I'm sure Chucky is really interested in our opinions as he plans for future regulations, so why don't we help him out?

Lets compare populations only considering whether it's up or down from the previous year. I'll start it. I hunted 3 counties; Coosa was up, Tallapoosa seemed about the same, and Perry was way up. We killed only 2 off the Perry county place last season; already got 6 this year and still counting.

What you guys seeing?

It's in good shape. I have seen 21 jakes just last week on 3 separate farms in 3 different counties. If they have a decent hatch this year I'd say the future is up and up on farms I hunt. 9 jakes in a group Saturday. 5 jakes in a group Friday and 7 in a group Tuesday. That was in 3 counties not even touching.

I think the population is fine in my area, however, they suffer from a bad case of lock jaw. Reckon Chucky can help with that?

Down in Russell Co where I hunt. My opinion is not based solely on gobbling activity either. I see very few droppings and relatively few tracks compared to years past. I also hunt a portion of mature forest in the Talladega NF. I don't hunt it but a handful of days each year. I am disappointed in how infrequently I hear birds there. I hunt similar habitat on Missouri public land that has quite a few birds. It's downright depressing.

Chilton county about the same.
Perry county seems to be up a little bit.

The 3 counties I regularly hunt in are in good shape....and I'm not talking about Chucky's traditional turkey country either.

Overall turkey numbers are rising.

We are seeing turkeys in parts of the county that they have either never been seen before or it's been years and years since they have been seen in these areas.

Great hatch last summer.

Jakes are everywhere.

Perry is up where I hunt. Killed one sun that had 5 friends tagging along.
Got a picture befor season with 15 jakes togethor. Great season this year.

Northern Crenshaw county is up.

Tallapoosa county bout the same as last year, Clay county bout the same and Coosa seems the same but have only hunted that place once

Not sure about our place in Monroe co but will see at the end f the week.

About same. Have killed 2 off of and I know where 5 gobbling birds are on 475 acres to a pretty good level of consistency at this point

Hear plenty of hens.

I think it's good, about like normal

Our turkey population is only a fraction of what it was 10 or 12 years ago. I go to my listening spots and never hear a gobbler anymore. Between everything as far as the eye can see being planted in pine trees and more coyotes, it is hard for a turkey to make a living.

I think about same overall from a shear population perspective.

There are more birds where nobody hunts very much and less where they are hunted consistently.

Hunter success rate is much lower because areas that are hunted a lot have trained the birds to be hard to kill. The hens and gobblers are very wary and will flush/flee on a dime. On the flip side, I am seeing/hearing gobblers range farther in a shorter period of time than I remember in search of scattered hens.

Also we have significantly less number of total hunters and much less numbers of experienced and patience hunters.

I really don't think harvest records nor gobbling reports are an accurate measurement of turkey population.

Not sure I agree completely with the beginning of your post but I'm not a seasoned turkey hunter either. I can tell you on our property that our numbers are way down from just 5 years ago. Our nieghbor who was a member of the old club that had the place before us. He's been hunting there for over 20 yrs and has said the same thing. The birds just aren't there. My brother and I hunt maybe 10 days total a season if we are lucky. The nieghbor watches over the place and does anything we ask of him so I let him turkey hunt and charge him a small amount (his deal) to help with plots or maintenance. He kills one turkey a year and hunts only 1-2 days a week if we are not going up. If we are going he don't hunt till we leave and come back to Louisiana. If he don't hear a bird gobble he's at the south 40 restaurant by 7am eating breakfast. This is on 1kacres. I don't think that is pressure has much to do with the lower amount of turkeys on our place. But as said earlier,all I know about turkey hunting is what I learned reading and listening to others on here and from all the mistakes I made in the turkey woods.

Up in Jefferson county, slightly down in Barbour.

Way down compared to 15 yrs ago, this year about the same as last 5.Skyline/Jackson.

Down in Monroe county

I'm not sure, 1hr ago I'd say down, then a long beard practically walked in camp so I ain't got a damn clue what these fool birds are doing. I ran around behind some of the trailers and managed to get in front of him but he wasn't interested in playing. Guess I'll hunt the camp in the morning, either the front porch of the my trailer I sit in the truck since that's the 2 of 3 places I've seen gobblers this year.

Down on our place but I think westervelt cutting timber right before season started has been the main cause. I know it's their land but dam when they get on a roll it really is sad to see mature timber turn into a bomb sight.

Not sure about Covington Cty as two of the places I hunted were new to me. I killed birds off each place and had a good many on camera before and during season. North Dallas Cty was up this year on the particular piece of property I hunt there.