Turkey population decline?

[catskillkid]

    I have not seen nearly as many turkeys this spring compared to recent years in my area in the Catskills. I know the coyote population is out of control. Also, this past winter was extremly cold too, temps were down to

-20 degrees many nights. I've heard that extreme cold is deadly for turkeys. Anyone else experiencing the same as me?

 

I hope our turkey population did not crash due to the bad winter!

Edited April 14, 2014 by catskillkid

[Woodjr55]

I thought my area would be effected chautauqua county but after this weekend I saw and heard multiple turkeys

[Doc]

Our immediate area hasn't got near the numbers of turkeys that we had a bunch of years ago. And yet within 10 or 12 miles, I have seen some huge flocks. Habitat and terrain have a lot to do with their dispersal. So a turkey shortage may just boil down to very local habitat and food source changes. such shortages also might be temporary.

[Terry]

Seven years ago I ccould hunt anywhere and hear toms. Now I am driving back in forth to all my spots trying to find a bird. There definitely doesn't seem to be as many as there once was.

[wooly]

Our immediate area hasn't got near the numbers of turkeys that we had a bunch of years ago. And yet within 10 or 12 miles, I have seen some huge flocks. Habitat and terrain have a lot to do with their dispersal. So a turkey shortage may just boil down to very local habitat and food source changes. such shortages also might be temporary.

 

I'm no turkey guru, but I would think nesting habitat this time of year is one of the most important aspects of what kind of population a property holds.

If turkey are nesting in less than ideal mature woods areas, which I've noticed several times here in recent years, there may very well be a decline as the poults fall to predation and the elements. I don't know how many times I've discovered a nest out in the open at the base of a tree, only to return to find it had been raided and destroyed by critters a day or two later.

[G-Man]

Severe cold and deep snow more than 10 days= dead turkeys. Population is down from 10 years ago,but habitat has changed a lot since then as well. Need nice warm dry spring for a good hatch. They can rebound quick if conditions are right.

[Grizz1219]

The NWTF biologist for NY, Ma, etc gave me the figure of 20% less than the highs back in the 90's... They have a 10 year plan to improve land and acreage.... If you aren't a member, you should be... Check out the state board to find out about "Save the habitat, Save the Hunt" program.. .

[dbHunterNY]

there's turkeys around here.  matter of fact I was just driving into work here in Albany.  right on western ave near Five Guys burger place standing by the cross walk was a hen turkey! lol  I wonder if anyone helped it out by pushing the crosswalk button to stop traffic.  I mean it is rush hour right now.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I am over populated here at my place.  I believe i will have to recruit a few hunters to thin a few more out.  DEC wants to trap here and move some birds other places. Great idea but after repeated attempts to get them to set up dummy decoy to catch road blasters during deer seasons i am not in a big hurry to allow that to happen. 

After four straight years of a deer getting shot at night after first snow kinda puts a bad taste in your mouth.

[phade]

All of my areas have seen a drop off - Wether Wayne, Liv., Monroe, or Yates Co. All of my hunting spots where turkey had been reliably stable 3-4 years ago....are very shakey now. Rarely have more than one very small flock to hunt on some of the properties. And, a few no longer have birds there in season when there were in the past.

 

I haven't heard multiple birds firing off on the same ground in 2 seasons.

[Five Seasons]

I think it's more habitat than winter temps. When they plowed under the grape vineyard in favor of corn near me, it was never the same.

[Doewhacker]

I haven't looked much yet this year but the areas I travel and hunt seem to have a good population. Turkeys have one big advantage over deer in winter and that is the ability to feed in tree tops.

[Doewhacker]

there's turkeys around here.  matter of fact I was just driving into work here in Albany.  right on western ave near Five Guys burger place standing by the cross walk was a hen turkey! lol  I wonder if anyone helped it out by pushing the crosswalk button to stop traffic.  I mean it is rush hour right now.

 

 

I work right around the corner from there, lots of Turkeys here for sure.

[ghug92]

I agree with the people saying its a habitat sort of thing. Here in albany county, many areas have been developed so there are not only less nesting areas but more concentrated flocks due to less land to roam. There are now tons of isolated strips of woods that are sometimes chained together. Great deer hunting ahah but not so much for the turkeys. They can't live on those areas the whole year in flocks. I bet that hen came down from Krumkill road. Loads of em over there! On the other hand, especially in the Speculator region, the turkey population has been booming! You cannot drive on route 30 or route 8 without seeing multiple toms and hens. It just shows you that where the habitat is right, the turkeys will be there.

[catskillkid]

I agree that habitat plays a huge role in turkey numbers, however my area has been greatly improved due to my TSI program. Neighboring farms have lots of low growing brush and over-grown field and powerline edges. It should be and is turkey habitat heaven. My place has 8 different food plots planted in clover and winter rye. Turkey numbers are way down in my area from last year.

 

I'm thinking G-Man is correct, it was a very long and cold winter.

Edited April 14, 2014 by catskillkid

[Doc]

So, what are we saying? Perhaps our celebration of the re-introduction of turkeys in NYS was a bit premature. Obviously there are some spots where things are going well (for now anyways). But what is the DEC saying about the suitability of NYS habitat now and in the future. Are they admitting that there are a lot of problem areas developing? What remedial actions are they taking if any? I was just assuming that our particular area was over matured habitat (which it is) and not all that suitable for turkeys, or maybe just a bit too much pressure. But I had no idea that other areas were seeing declines as well.

[G-Man]

The DEC is in the middle of a hen study to determine the decline and the nwtf has asked people to not shoot fall birds the last. two Years in nys . All reintroduced creatures have a boom period where populations are extremely high. We could be in a settling out phase where populations are stabilizing to available habitat or have predators lerned how to take advantage of turkey now, or is it weather...or a combination of things.. a little late on the study imo..but better late than never in the mean time i'll keep after skunk, coon,possum,fox and coyote.... and try to keep nesting and bugging cover available..

[Five Seasons]

I have yet to meet a hunter who was against removing hens from the fall season... but I've also only met one who ever shot a hen in the fall. Maybe at least limit them to youth?

 

oh and add on a year round season for yotes.

Edited April 15, 2014 by Belo

[G-Man]

Coyotes do kill birds but raiding a nest by coon, skunks, and possum is a much bigger issue..one a poult can fly it can evade a ground predator pretty easy..but it has to hatch and make it 10 days first... dry warm spring reduces scent.. and elimination of egg eaters plays a big part as well...

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

I used to hunt a friends place in Roscoe/ Liberty in a mainly wooded area no agriculture some seasons they would be around and some not so much or not at all, depended on mast production.Now I lease 400 acres in Owego 7S.All ag in this area..PA border.Our place is a working farm with crops being rotated annually.Always high numbers of turkeys.This fall I saw so many birds it was crazy.I know we lost some during the harsh winter but we have a good amount of pine / hemlocks where the birds can get out of the snow and still find some feed.Going up tonight to do some scouting but from neighbor reports there should be good numbers.

So I guess if a certain area doesnt have what they need to feed on they will travel to where its plentiful leaving an area barren of birds and others areas loaded up with big flocks.

Im not so sure how DEC factors in the total numbers but I feel poaching is right up there as a big major factor probably more than what the coyotes take in my opinion.

 

 

[stubby68]

     Latest issue of outdoor news has a right up on the turkey population in it. Kind of interesting. Around I am seeing and hearing turkey but the population is down seems to have been falling slowly for the last few years

 

[LuckyPickle123]

I haven't looked much yet this year but the areas I travel and hunt seem to have a good population. Turkeys have one big advantage over deer in winter and that is the ability to feed in tree tops.

This post made me smile