If you are considering writing a letter, now is the time, near the meeting so it is fresh on their minds. Here are some points that are probably salient. Turkey populations fluctuate normally with weather and predator populations and they have been very (possibly unnaturally) high after restocking Are the "indicators" of "poults per hen" truly indicative of reproduction and or population trends? Mostly collected on public land. Not scientifically significant Alabama's "wild turkey report" reproduction data shows NO decline over the last 10 years. According to the hunter survey hunter harvest trends have been relatively flat until they changed survey techniques in 2017 when it went down. According to the hunter survey days per kill trends have been relatively flat until they changed survey techniques in 2017 when it went WAY up. Other states with later start dates, shorter seasons and lower limits are seeing the same perceived declines Hatching eggs and raising poults is the only way to increase populations and lowering limits does nothing to help this. Weather and predators controls reproduction If early harvest of "dominant gobblers" is a real concern, ban decoys and fans Is baiting increasing nest predator and pig populations thereby decreasing turkey nest success? Is feeding corn leading to higher mortality due to aflotoxin to which turkeys are HIGHLY susceptible? Does the dominant gobbler theory have any grounds in reality in a wild population of turkeys? We truly don't know. We do know that multiple males are often represented in turkey clutches Should turkey nesting season be 30 days or 100 days - we don't know but other ground nesting birds that renest often opt for the longer season to avoid weather event issues We don't know how many turkeys are in Alabama...... We ought to change the season and limits on public lands and study the effects to see it it makes a difference We ought to form a committee to look at the available data and make recommendations
Just some thoughts
I swear by my life and my love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine
