Unintended consequences

[Glenn]

Dearest Gwenn,

Shut the fuck up, get in your minivan and come get this damn fan before I dispose of it. Btw, I done told you to mine your own bitness and not interfere with the words of the Master.

If you don't want the recognition then stop being so deep, profound and philosophical.

And bring me that planter when you bring the fan.

[trkykilr]

Obviously not disagreeing with your opinion as you seem to be one of the more well traveled hunters on here, and you're usually less obnoxious about being a hell of a turkey killer than most, so save the family jokes. Point being that DNR and people on here jump to conclusions a little too quickly and draw conclusions on too little. All I know is what I've seen, and I submit that when DNR sends me a survey. Past that, I try to put my boot on as many birds' necks as tags I am allotted (not counting multiple sets...). I don't preach my limited experience and observations on here as the gospel, like most members with a box of Hevishot do.

I don't know you or your family, but there was no way I was replying without a tube sock joke and that one made me chuckle.

[YoungBuckTX]

Had to have been some habitat change over the last 10 or so years.......how many acres?

if no changes on his property, at least adjoining or nearby.

[Carolina Counsel]

Had to have been some habitat change over the last 10 or so years.......how many acres?

500 acres of mountain/hill country. To be fair, about 8-10 years ago we cut about 30 acres of mature pines, but no real change since then.

[ccleroy]

500 acres of mountain/hill country. To be fair, about 8-10 years ago we cut about 30 acres of mature pines, but no real change since then.

How about adjoining properties?

[Carolina Counsel]

I know one property across the paved road on one side had some timber cut, but nothing glaring. Upon thinking further about it, several homes have been built around the 500 acres and there has certainly been increased foot traffic on the property over the last five years. However, to go from what there was to what we have now is just shocking.

[MorningWoody]

that sucks I had that problem last year and didn't hunt one of my spots that's normally awesome. But this year, every time I've been I have had birds all over me in the upstate. All my buddies are the same, we've all been killing too. Spartanburg, union, Lauren's and Cherokee Have been producing good. What county you in?

Right on the edge of Cherokee county almost in Spartanburg county. One lease has birds but both leases aren't showing numbers they did last year and year before. I used to get annoyed at the turkeys eating out of my feeders, now I pray I see some.

[Gut_Pile]

I know one property across the paved road on one side had some timber cut, but nothing glaring. Upon thinking further about it, several homes have been built around the 500 acres and there has certainly been increased foot traffic on the property over the last five years. However, to go from what there was to what we have now is just shocking.

While turkey's are resilient animals, they can be completely removed from a property with relative ease. They are not deer, and cannot adapt to habitat change all that well. Small changes can cause turkeys to leave.

[JHampton]

Turkeys and gobbles slim picking in Chappells

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[WoodieSC]

Not trying to hijack this thread. Here is a thought for everyone to ponder. Is it really that bad or was it really just that good through the 90's. Where I saw winter flocks of 60-70 birds then I see flocks of 10-20 now. Where thete were 15 gobblers in the spring now there may be 3-4. Where there were 10 or less there may be 1 or 2 or none. Is that really a bad thing? I am thinking not, it just may be a more realistic representation of the carrying capacity of that habitat and we just had a spike in population at least 20 years ago. It's still not hard to find turkeys.we just aren't flooded with them, is the way I am seeing it.

Can these flocks handle 4 gobblers, to be harvested early from them ...............

I think you're making a valid point. It wasn't that many years ago that I took pictures of upwards of 30+ turkeys in the meadow behind the house (100 yds +/-), whereas last year and this past Fall I've seen a few hens, two jakes, and that's it. One lone hen is hanging around now, but the rest have moved on.

While turkey's are resilient animals, they can be completely removed from a property with relative ease. They are not deer, and cannot adapt to habitat change all that well. Small changes can cause turkeys to leave.

The only habitat change on my property itself is random changes in the undergrowth, depending on what time of year I bush hog it. Next door, the pines where the turkeys roosted for years have only gotten a little larger, and adjacent wooded areas have gotten slightly more overgrown, but the fields are pretty much the same except that there aren't cows every year like there used to be.

