Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk ALTurkey Talk -- Beards and Spurs April only - 3 bird proposal

What are the legitimate, definitive, data-proven positive consequences?

Alabama's WMAs have had an afternoon prohibition for many years. Hunting ends at noon or 1 p.m. just like in Missouri. Is the population of turkeys on our WMAs stronger and growing thanks to that longtime afternoon prohibition? Is Missouri's population stronger thanks to the half-day restriction? I know it's a great state for turkey hunting and gets a lot of visitors.

I'd love to hear or see some data that shows that half a day on WMAs is clearly beneficial AND would prove to be the same statewide on private lands. If it truly is or would be, fine. If there's nothing that supports cutting half the season with a morning-only regulation other than anecdotal "Aw, you know it probably helps," then that's not right.

Private-land hunters can decide on their own to hunt all day, half a day, one hour, two days a week, not at all or every day from sunrise to sunset. They have a true 45-day season (or whatever it is). Sunrise to sunset, every day for the season, on private land for them to make the decision.

But the WMA hunter has half that amount. Any regulation to curtail the public's amount of hunting with no hard, legitimate data isn't a good idea. That goes back to the "Hey, we gotta do something! Y'all know it's bad so we need to do something now! Look at those other states! We gotta do something before it's too late." deal.

As with anything, if the agency has data to support such a significant change -- be it a bag limit reduction or half-day change, or shooting hens, or whatever -- it should let everyone know.