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Iso
by AustinC. 05/21/24 05:01 PM
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Map apps and the decline of turkeys
#3697526
06/26/22 07:46 AM
06/26/22 07:46 AM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,048 Sylacauga
doecommander
OP
things that make you go hmmmmmmm
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OP
things that make you go hmmmmmmm
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,048
Sylacauga
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We all talk about the predators and nesting habitat being linked to the decline of turkeys. What about the availability of apps such as OnX. I feel like these apps have made it easy for people to just go out and find public areas and hunt. People that would have never taken the time to look over paper maps and do the research to find the areas.
doecommander out...........................
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3697556
06/26/22 08:56 AM
06/26/22 08:56 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166 colbert county
cartervj
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166
colbert county
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We’re the apex predator no one believe is in the mix. It’s not necessarily the App but the ones using it
You’re correct though. Back when we were hunting some TVA land that was full of birds, I made aerial photos copies of TVA maps we got out hands on. Not everyone had easy access to their maps at the time so we blocked some land to access and hunt.
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3697949
06/26/22 06:15 PM
06/26/22 06:15 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,171 Sylacauga, AL
poorcountrypreacher
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 12,171
Sylacauga, AL
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I don't know the answer to this, but maybe someone here does. What % of the turkey kill comes off public land? You have to say if public or private when you check a bird, so somebody oughta know. I suspect that the number of public land gobblers killed in the state is not all that high, and certainly not high enough to cause the population statewide to decline.
I am still of the opinion that gobbler harvest is largely unrelated to any actual population decline. The turkey population depends on the nesting success of the hens, and it doesn't take many gobblers to hold up their role. I've never been able to see any correlation between the number of gobblers we've killed off our place and the population the next year. We've hunted it hard for 55 seasons, and the population is still very high. I am way more concerned about the current drought than how many gobblers were killed.
That's not to say that it doesn't affect your personal hunting on public land when it is highly pressured. Every time someone else kills a gobbler, that is one that you don't get to hunt. But I'm very skeptical of it being a cause of any population decline. I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3697972
06/26/22 06:43 PM
06/26/22 06:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166 colbert county
cartervj
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166
colbert county
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I don’t really think it has much to do with killing gobblers overall.
It think has to do with how many folks are out trampling the woods up More folks busting hens off nest. Folks putting cameras in nest so they can post about it. The list is endless.
As Outback would say. People are the problem.
As far as the OP, we’ve become much more proficient in our hunting and the app certainly helps access lands that once were left alone. I see it as it’s related to duck hunting too.
All I can do is look back at my past (early 90s) and the numbers of hunters in the woods compared to today. How much more efficient we’ve become, I’m not knocking any one thing. It’s the culmination. The claims to fame on social media is a driving factor.
The TVA land I once hunted is well known now. We joked about it being called the turkey masters because of the chaos as it was discovered. The private land I hunted next to it has suffered. If you wasn’t around it folks can not understand just how many birds were in that area. Bear in mind logging etc… has changed the habitat and not lost in me.
Those hardwood drains that were left concentrated the gobblers/hens and did lead to a lot of dead gobblers early on. So I do wonder about that
Last edited by cartervj; 06/26/22 06:45 PM.
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3698146
06/26/22 10:02 PM
06/26/22 10:02 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 11,212 Earth
TDog93
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 11,212
Earth
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I think a lot of other things are hurting turkey population over Onx
Hunt the wind - leave it better than you found it - love your neighbor as you love your self We need prayer for our country now more than ever
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3698202
06/27/22 05:42 AM
06/27/22 05:42 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166 colbert county
cartervj
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166
colbert county
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Folks that travel turkey hunting swap dropped pins with each other. It saves scouting time for travelers. They also tend to be some of your better hunters.
