bgkyarcher
12 pointer
That first pic has more birds than I saw all season combined.
Lowest harvest totals in last 12 years
- Thread starter PUBLIC RAT
- Start date
RIDGERUNNER35
Fawn
Be thankful you have a population of birds like that to hunt. We put in many boot miles to hear very few birds with minimal turkey sign. Definitely a problem we’re I hunt but I would imagine nothing much will be done.
woodsman92
10 pointer
This was my most successful season to date, hunted 3 mornings killed 2 gobblers. But I’d be a fool to say that I haven’t seen a decline. Use to I could go anywhere I had permission to hunt and you would hear birds with good potential of killing one. Now you have to go to the few places turkeys are anymore. Not near as many places holding turkeys.
As far as helping the population, I’d like to see a longer trapping season, with year round hunting on predators. Open night hunting year round for all predators, except during deer firearms season. And would love to see some kind of small bounty on predators. But that’s all a stretch.
It wouldn’t bother me to see bag limits go down, like 1 in spring 2 in fall.
As far as mowing is concerned I think it’s a great idea and Would help a lot but no way to control it and 90% of farmers aren’t going to wait to cut. When the weather is right, they are gonna cut. Cows before turkeys.
As far as helping the population, I’d like to see a longer trapping season, with year round hunting on predators. Open night hunting year round for all predators, except during deer firearms season. And would love to see some kind of small bounty on predators. But that’s all a stretch.
It wouldn’t bother me to see bag limits go down, like 1 in spring 2 in fall.
As far as mowing is concerned I think it’s a great idea and Would help a lot but no way to control it and 90% of farmers aren’t going to wait to cut. When the weather is right, they are gonna cut. Cows before turkeys.
mudhole crossing
12 pointer
So are numbers down more in the ag counties because I’ve read treated corn seed is toxic. Not much farming here.
bgkyarcher
12 pointer
My spots have all declined that are tillable. All coincided with the spray kill and drill method. 5 farms that had plenty of birds until they went to crops from hay/pasture.
OLE RASPY
12 pointer
I asked that ? To 2 guys that we met in Mexico on our occelated trip. 1 guy was big time farmer the other was a salesman of all that stuff.
And they both said no. So idk but it makes sense to me. I’m thinkin same thing as you.
bgkyarcher
12 pointer
Hatchlings need insects from the moment they hatch. That shit kills everything. No bugs, dead birds. I've seen the effect first hand, on multiple farms.
rockhousehunter
12 pointer
Don't we usually have Mother's Day and Easter in almost every year during turkey season?
bgkyarcher
12 pointer
I hunted 8 days, well, 7 actually. Daddy and I didn't get out of the truck Saturday. 3 of the 7 days, I never even setup on a bird.
riverboss
12 pointer
Never hunted the last weekend, I killed on bird and felt the population was so sad I would leave what was around for seed.
EdLongshanks
12 pointer
What stuff? Round up? Liberty? Pretty sure neither kill insects at an alarming rate. Pretty sure those critters keep right on going.
bgkyarcher
12 pointer
Whatever they spray to kill prior to planting. It kills everything. No more bugs. If you don’t believe me, take a walk through a sprayed field a couple days after it’s sprayed. You won’t see a single insect. You also won’t see a single turkey in one until it’s tilled.
EdLongshanks
12 pointer
Disagree. It’s an enzyme that disrupts plant photosynthesis. It’s non toxic. Nothing more. While I admit insect activity may be slightly disrupted, farmers are also forced to
spray insecticide annually because round up aint the cure-all. Would Kind be cool if it was though. I’ve definitely seen turkey in fields that have been sprayed. Also, spraying and tilling makes no sense? That’s just a waste of money.
EdLongshanks
12 pointer
I defend no till…..but ultimately I find myself kinda always defaulting back to conventional tillage agriculture. Don’t know why. Just seems to work better for the farmer that way.
JR PORTER
10 pointer
15 years ago it was nothing to go out and see as many as 50 to 75 turkeys in one day. Flocks of 25 to 30 in several places. Now I go out and might see 2 or 3 birds if I’m lucky. Coyotes bobcats and coons are everywhere. I kill 1 or 2 coyotes a year but that’s just a drop in the bucket. I don’t know anyone who traps nor have I seen anyone trapping . Plus bears are quite common here too. No doubt they come across birds nesting and would destroy the eggs too . We had some bears just last night get in our garbage bin carried off 3 bags of garbage scattering garbage all over the hillside. Gotta make put some lids for them in the next few days for sure. That’s the first time it’s happened to us but I’ve seen them carrying garbage into the woods on State Rt 7 late at night before. In the past 2 years I’ve never seen the first poult in the spring. Deer population has been down here too. Even the Elk have gone. Don’t even see many people hunting either. Don’t know what’s going on.
