Turkey Numbers

[Sharpshooter]

Does anyone have an initial sense of what the turkey numbers are like this year, either from scouting or from the youth weekend? I am out of state but will be coming back for the first weekend for my annual turkey hunting week in Northern New York (St. Lawrence County). Started turkey hunting in 2001 when the turkey numbers were crazy, so the last few years have seemed to be really down. I was thinking that the mild winter should have helped this year. Thanks. 

[ATbuckhunter]

Turkey numbers are looking strong and growing in the area's I hunt (ulster county). 

[turkeyfeathers]

Well had a boat load of birds during deer season in Wyoming county   And poof they were gone for youth season. Aliens beamed them up to their mothership again. 

Buddy has a place in Messina and says there's a great supply of birds up there. 

[G-Man]

Last two year had decent hatch..numbers are better than last year.

[genesee_mohican]

Here's some info on the harvest trends for each county, which might be helpful:

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

 

 

[LET EM GROW]

In Steuben County our numbers are coming back slowly. More this year than last year. A ton of hens around. Between ourselves and the neighbors, 3 years ago we slaughtered the longbeards on our hill. I think we got a little too trigger happy on one property that year. We left it alone, only taking 1 bird since then and things are looking better. not as good as used to be but better. 

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, genesee_mohican said:

Here's some info on the harvest trends for each county, which might be helpful:

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

 

 

I don't feel so bad after looking at those numbers.  Not really very many birds killed in our county.

[Dugan]

Saw our first turkeys in our woods in WNY this spring, lived here going on 9 years. 

 

[jperch]

I only saw a couple of long beards last spring but during deer season I saw many, many jakes.  So I am hoping for a good gobbler season here in northern Cayuga County.

jperch

[Hookhunter20]

Seems to be coming back in Putnam, but the numbers in Schoharie county on my property last spring and this past deer season were insane. Should be good again this year. 

[doebuck1234]

13 hours ago, moog5050 said:

I don't feel so bad after looking at those numbers.  Not really very many birds killed in our county.

Im with ya on that one.i hardly ever see birds and after looking at the stats.i hunt genessee county.poor numbers

[Buckmaster7600]

I have never known anyone but me that reports a turkey harvest. I am curious what % DEC thinks gets reported.


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[bkln]

Dutchess and Columbia plus Fairfield county CT are plentiful. Spring is looking good.

[turkeyfeathers]

I must have hit the submit button an extra 1000 times by accident for an Erie county harvest report in 2008 

2008 -1365 birds 

2016 -314

Thats a huge difference. 

 

Thanks for the link. 

Edited April 26, 2017 by turkeyfeathers

[Adkhunter1590]

Numbers looking good in Albany/Greene county. Been seeing and hearing birds all over the place. I think the hen to tom ratio is a little out of whack at the moment though. I've seen flocks of 30 birds and 2 or 3 of them are toms.

Years ago I remember there being a lot more toms to the amount of hens. Makes hunting more difficult since it's harder to pull those toms away from the hens. I guess I'll just be happy the general population numbers are back on the rise for now.

[LET EM GROW]

Numbers looking good in Albany/Greene county. Been seeing and hearing birds all over the place. I think the hen to tom ratio is a little out of whack at the moment though. I've seen flocks of 30 birds and 2 or 3 of them are toms.

Years ago I remember there being a lot more toms to the amount of hens. Makes hunting more difficult since it's harder to pull those toms away from the hens. I guess I'll just be happy the general population numbers are back on the rise for now.

I've said the same thing about the Tom to hen ratio. For the amount of hunters out there spring turkey hunting, mainly only harvesting male birds. The hens get free passes almost all year long. I know my first opportunity at a hen during the fall I take, I'll pass up toms to take hens in the fall. Let a group of 14 LB'S walk last year several times waiting for a hen.
I think of it kind of like the whitetail rut. That Tom has an abundance of females .. he does this need to fight nor talk if he doesn't want to.
But then one will argue that you need hens to breed and have the poults.. true.. but to possibly make spring season a bit better, I think a hen or 2 need to be taken each year. Like a manager would for whitetails..
Plus I hate how you get that Tom working and coming in finally. And just out of range, have him go tight lipped and disappear cause a hen toted him away lol

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[turkeyfeathers]

I'd soil my boxers if I had 14 longbeards come in at once. Gobbling and strutting , oh my. That would be a dream come true !  Never had more than 3 come in   And only 3 once. Only 2 left. But not before foot stomping their fallen comrade. 