So beats me why they've moved, but if I only find that there's one gobbler chasing these five hens, I'm going to leave him be for another week or so to make sure he does his duty.

[Kioti]

people tend to boast more about doubles (texting pics, posting to scducks) then they do about not killing shit.

we had a fairly mild winter, which I think overall helped the population. the early Spring turned got them fired up early. just me guessing, I have only been killing turkeys for a few years. ebbs and flows..

What would a mild winter have to do with anything? We got turkeys freezing to death?

[GBelly]

i think alot of turkeys are either short stopping or going straight to florida and passing us by. they must know TFC lives here.

[Gut_Pile]

The only habitat change on my property itself is random changes in the undergrowth, depending on what time of year I bush hog it. Next door, the pines where the turkeys roosted for years have only gotten a little larger, and adjacent wooded areas have gotten slightly more overgrown, but the fields are pretty much the same except that there aren't cows every year like there used to be.

So beats me why they've moved, but if I only find that there's one gobbler chasing these five hens, I'm going to leave him be for another few weeks to make sure he does his duty.

Even those little changes could make a difference. The pines next door, now that they are a little larger, what has happened to the understory? Is it beginning to be shaded out therefore doing away with much needed food and nesting habitat? Maybe the pines have grown enough to shade out half of what used to be there 3 years ago. This could cause the carrying capacity of your property to decline.

The wooded areas that are now overgrown, this could provide some good nesting, but how did the turkeys use this area the previous years? Was it a favorite strutting area that has now turned into a hiding place for predators?

The fields that had cows, maybe from a distance it doesn't look much different, but is that field now a thick layer of fescue that is difficult for poults to walk through?


I could be way off on what has caused your property to change, but when you take a step back and view what has changed on your property, as well as your neighbors, it can be easy to see why turkeys are no longer regularly using your property, or not using it as much as previous years.

[YoungBuckTX]

i think alot of turkeys are either short stopping or going straight to florida and passing us by. they must know TFC lives here.

Quite possible G. TFC killed them all last year. We should just close the season, or at least lower the limit to 1.

[LabLuvR]

Hell no we don't have near the turks in the upstate like we used to. Since the upstate of SC transitioned into one huge pine plantation back in the late 80's going forward the numbers simply have not been the same. I started hunting the upstate back in the mid 70's and you could see wads of turkeys in any field, or riding down any GMA road. Matter of fact turks were so populous that people were shooting them out of their vehicles hence the law now where you can't ride roads with a loaded weapon on GMA. Obviously, that law is almost dated now as you rarely see turks on GMA roads.

Let me add this, in any minute some of these self professed turk God's will come along to say how full of shit I am. Just remember, most of these God's were not hunting, much less born back in the 70's and eighties. Matter of fact, they weren't even lowly sperm at that point in time. So keep in mind who has actually walked the talk.

[ccleroy]

I know one property across the paved road on one side had some timber cut, but nothing glaring. Upon thinking further about it, several homes have been built around the 500 acres and there has certainly been increased foot traffic on the property over the last five years. However, to go from what there was to what we have now is just shocking.

It only takes the wrong couple acres to completely change everything.

[ccleroy]

Let me add this, in any minute some of these self professed turk God's will come along to say how full of shit I am. Just remember, most of these God's were not hunting, much less born back in the 70's and eighties. Matter of fact, they weren't even lowly sperm at that point in time. So keep in mind who has actually walked the talk.

I dare you to cut me loose on your lease..........

[LabLuvR]

Come on anytime big boy, brang some turks with you.

[ccleroy]

Last week in April, let's set it now.

[LabLuvR]

Cool by me, if you want to waste your time. Remember it's only two hundred acres or so. I reluctantly killed two here last year. Now I'm thinking that may not have been too smart. I know the last day there were four still alive and gobbling. Where those fuckers are now is anyone's guess. No habitat changes, no feeders, fuck if I know.