more irrelevant. Just spitballing here…


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[AnythingFeathers]

From 2023 DNR Annual Turkey report

“The 2023 spring season was the third year of SC Game Check and electronic harvest reporting for wild turkeys. Therefore, SCDNR now has two sources of harvest data for comparison. There were 10,234 turkeys reported through SC Game Check. Although reporting is mandatory there will always be lack of compliance by some proportion of hunters. To estimate noncompliance a question was included on the hunter survey asking hunters who indicated they killed a turkey(s) "Did you report your harvest to SC Game Check?". Results indicate that 23 percent of hunters admit to not reporting their harvest. Using this as a correction factor increases the figure that should have been reported through SC Game Check to approximately 12,600 turkeys. Therefore, there is about a 3.6 percent discrepancy between the corrected reported harvest and the harvest estimated by the 2023 Turkey Hunter Survey.”

[Duck Tape]

First, this seemed a little snippy.

Originally Posted by Duck Tape View Post
Nope. I supported the DNR version that passed the house. The senators changed it.

I imagine they will meet in conference committee. Might work it out. Might not.

In the mean time practice self-restraint.

You said: "I’m glad you’re here to share your words of wisdom."

I said: If you say so.

I should have said: I don't believe I would have told that.

You know something I don’t, please buddy feel sure to lay it all on the table. It’s truth week, feel free to lay it all out. I don’t appreciate anyone questioning what I do and my ethics or integrity.

I supported the DNR plan. It looked like it was going to die on the last day of session. I added a flounder amendment that was important to a particular senator to try and get a conference committee between house and senate. It could still work out.

As I stated earlier, practice some self-restraint. Being responsible for 10 killed means there is room for more self-restraint next year if a good bill does not pass.

[ccleroy]

As I stated earlier, practice some self-restraint. Being responsible for 10 killed means there is room for more self-restraint next year if a good bill does not pass.

Phillip, you have zero knowledge of what I take off the properties vs what I leave, nor what I do on them to benefit wildlife. Self restraint has been preached by myself for years, and it’s what I teach my sons, they learn by the example set in front of them. My snippiness comes from me believing that your comment was questioning my reply as false. Plenty of people know me and the person I am. There are plenty of properties that are managed correctly that are just fine, there in lies the rub, the vast majority can’t and won’t take the time to do things to benefit wildlife, thus someone has to step in and control that majority variable. My biggest problem is listening to representatives who tell me they know better for me than I do, all along they pull something like Larry Grooms did and make me second guess why we even give a damn.

[Duck Tape]

You have come at me on several occasions. Just threw one back at you. 10 is a plenty.

I understand. It is your thing.

I managed duck ponds for many years and watched the mallard population decline. I get it.

[TXFowler]

Look at yall! Working shit out…brings a tear to my eye!


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[TXFowler]

From 2023 DNR Annual Turkey report

“The 2023 spring season was the third year of SC Game Check and electronic harvest reporting for wild turkeys. Therefore, SCDNR now has two sources of harvest data for comparison. There were 10,234 turkeys reported through SC Game Check. Although reporting is mandatory there will always be lack of compliance by some proportion of hunters. To estimate noncompliance a question was included on the hunter survey asking hunters who indicated they killed a turkey(s) "Did you report your harvest to SC Game Check?". Results indicate that 23 percent of hunters admit to not reporting their harvest. Using this as a correction factor increases the figure that should have been reported through SC Game Check to approximately 12,600 turkeys. Therefore, there is about a 3.6 percent discrepancy between the corrected reported harvest and the harvest estimated by the 2023 Turkey Hunter Survey.�

Damn, I guess SC is the Wild West or I am a naive sum bitch! 23% don’t report and no consequence in breaking that law? Thats no different than having an untagged bird. I bet there wasn’t even a talking to, let alone any citations.


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[jwmetz]

Yea that is not good in regards to 23%. They need to drop the hammer on that. I only heard of one hunter that killed 3 birds. Most were 0 to 1.

[usrgce]

Yea that is not good in regards to 23%. They need to drop the hammer on that. I only heard of one hunter that killed 3 birds. Most were 0 to 1.

Rest assured there were a few more than that who killed three turkeys .

[jwmetz]

Rest assured there were a few more than that who killed three turkeys .

I understand that but I don’t think it was many. We saw a good many birds this year but the gobbling just was not strong in our area. I hope the bird kills were down and we start to bounce back.

[tman]

Damn, I guess SC is the Wild West or I am a naive sum bitch! 23% don’t report and no consequence in breaking that law? Thats no different than having an untagged bird. I bet there wasn’t even a talking to, let alone any citations.


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Some states have a small penalty for not reporting , even if it's a no-harvest report

[AnythingFeathers]

Maybe they should do it like alligators( at least how they used to alligators, haven’t looked into it in a long time). Get your tag, go hunt. Report….whether you killed or not. No report, I don’t believe you can even apply for tag the next year.
They could require report, even if no harvest. Would be a little extreme to completely deny tags the following year, but they could cost $50-$100 instead of $5 if you didn’t report. A fine of sorts

[duckchoppin]

April 1st-May 1st. 1 bird 4/1-4/15 and 1 bird 4/16-5/1
No decoys
No Jakes
Must have a tag in possession to participate in the hunt.

[joshua2]

April 1st-May 1st. 1 bird 4/1-4/15 and 1 bird 4/16-5/1
No decoys
No Jakes
Must have a tag in possession to participate in the hunt.

Would definitely save a bunch of turkeys lives with this, IMO.

[cajunwannabe]

April 1st-May 1st. 1 bird 4/1-4/15 and 1 bird 4/16-5/1
No decoys
No Jakes
Must have a tag in possession to participate in the hunt.

I like 4/1- 5/1 one bird. no decoys, no jakes

I know a few diehard turkey hunters who carry one tag and simultaneously pull the trigger with whomever they are calling for in order to add to their kill record. Guest tags the bird. They kill a lot of turkeys too.