[LET EM GROW]

I'd soil my boxers if I had 14 longbeards come in at once. Gobbling and strutting , oh my. That would be a dream come true !  Never had more than 3 come in   And only 3 once. Only 2 left. But not before foot stomping their fallen comrade. 

It was fall, I have a stand setup fairly close to a well known roost. The were single file the last time I saw them at 12 yards lol. I just have zero interest in a fall gobbler.. then I think about it.. maybe it would be cool with a bow lol. And Tonto it all off, as we speak they are clear cutting that roost ... just my luck

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[Buckmaster7600]

I've said the same thing about the Tom to hen ratio. For the amount of hunters out there spring turkey hunting, mainly only harvesting male birds. The hens get free passes almost all year long. I know my first opportunity at a hen during the fall I take, I'll pass up toms to take hens in the fall. Let a group of 14 LB'S walk last year several times waiting for a hen.
I think of it kind of like the whitetail rut. That Tom has an abundance of females .. he does this need to fight nor talk if he doesn't want to.
But then one will argue that you need hens to breed and have the poults.. true.. but to possibly make spring season a bit better, I think a hen or 2 need to be taken each year. Like a manager would for whitetails..
Plus I hate how you get that Tom working and coming in finally. And just out of range, have him go tight lipped and disappear cause a hen toted him away lol

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I know I hunt different than most but I love a ton with a bunch of hens, he's concentrated on them and not me sneaking up on him.


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[turkeyfeathers]

"And Tonto it all off "

are you on Growies kindle ? Although you did mention archery so Tonto made sense when I read it 

Well that sucks their cutting their roosting area. 

[LET EM GROW]

13 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

I know I hunt different than most but I love a ton with a bunch of hens, he's concentrated on them and not me sneaking up on him.


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Thats a good point, never really looked at it that way. I just see it as way too many eyeballs to even think about putting a sneak on lol. Maybe im a clumsy stepper in the woods

[LET EM GROW]

And to top it all off*

[Adkhunter1590]

Thats a good point, never really looked at it that way. I just see it as way too many eyeballs to even think about putting a sneak on lol. Maybe im a clumsy stepper in the woods

I have the same thoughts. Usually harder to sneak up on a big group with a bunch of hens. Gobbler is distracted but the hens are always spread out and on the look out. Can't count how many times I've had a hen that I didn't know was there catch me and take the whole flock with her.

[Adkhunter1590]

I've said the same thing about the Tom to hen ratio. For the amount of hunters out there spring turkey hunting, mainly only harvesting male birds. The hens get free passes almost all year long. I know my first opportunity at a hen during the fall I take, I'll pass up toms to take hens in the fall. Let a group of 14 LB'S walk last year several times waiting for a hen.
I think of it kind of like the whitetail rut. That Tom has an abundance of females .. he does this need to fight nor talk if he doesn't want to.
But then one will argue that you need hens to breed and have the poults.. true.. but to possibly make spring season a bit better, I think a hen or 2 need to be taken each year. Like a manager would for whitetails..
Plus I hate how you get that Tom working and coming in finally. And just out of range, have him go tight lipped and disappear cause a hen toted him away lol

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I'll take as many hens as allowed in the fall. Didn't they drop it to one bird in the fall now?

The last year we had out camp in oneonta I plugged 2 fat hens in the fall. Scattered the flock and called them back in. It was awesome. Hens taste just as good as toms!

Your right about managing like deer. You see too many hens in a flock, take a few out. Don't see to many, then don't take any. Pretty simple lol

[Doewhacker]

I don't think managing Turkeys is anything like deer, nesting and winter kill are huge with birds. The season structure and what birds you can take show us that. 

More hens means more jakes and then more flocks to break up and draw in Toms.