I don't post too much but I have been following this site for a long time. Over the last two years I have heard a lot of people talking about turkey numbers being down and pretty much non existent in certain parts of the state. I'm also not naïve in thinking that there's nothing going on in certain parts of north Alabama and in Tennessee, because I do believe there is something else in play but not sure what it is. I'm not just hearing this from people on this site but from others as well. However, when I ask these people what all they are doing to improve habitat a lot of them just tell me they don't have time or can't and the numbers are just down.

I know that not everyone has access to private lands and if you hunt public land you are at the mercy of the state agencies to manage habitat, however, if you do have access to private lands whether leased land or privately owned there are all kinds of way to improve habitat for turkeys.

After following this thread over the years I've noticed that several of the people on here who consistently kill turkeys and are also doing a lot of habitat management on their properties. i.e. burning, planting chufa, planting and maintaining perennial clover, strip disking, trapping, not bush hogging during nesting, etc. Those people I talk to seem to have plenty of turkeys. Now they may not gobble every day but they have turkeys. I know with leased lands there are restrictions on what you can do. I have hunted timber land for a long time and I am very familiar with their restrictions. However, if they don't let you burn you can still plant clover and chufa even if in small areas. You can also trap and strip disc. At this time I am very lucky to have access to private property which allows me to manage however I want, and I have chosen to do about every thing I can to make better deer and turkey habitat on the place. I enjoy the work and it is almost a hobby for me. In just two years, I have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of turkeys on the place. I also hunt leased property where we cant burn and are limited on planting, however we have clover planted all over and good nesting cover. I have also trapped nest predators, and we have plenty of turkeys.

I know a lot of things are time consuming and can get in the way of life. However, I have a busy full time job and a family. I still manage to make time to get out there and do what needs to get done and yes it takes a lot of work and is time consuming at times but I can promise you this, the hunting is noticeably better which makes it all worth it.

I know Gobbler and some others on here take heat for their comments, but I also know that gobbler hunts plenty of places slam full of turkeys because of the management practices he puts in place. Now I am sure I am going to get bashed for this and that is ok. I just think that people will have a better overall spring experience if they spend some time in the off season putting in some work and not just show up to hunt. I love this forum and the discussions that go on. Glad to be apart of another great season and look forward to reading everybody's posts every year!

Preacher

Good post! I do everything in my power on my places and that aint much especially with less time these days with a new baby and just life in general but it seems to work and as bad as I am ate up with it, it must be done! Only thing I slack on is the predators and I just pray that God and mother nature have that under control.

I couldn't agree more on everything that you have said. I will admit that I am too lazy to do the trapping part but I do burn, strip disk, have plenty of established/maintained clover and chufas fields. We seem to have a great population of turkeys based off of sightings, cameras, and hearing although they don't necessarily gobble even on the best of mornings.

Not all properties will benefit from these activities.

So trapping nest predators during nesting season won't help on any given property?

I hunt public land but I do run over every coon,possum,skunk and coyote I can while commuting to and from

Maybe it's better stated this way;

Some areas that have always had turkey - more than likely always will - and will have them without any of the management tools talked about in the OP. Those areas tend to have huntable populations even with changes in land use and timber structure.

And unfortunately, some areas can implement every management tool available, and never spend their way to having large populations, despite having what is viewed as great habitat.

I've said this for a while and it goes largely un-noticed, mostly because it's not popular. Everyone wants to be able to do something and see results.

I agree with turkey 24/7. Everybody that does habitat work for turkeys does not see any increases in turkey usage. Also, I know of places that have marginal habitat that are eat up with turkeys.

I still encourage proper and wise land stewardship.

Turkey247, I do agree with what you are saying somewhat but not entirely. I agree that there are area of Alabama that have always had turkeys and always will have turkeys, imo south Alabama is like that in most areas, however I do not agree with you that habitat management practices do not make a difference. For example one of my friends family owns and manages timber in Wilcox/ Monroe counties. This is composed of nearly 10,000 acres of nothing but pine trees that are for production purposes only. They lease the deer rights on all of it but maintain turkey rights. There are turkeys on every bit of that land and always will be. They don't plant any food plots other than the ryegrass the deer hunters scatter in the log landings. However in the middle of that they have approximately 1000 acres that they manage for both wildlife and timber, big clover plots, burn, Chufa etc. It's not even close in the amount of turkeys on the managed property as opposed to strictly timber production property. Both areas having turkeys just the area with the habitat management in place with a lot more turkeys.

Nice post! I think any area that has at least some turkeys will benefit from intensive land management to some extent. Most of us just don't control enough land to see immediate big results. A 100 acre oasis in the midst of 10,000 acres of 5 year old loblolly may not be loaded with turkeys.

But any little bit helps. I killed a turkey this season off a tract of just 21 acres.

Comparing anything 10,000 acres in size to what "most" AL hunters have the ability to manage is like comparing apples to oranges. Most people own far less than that.

I'll let anybody come manage the 1,000+ acres I have access to in Marshall County if they think they can have a better impact on the turkeys.

I've got a primary property that we've been managing for a decade or more. We have thinned, burned, disced, planted, and worked hard for turkeys. The more we do the fewer we have. It's no small place either.

CWeeks - I understand what you're saying.

I've also learned to say words like "most" and "normally" and try not to say "always" or "never".

Another way to look at it - is like a business (and this will lend itself to your point). If a company has multiple locations, and some locations make money, while others struggle. They have two general ways they can make changes. They can work with the locations struggling, spending time and energy trying to pull them up. Or they can work with the prosperous locations, spending time and effort making them better.

With turkey management - I prefer the second option. And believe it's money and energy better spent.

I somewhat agree with you all, but........

You can always positively impact your turkey population, unless there are no turkeys to start with. That doesn't mean that the population will increase though.
It simply means that there are factors outside of our control, which can have greater negative effects than the positive we can do.

Sounds like you need a consultant

Consultants.

Prolly need pine trees and a burn plan.

Can you recommend a good one


Glad this place has eased up...