Originally Posted by bama1971
Originally Posted by Gobble4me757
Originally Posted by crenshawco
Originally Posted by Whild_Bill
I’d say the opposite I think numbers are on the rise. More people improving turkey habitat, planting chufa and milo ect. Some folks are simply getting out turkeyed andnthink nimbers are down.


I think ol WB is on the right track. Land managers who create habitat, trap, burn, ect and provide for turkeys have plenty of birds. In fact I'd say most reports I've heard from this Fall are as positive as I've heard in several years. I think we had a great hatch last year and the next couple of years of hunting should be great.

Reducing the limit and shortening the season isn't going to do a thing to help turkey populations. The most important contributing factor to turkey numbers is nesting success and hatch rates. Unfortunately, the most important factor to successful hatches is weather, and that's out of our control. Controlling nest robbers and providing nesting areas on the other hand are entirely in the land managers control. If you aren't doing your part to eradicate them and provide habitat, dont complain about your lack of turkeys.


I'll add to this...two years ago on a particular prop I hunt we had 3 gobblers and about 12 or so hens, and I killed one of the gobblers. Last year, we only had 1 gobbler, 4 jakes, and only 8 hens, and it was miserable the couple of times we hunted the place without killing a gobbler there. We decided to start trapping a little and managed to only get 6/7 coons and opossums. I don't know how much effect the little trapping had, but it seems like it may have saved one nest because this year, we have 5 gobblers and 18 hens at least! More turkeys than they have ever seen on this property. Let me add that this property has literally everything you can ask in terms of habitat from mature hardwoods, grown up cutover, mature pines, cattle pasture, creeks, pond, and a lake, so there honestly should be even more birds than that on the 350 acres which is why we have began to hammer the nest predators this year with 15 dead and counting.


You’ve got a better count on your population than the US census bureau.

How the hell do you know how many hens (or gobblers) you have on 350 acres?


From cams, to the landowner being out there everyday and seeing the flocks come to the pasture/riding around...don't know exactly but definitely have seen a major jump from last year due to what I believe as a good hatch as well as possibly the trapping a little..

2017 Team Aldeer Turkey Contest Champion
2018 Team Aldeer Turkey Contest Champion