Lowest harvest totals in last 12 years

[EasyE]

Well, I'd like to hear this explanation since the overwhelming majority of private land deer hunters have done this for basically ever, and the turkey population is just now taking a hit? Did the nest raiders finally take over?

Ok I’ll try, when feeding the deer you also feed a host of other animals also. One of them being the raccoon. This creates a perfect habitat for them to eat, be healthy, and multiply. So if you don’t keep them in check they will get overpopulated. I have gone to great measures to avoid this. I bought a Banks feeder with a pvc pipe to help keep them out, but I also trap the crap out of them. I eventually plan to not feed as I continue to improve habitat on my farm. Hinge cutting yearly and planting pears, apples, red osier, arborative(msp) aka white cedar, strawberry bushes, Poke berry, elderberry, and hearts a busting bushes. I might be missing a few other things this was off the top of my head. I hope this helps some.

 

[KY_Swamp_Beagler]

Ok I’ll try, when feeding the deer you also feed a host of other animals also. One of them being the raccoon. This creates a perfect habitat for them to eat, be healthy, and multiply. So if you don’t keep them in check they will get overpopulated. I have gone to great measures to avoid this. I bought a Banks feeder with a pvc pipe to help keep them out, but I also trap the crap out of them. I eventually plan to not feed as I continue to improve habitat on my farm. Hinge cutting yearly and planting pears, apples, red osier, arborative(msp) aka white cedar, strawberry bushes, Poke berry, elderberry, and hearts a busting bushes. I might be missing a few other things this was off the top of my head. I hope this helps some.

There’s other reasons. Pentail wrote an article on it.

Is Your Deer Bait Killing Turkeys?

Is Your Deer Bait Killing Turkeys?

www.realtree.com

 

[EasyE]

There’s other reasons. Pentail wrote an article on it.

Is Your Deer Bait Killing Turkeys?

Is Your Deer Bait Killing Turkeys?

www.realtree.com

Great article. I was not trying to say there is only 1 problem at all. There are always a lot of variables to look at. I’ve posted on several threads regarding this issue. Another thing pointed out to me was the terrible spring weather in 19’&20’, this was a wildlife biologist in our state. I will say this to, my season lasted 2 mornings but that does not matter, we have a problem. I use to spend 2 hours a day commuting to and from work, and it is very noticeable that we have a problem. I do believe it was better on my farm than the last 4-5 years, and in my small pea brain of mine thinks it has to do with the drastic habitat change on my farm. We keep having this weather like it is and I believe it will be a good year for poults. I’m gonna keep on killing predators, and improving habitat. Same biologist told me, you know that stuff you wouldn’t dare walk thru?, that’s what they(hens) want to nest in.

 

[bgkyarcher]

NWTF says the population in the entire country is between 6-6.2 million. I'd love to eliminate fall season and have over a billion in KY in 10 years by Pokt's numbers. For some reason my math ain't adding up today.....

There is a thing called "carrying capacity", so we won't get that many birds. The math is fine, but there are other factors. Perhaps we surpassed our carrying capacity in 2010, and we are backing up to it now.

 

[Chimpy]

I think I've seen them mentioned, but I believe hawks put quite a dent in the poult population. I've watched a pair of hawks follow 2 hens and their poults, both picking off 1 in a 5 minute period. Waaay too many hawks.

 

[davers]

I think I've seen them mentioned, but I believe hawks put quite a dent in the poult population. I've watched a pair of hawks follow 2 hens and their poults, both picking off 1 in a 5 minute period. Waaay too many hawks.

I was driving to town last Tuesday, and a couple of large Black Hawks dropped part of a Squirrel, right in the middle of the road. Almost landed on my vehicle.

 

[rockhousehunter]

I was driving to town last Tuesday, and a couple of large Black Hawks dropped part of a Squirrel, right in the middle of the road. Almost landed on my vehicle.

Free food Davers lol.

 

[1wildcatfan]

I was driving to town last Tuesday, and a couple of large Black Hawks dropped part of a Squirrel, right in the middle of the road. Almost landed on my vehicle.

Military helicopters?

 

[Redlined]

Military helicopters?

Squirrel is a new menu addition to MREs

 

[Feedman]

Military helicopters?

You shore them wasn't black headed buzzards?

 

[davers]

Free food Davers lol.

A little too "processed" for my liking.

 

[turk2di]

eliminating the fall season won't help anything

It would be a gross over reaction !

 

[turk2di]

There is a thing called "carrying capacity", so we won't get that many birds. The math is fine, but there are other factors. Perhaps we surpassed our carrying capacity in 2010, and we are backing up to it now.

Bingo!!! Again as I mentioned before, we were told about a decade ago not to expect mid 30k harvest every year. In fact we were told the numbers would likely drop as the figures settled into what the carrying capacity actually is. Just last season we nearly hit 30k and I remember hunters complaining about lack of turkeys. This year we come up just short of 27k birds, not mid 30’s I know but still not shabby compared to many states! My opinion after 33 years of hunting that with carrying capacity dwindling every year, we are probably a 25-30k state! Perhaps a little tweaking could be implemented, but tad soon to get radical!

 

[hunt]

Ok I’ll try, when feeding the deer you also feed a host of other animals also. One of them being the raccoon. This creates a perfect habitat for them to eat, be healthy, and multiply. So if you don’t keep them in check they will get overpopulated. I have gone to great measures to avoid this. I bought a Banks feeder with a pvc pipe to help keep them out, but I also trap the crap out of them. I eventually plan to not feed as I continue to improve habitat on my farm. Hinge cutting yearly and planting pears, apples, red osier, arborative(msp) aka white cedar, strawberry bushes, Poke berry, elderberry, and hearts a busting bushes. I might be missing a few other things this was off the top of my head. I hope this helps some.

I like your management plan to improve your property, the only thing I would add is to plant some sawtooth oaks, the deer and turkey love them and they'll produce good mast in a few short years. Also, if you have an acre or 2 to plant some white clover, I'd also do that, it's easy to take care of and deer and turkey love it and it's really easy to maintain.

 

[hunt]

There is a thing called "carrying capacity", so we won't get that many birds. The math is fine, but there are other factors. Perhaps we surpassed our carrying capacity in 2010, and we are backing up to it now.

We may have, hopefully we'll eventually get back to the upper end of our carrying capacity