shooting hens in the spring????

[kyscrapejuice]

So far this year, my partner and me, have had to deal with loads of hens everytime we find a gobbling bird. Even then, they gobble a little on the roost and end of story. OCCASIONALLY, we can get 1 shock gobble later in the morning, but thats it. We hunt aggressive and cover a lot of ground so if birds are gobbling, we usually find them. In the past 15 years or so, we have always been able to strike up a bird, or at least hear a bird in the distance gobbling some after 8:00. but not this year. I know that hunters are allowed to shoot hens in the fall. But I think that the hen turkey harvest needs to increase by a WHOLE lot. Just as the Dept of Fish and Wildlife eventually began to implement doe harvest into hunting to balance the herd in the 90's. I think a more aggressive harvest on hens is certainly in order to balance the turkey male/female ratio. When a bird has gobbled in the tree, he's like a magnet, hens fly past me, run past me and walk from what seems every direction. I have hunted 4 different counties so far and all have been the same. What are others thoughts on this??

[Getchasum]

I agree with you...there are way way too many hens

[Valley Station]

Toms have been called to and shot at, early season wide open woods, turkey are kinda spooked. Gobbling is in a "lull". Even the toms that are alone, are not gobblin'.
By end of week,with the trees leafing out, hens beginning to set,pressure calming down, toms will soon start having "gobblin' fits".
Too many hens? Shoot hens during the nesting season?
That's is "blasphemy".

[patdouglas22]

Shew you're telling me. I had a hen fly from accross the hill and almost land on my head. It came running as soon as I started working the gobbler, flew and landed about 10 feet from me. The tom was on one side of me and the hen was on the other and it flew in and was gonna whoop my ***. When it couldn't find the hen it was looking for it decided to go cut off my gobbler and lead him away. That's about how it goes this year but hopefully it'll get better.

[notimlmit]

My thoughts on that have been I wish in the fall shotgun season they would increase the limit to 4 hens or 3 hens and 1 bearded bird--your right there are a ton of hens now seems like 10 to every 1 tom

[Butlerdeerslayer]

yes i agree with you 100% the ratio is horrible and even if a hen leaves a bird during the middle of the day to go nest hes not gonna be by himself because there are 20 more hens right there with him to keep him company all day long its ridiculous but keep at it they will come

[thunderchicken09]

So far this year, my partner and me, have had to deal with loads of hens everytime we find a gobbling bird. Even then, they gobble a little on the roost and end of story. OCCASIONALLY, we can get 1 shock gobble later in the morning, but thats it. We hunt aggressive and cover a lot of ground so if birds are gobbling, we usually find them. In the past 15 years or so, we have always been able to strike up a bird, or at least hear a bird in the distance gobbling some after 8:00. but not this year. I know that hunters are allowed to shoot hens in the fall. But I think that the hen turkey harvest needs to increase by a WHOLE lot. Just as the Dept of Fish and Wildlife eventually began to implement doe harvest into hunting to balance the herd in the 90's. I think a more aggressive harvest on hens is certainly in order to balance the turkey male/female ratio. When a bird has gobbled in the tree, he's like a magnet, hens fly past me, run past me and walk from what seems every direction. I have hunted 4 different counties so far and all have been the same. What are others thoughts on this??

Are you joking? Shooting hens in the spring would probably kill our population. I think your just having a hard time hunting this spring.

[ecmbowhunter]

Are you joking? Shooting hens in the spring would probably kill our population. I think your just having a hard time hunting this spring.:confused: How so? We shoot does in the fall.

[Butlerdeerslayer]

:confused: How so? We shoot does in the fall.
Amen! it wouldnt hurt the population at all im pretty sure on my farm its about 15:1 longbeard to hen ratio and its terrible it wouldnt hurt for every hunter to take out 1 hen if it was allowed

[kyscrapejuice]

Are you joking? Shooting hens in the spring would probably kill our population. I think your just having a hard time hunting this spring.

thats the same thought all the old timers had when it was suggested we shoot does back in the late 80's and early 90's. Now its very clear to see that it was the right move. Common sense will tell you that you cannot continuously take only male turkey while leaving only females. The population will get skewed badly in areas of heavy hunting pressure. Sure, you will get emmigration and immigration with the population. And, other predators are taking whatever turkey they can get a mouthful of hens/toms alike. So people are the only predators that are selectively killing male birds.