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: dBmV]
#3702095
07/03/22 04:55 PM
07/03/22 04:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,661 Mobile, AL
Pwyse
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,661
Mobile, AL
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Nah. Its them damn YouTubers Haha yeah I figured my situation was just a coincidence 😂
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3702140
07/03/22 06:48 PM
07/03/22 06:48 PM
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 22,006 Awbarn, AL
CNC
Dances With Weeds
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Dances With Weeds
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 22,006
Awbarn, AL
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I trapped in ONE spot behind my house this spring for 2 months and ended up catching 40 coons and possums. I finally just pulled the traps after things started growing up.....I was still catching them every few days. It would be interesting to know what the true density is for the larger area
We dont rent pigs
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: Pwyse]
#3702273
07/03/22 10:57 PM
07/03/22 10:57 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,848 LASW
turkey247
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,848
LASW
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I joined a club 2 years ago. 2500 acres and 1 guy turkey hunts it. 3 years ago they didn’t see many turkeys. The one hunter killed a gobbler about every other year to 1 a year. He didn’t hunt it real hard. The deer hunters got tired of the coons eating all the corn out of their feeders so they started trapping them. 3 years ago they killed over 100 coons. The turkey sightings during the next deer season more than doubled The next season they killed around 70. We killed 3 gobblers the next spring and heard plenty. Killed another 25 coons the next summer and turkey population has been growing every year. The woods are mostly loblolly pines. Some thinned, some young, some old. Some hardwood bottoms. Still have a ton of coons, especially in the areas around the Sepulga River (which is basically a glorified creek where our lease is). I think the coon population has a lot more to do with this issue than most people think. What are y’all’s thoughts? We’re gonna have to get a couple biologists to weigh in here and figure this one out. Anybody know Dr. Turkey himself? I’ll need his opinion. Sound like a true dam mystery you got on your hands.
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: Pwyse]
#3702348
07/04/22 08:35 AM
07/04/22 08:35 AM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,731 Pelham
Ben2
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,731
Pelham
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I joined a club 2 years ago. 2500 acres and 1 guy turkey hunts it. 3 years ago they didn’t see many turkeys. The one hunter killed a gobbler about every other year to 1 a year. He didn’t hunt it real hard. The deer hunters got tired of the coons eating all the corn out of their feeders so they started trapping them. 3 years ago they killed over 100 coons. The turkey sightings during the next deer season more than doubled The next season they killed around 70. We killed 3 gobblers the next spring and heard plenty. Killed another 25 coons the next summer and turkey population has been growing every year. The woods are mostly loblolly pines. Some thinned, some young, some old. Some hardwood bottoms. Still have a ton of coons, especially in the areas around the Sepulga River (which is basically a glorified creek where our lease is). I think the coon population has a lot more to do with this issue than most people think. What are y’all’s thoughts? I doubt they even put a small dent in the coon numbers on 2500 acres. Would be interesting to know how many there actually are and how far they travel.
Last edited by Ben2; 07/04/22 08:37 AM.
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: doecommander]
#3702384
07/04/22 09:48 AM
07/04/22 09:48 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166 colbert county
cartervj
Old Mossy Horns
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Old Mossy Horns
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19,166
colbert county
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Keep feeding corn and the coons will show up and reproduce with a solid food supply.
Are turkey populations cyclical or steady?
I know when we hunted grouse we were told grouse cycle in an 8 year up swing/down swing. I’m assuming turkey population do something similar
“Socialism only works in two places: Heaven where they don't need it and hell where they already have it.” ― Ronald Reagan
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Re: Map apps and the decline of turkeys
[Re: Ben2]
#3702414
07/04/22 11:18 AM
07/04/22 11:18 AM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,848 LASW
turkey247
12 point
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12 point
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,848
LASW
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I joined a club 2 years ago. 2500 acres and 1 guy turkey hunts it. 3 years ago they didn’t see many turkeys. The one hunter killed a gobbler about every other year to 1 a year. He didn’t hunt it real hard. The deer hunters got tired of the coons eating all the corn out of their feeders so they started trapping them. 3 years ago they killed over 100 coons. The turkey sightings during the next deer season more than doubled The next season they killed around 70. We killed 3 gobblers the next spring and heard plenty. Killed another 25 coons the next summer and turkey population has been growing every year. The woods are mostly loblolly pines. Some thinned, some young, some old. Some hardwood bottoms. Still have a ton of coons, especially in the areas around the Sepulga River (which is basically a glorified creek where our lease is). I think the coon population has a lot more to do with this issue than most people think. What are y’all’s thoughts? I doubt they even put a small dent in the coon numbers on 2500 acres. Would be interesting to know how many there actually are and how far they travel. Small dent huh? Ok. Fifty coons per square mile would be roughly 200 living on 2500 acres at any given time. The number 1 nest predator was roughly cut in half year 1. But - maybe you are right - we need some experts to chime in so we will know for sure.
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