This is why I’ve always been against large scale, late season burning.

The better question is, do you.....or “they”, have real documented facts of why it will work. Please provide them. I’m talking a real solid connection in higher poult production from “X” number of hens where hunting was delayed. Better yet, name a state who has already pushed back and shortened their season, and can prove turkey numbers are on the way up, not down.

Why is it crazy that the hunting public, the hardcore guys who buy stuff and pay the bills of conservation and research, to ask for facts before making change?

And lastly, if I hunted North AL like I once did regularly, it wouldn’t be as bad. But where I live and hunt currently, the absolute best hunting and gobbling activity is about M10-M20. And that’s a fact.

Hey DP1975, here is a quote from assistant director Fred Harders in the Tuscaloosa News about why they moved opening day and here is a link to the article. Turkey season change Nothing in there about a biological reason so you can take that crap and sell it somewhere else.

The CAB also decided to bring Turkey season in on a Saturday every year. Prior to now, Turkey season usually begins March 15 regardless of the day if fell on. From now on, Turkey will always begin on the third Saturday in March, Harders said.

"It's a day that just about everybody has off," Harders said. "If it comes in on a Thursday and you're in a hunting club where you're the only person who can get off on Thursday, it gives you a big advantage over everybody else."

It all started when they let that hot girl on the CAB board for no apparent reason then she hauled butt out of state. Thatwas weird

Hey DP1975, here is a quote from assistant director Fred Harders in the Tuscaloosa News about why they moved opening day and here is a link to the article. Turkey season change Nothing in there about a biological reason so you can take that crap and sell it somewhere else.

The CAB also decided to bring Turkey season in on a Saturday every year. Prior to now, Turkey season usually begins March 15 regardless of the day if fell on. From now on, Turkey will always begin on the third Saturday in March, Harders said.

"It's a day that just about everybody has off," Harders said. "If it comes in on a Thursday and you're in a hunting club where you're the only person who can get off on Thursday, it gives you a big advantage over everybody else."

I dont care what day it comes in or goes out. If I know birds are gobbling I will go if I know they are not I wont. I dont care how many turkeys you or I kill, I simply hope the Turkey populations in the state stay as high as possible so maybe one day my kids will know how fun turkey hunting can be when you hear turkeys gobble. If that means the state adjusts the dates so be it, I dont see what it can hurt besides peoples feelings

I dont care what day it comes in or goes out. If I know birds are gobbling I will go if I know they are not I wont.

Illegally? I think that's people's concern. If they're gobbling March 15 next year, you can't go....legally.

Ben I truly do not know what the issue is with your place in Central Alabama. I feel for you and wish I could help answer that big unknown for you. If you are not seeing poults this year with the weather we had then I'm afraid you have a much bigger issue than anyone can answer. I can also assure by the state tweaking the dates it's not gonna make a hill of beans to fix your problem. With the habitat you have there is no logical reason I can come up with as to why you aren't loaded with turkeys.

The reason I say the season change will be ineffective is Georgia is a perfect example. Moving the season opener out and extending the close has had zero beneficial results for their state and it is a time tested fact. If you spend a little time on GON forum you will see folks like yourself complaining about the lack of turkey on their property and state wide in general. Truth be known none of these states with declining turkey populations know how to fix it. Most if not all of the change has been "feel good/PR" crap that has zero science behind it. If they had solid science to back these changes it would be plastered far and wide for everyone to see. Sure they have a little information and some fancy computer generated model that predicts the future but all that computer program is not science based. Its a bunch of hog wash in my personal opinion.

It simply boils down to the good lord and land owners doing the best they can do to manage habitat, predators and provide food. The rest of it falls in the good lords hands to give us the weather for a successful hatch.

I understand that as well, but I still dont see how trying is hurting anything, even if it is a waste of time in the end. Just like the opening it on Saturday, why is that bad?

The problem with "trying" is that they are taking away days that hunters can legally hunt for no justifiable biological reason.

Cole has a very valid point here and PCP has also made the same point. Start taking away time and rights away from the hunters then things have the potential to do more harm than good.

I am going to stick with my original thoughts on your place. If I recall you have a farmer in the area that uses chicken litter and you have a neighbor or neighbors that turkey hunt regularly. If I was a betting man I would be willing to put money on those two are a large part of your issue. The reason I feel confident is saying that is because I have a very similar situation on one of my properties. Don't think for one second those can't be an issue because I can assure you they very well can be. If you take those two factors away completely when two years I'd bet you would see a big change.

No sir no chicken litter that I know of (smithgrow on here farms it) no serious turkey hunter anywhere close by. The only 2 neighbors that do hunt did not kill a turkey this year and 1 of them killed 1 the season before. Making 1 killed this year and 4 or 5 killed the year before on about 3000 acres.