How Would You Feel If _____?

[Five Seasons]

The DEC cancelled the 2013 fall or the fall and 2014 spring turkey seasons? I've seen some birds but I know others haven't. I certainly haven't seen the birds I used to. To clarify the question that I ask simply to spark a discussion and to make it as realistic as possible: there would be no guarantee it would help the population so you could lose your season without the actual benefit of bigger flocks to come.

 

What say you?

[josephmrtn]

I would die... lol

 

Im not sure what i would do... i might need to poach my two birds... we have so many @$^% turkeys around here! the farmers HATE them... they go thru the fields and pull up the little corn plants and stuff... stinkin annoying after all the work putting the seed in the ground!!!

I should post pics of the 80 or 90+ bid flocks you see in some of the fields around here, not during turkey season of course... lol somehow they all dissapear during the season!!! 

[mbucks27]

I honestly dont think that its hunters that are responsibile for the decline in turkey numbers. It would save some birds but i dont think it would make a huge difference in expanding the population. I guess it couldnt hurt though.

John

[WhitetailAddict11]

From what I'm reading in reputable magazines, turkey numbers are continuing to decline and have been for the past few years across the country. Wildlife biologists are stumped as to why.

[virgil]

Wouldn't they consider decreasing bags limits before closing a season altogether?

[RangerClay]

I don't think that closing season for just 1 year will help.  Maybe closing just the fall season perhaps.  When I was a kid there was only a spring season.  Does anyone know what percentage of the fall kill is in relation to the total year kill?  How about a tom's only fall season to protect the hens?  I would support that.

[Water Rat]

From what I'm reading in reputable magazines, turkey numbers are continuing to decline and have been for the past few years across the country. Wildlife biologists are stumped as to why.

That sounds familiar. I wouldn't complain too much if they cancelled part of a season or better yet , reduce the bag limit until the biologists can figure it out.

[Five Seasons]

From what I'm reading in reputable magazines, turkey numbers are continuing to decline and have been for the past few years across the country. Wildlife biologists are stumped as to why.

 

that's what I hear as well. For the record I dont believe it would help all that much. My opinion is the loss of habitat like vineyards and thick brush being replaced by fields or subdivisions and of course predators are causing it.

 

I don't know the numbers, but I believe unlike deer hunting hunters dont put a huge dent in turkeys. It's just not as popular.

Edited May 17, 2013 by Belo

[mbucks27]

I posted this on another post but here are the numbers of spring turkey harvest for every county from 2003-2012. Just about every county is on a major decline.

 

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/30420.html

 

John

[DTG3k]

Legalize coyote hunting year round. Will def help the turkey population. 

[burmjohn]

Everything goes through cycles, it may just be as simple as that.

Sent from my Android.

[burmjohn]

Legalize coyote hunting year round. Will def help the turkey population. 

This!

Sent from my Android.

[nyslowhand]

As an avid outdoorsman, I can see the "big picture" of the role of predators in the ecology of wildlife. But as a hunter, I have to agree that the coyote population needs to be better controlled. Why there is a specific season for coyotes is beyond my comprehension. Open this season year-round! Also, to protect the hens while nesting there should be a plan to control the nest raiders; raccoons, skunks , opossums, etc. These should also have a year-round open season (hunting & trapping) with no bag limits.

 

IMHO as a turkey hunter, I'd be willing to make sacrifices to help the turkey population reestablish itself. My suggestions would be to continue the spring youth weekend hunt for obvious reasons. Discontinue the fall turkey season and reduce the spring season to May 15-31 with a one gobbler limit. This might allow some successful breeding before the season opens. Across NY the turkey population varies widely, so specific regional restrictions could be helpful in allowing the population to thrive while still giving hunters the opportunity. In my little part of the world (8F), where the turkey population is struggling to maintain, I'd be willing to make sacrifices. In areas where the populations are fairly robust these restrictions might not be necessary, like the Southern Tier, Catskills, etc. When the DEC can legitimately show the #s are on the incline, reduce some of these restrictions.

 

 As hunters, think we can all agree we have little effect on the turkey population as the hunting seasons are regulated currently. As stewards of this precious game bird, shouldn't we do our part and make some sacrafices to ensure future generations of hunters can enjoy what we have?

[SteveB]

While I don't see the reason for a closed coyote season, it would make little difference in the population to change it.

Few hunters do it now - a few more months open will not make a significant difference.

I understand you have to take like 2/3 of the population yearly to have any long term effect - hunting alone just won't do it.

[WhitetailAddict11]

I would love to be able to hunt coyotes in the summer. Not a bad way to spend your days leading up to deer season!

[WesternNY]

How about improving habitat, especially nesting habitat... and yes predator control but far more turkey eggs, hatchlings are kiiled in the nest by skunks, coons, possum than by coyotes year round.

[phade]

While I don't see the reason for a closed coyote season, it would make little difference in the population to change it.

Few hunters do it now - a few more months open will not make a significant difference.

I understand you have to take like 2/3 of the population yearly to have any long term effect - hunting alone just won't do it.

Coyote pose a challenge in that they are a renumerating species. When I interviewed the Cornell grad student that did the massive study on populations here in NY, she explained how litter size will decrease with lots yotes in the area and grow when there is less than what the land can support.

You need to take 2/3 just to maintain the population...think about that for a second. Raccoon and other nest raiders are just as important to control.

[sits in trees]

I don't know but I can tell you turkey hunting in my area sucks.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

This would be like deer hunting and tags.  Cant throw a blanket over the whole state. We have taken 8 mature toms off our farm this year. We stopped hunting them because all the hunters i allow to hunt tagged out!   There were 7 toms in full strut last night at 5pm within veiw from the road. 

 

 I donated the last 2 weekends to Hunters fo Habitat with father and son teams coming in on the weekends!  No turkey poblems here.

 

 The dec wants to trap a few this winter. Might not be a bad idea!  I would be willing to give back to the Letchworth area for all the great deer hunting it has givin me!

[blackradio]

I'd support it.

[pistolp71]

I would rather they change it to only one tom and no hens before it went to that.

[MACHINIST]

How about improving habitat, especially nesting habitat... and yes predator control but far more turkey eggs, hatchlings are kiiled in the nest by skunks, coons, possum than by coyotes year round.

 

 

This is a bigger factor than coyotes killing birds,the eggs getting eaten by small animals befor ethe become turkeys is a major problem.I kill as many as I can(during season of course) and a trapper friend takes any racoon possum and fox that I get.the skunks he goes and gets!!LOL

[bigpaul]

I'm sure PETA would love it!

[PREDATE]

I would be able to deal with a 1 tom spring & 1 tom fall for a few years. I just started getting back into turkey hunting in 2010 after giving it a break for 5-6 years. So if it were to help populations I woudn't complain, but I think poaching would increase.

[Witty]

Guess I'm fortunate enough to have a healthy population where I hunt. I'd be pretty upset if there was no spring season. We don't hunt much for them in the fall but have when we have patterned flocks bow hunting. I believe a lot has to do with habitat, nesting areas and predator activity. Not so much coyotes but anything that eats turkey eggs. Also I've only ever seen 1 coyote while hunting, yet to see one in the spring.