How Would You Feel If _____?

[G-Man]

stopping a season won't help, populations are down because of 3 things, 1. cold wet weather effectingt the hatch (previous 3 years have been bad) 2. preadors .not so much a coyote but coon,skunk,and opossum (big egg eaters and good at finding them) not many people trap any more and they arent considered huntable like coyote are to most. i trapped 13 coon, aa fox and 2 skunks and an opossum off a 1 acre field in 2 weeks last year.. 3. habitat loss especially for nesting, large crp fields are dissappearing as farmers are forced to grow their own corn as ethanol has pushed price to high to buy.. all this being said i have a good population and camp is having good year. 3 jakes and 2 adults harvested. 2 jakes missed, and still have 2 long beards srtutting out in the oat field. you cannot let the dec regulate your game populations! dmu are to large. if you have to many deer shoot doe, not enough let em walk, same holds true for turkey. a general hunting season does not allow for specfic property management. the best person to do that is you!!!! within the guidelines of the law of course.

[Twax10]

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

Sent from my Android.

I completely agree with you. Seems like most things in nature go through a cycle of ups and downs. I think you need more then a few rough years to really make a decision like that. I know only 3 years ago the hunting was HOT around me and it was hard not to find a gobbler, and had been like that for a while. Keeping in mind that the landscape/habitat hasn't changed a bit in that time, predations seems to be like it always was (from what I've seen in the woods), and hunter numbers aren't any worse then they've always been.

[TeeBugg]

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?

What part of 8f is struggling?

[Five Seasons]

I'm not sure I'd say 8F is struggling, but i would say it's not what it use to be

Edited May 21, 2013 by Belo

[mike rossi]

In this: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/nyturkeyresearch.pdf , the DEC devotes a lot of print to survival of hens. It says they will be studying that from 2013 to 2016 and use the findings to reevaluate fall hunting zones. They discuss other concerns they will look at as individual parts of a comprehensive plan, but this seems to be emphasized a bit more, at least that's the impression I get.

Edited May 21, 2013 by mike rossi

[Fantail]

...  Cant throw a blanket over the whole state. ...

 

Indeed. I typically do day runs into the SZ & hit a few fav's in Spring Turkey. Last year I got a nice Tom on my lease in 6k. But imo there's just not as many birds in my part of the NZ. Maybe halving the season or take in some zones would benefit the local flocks but so would good habit and predator control. 

 

Take a look at the agriculture, number of farms and or type of crops grown around where you typically hunt. I don't mean go out and physically look but consider their impact. We can grow a few plots here and there & this is beneficial but it's like comparing a fast food stop to a supermarket. I wonder what a season would be like if it was based on such things. 

[TeeBugg]

I'm not sure I'd say 8F is struggling, but i would say it's not what it use to be

Agreed. Ive seen more turkeys this year than in the past 3.

[fishuntrapper]

 there is NO fall season in SC. ever! but they allow 5 bearded birds in the spring.

think about that. fall turkey hunting is my very favorite of any hunting that i do. but i would give it up for a better population. really no reason to close season in the   spring.  lived in arkansas for 10 years. based on the spring harvest, and spring poult count, ect., they opened or kept closed the fall season there-by keeping the population stable.

[WNY Bowhunter]

I'd be totally against it. The month of May has always meant one thing to me for as long as I can remember...TURKEY SEASON!!!

 

IMHO, coyotes don't take as many adult turkeys as people often tend to believe.  Nest predation and cold/wet spring conditions do FAR more damage to the turkey population.

Edited May 22, 2013 by WNY Bowhunter

[josephmrtn]

I'd be totally against it. The month of May has always meant one thing to me for as long as I can remember...TURKEY SEASON!!!

 

IMHO, coyotes don't take as many adult turkeys as people often tend to believe.  Nest predation and cold/wet spring conditions do FAR more damage to the turkey population.

 

+1

 

this kinda weather...