Oh, I'm no doubt having a hard time. But, I'm not basing my observations on my ability to shoot a tom. If I would have killed a bird or 2 by now by being in the right spot when he came walking by or bushwacking one. I would still feel the same. The birds where I am hunting, could absolutely care less about calling, gobbling, shock gobbling, anything.

[turkey]

Pick up your bow and shotgun this fall and look at how many you can kill in the fall! Hunt with a buddy or take a kid....but I kinda like hunting where the hens are in the spring:cool:!

Is this really a topic we need to talk about?

WOW!

[thunderchicken09]

:confused: How so? We shoot does in the fall.

Yea, but the deer population is far greater than the turkey. Turkeys are more consentrated in some areas than others. Deer are moor spread out over the state. Hens are nesting right now.

[WalnutCreekDoc]

thats the same thought all the old timers had when it was suggested we shoot does back in the late 80's and early 90's. Now its very clear to see that it was the right move. Common sense will tell you that you cannot continuously take only male turkey while leaving only females. The population will get skewed badly in areas of heavy hunting pressure. Sure, you will get emmigration and immigration with the population. And, other predators are taking whatever turkey they can get a mouthful of hens/toms alike. So people are the only predators that are selectively killing male birds.

Oh, I'm no doubt having a hard time. But, I'm not basing my observations on my ability to shoot a tom. If I would have killed a bird or 2 by now by being in the right spot when he came walking by or bushwacking one. I would still feel the same. The birds where I am hunting, could absolutely care less about calling, gobbling, shock gobbling, anything.


There has never been a better post on this board.

this is nuts! year after year we have one weekend of good hunting and by then they hens start in and the hunters suffer. There is NO reason not to thin them out AND back uo the season 3-4 weeks. Nay says can say what they want but serious hunters that are out there and not posers will tell you the same thing every time a conversation is brought up.. TOO MANY hens and TOO LATE a season.

I agree with the ratio being WAY out of whack!

I too could be tagged out. I did bushwack the bird I killed. I knew where they would be in the rain and wind and made good of it. I refuse to kill another one that way. Turkey hunting should be about the experience of working a tom in not waiting on him to show up.

I have emailed KDFWR and suggest everyone else do so. Can't hurt.

It is a fact thet killing does helped so would killing hens!

[mason]

SEASON OPENS TOO LATE......... but im still having a good time

[thunderchicken09]

Im sorry i dont agree with the whole everyone wanting to mow down all the hens, but i think we should all be greatful we have a good turkey population. How many of you guys complaining about too many hens kill them in the fall?

[Hoosier5]

I agree with you...there are way way too many hens

I also agree, but if there is a spring season on either sex turkeys then it should open well before the hens have a nest with eggs in it.

[Hoosier5]

Are you joking? Shooting hens in the spring would probably kill our population. I think your just having a hard time hunting this spring.

Natural preditation from Foxes, Coyotes, Hawks, Bob Cats, ect. all take a toll on nesting Hen Turkeys. Turkey Hunting last only a couple of weeks, in the Spring, and it's doubtful if Hunters would wipe-out the Turkey population. Although the season would have to be before nesting season.

[kyscrapejuice]

Im sorry i dont agree with the whole everyone wanting to mow down all the hens, but i think we should all be greatful we have a good turkey population. How many of you guys complaining about too many hens kill them in the fall?

I understand what you are saying. Don't interpret my thoughts to be that we should mow them down, but rather be allowed to take 1 or 2 in the spring. Not that I love to eat them that much, but I would if I killed them. I just feel the overall population and hunting experience could be improved by a regulated harvest of hens (even in the spring). By now, there are a huntable population of turkey everywhere that the habitat is sufficient to sustain them in KY. So restoration should be drawing to a close and management techniques should be implemented.

I am also guilty of not hunting them in the fall. I am bowhunting deer 100% at that time, and by the end of November, I am just plain out tired, like an old buck thats been rutting. Not to mention I have used up about all of my available hunting time, so unfortunately getting to the woods to hunt turkey is not real high on my list at that time.

Not to mention, spring hen hunting would be another great way to help our youth have successful hunts more often.

[Hoosier5]

I asked my Brother's opinion on hunting Hen Turkey in the Spring. He said "NO it will never happen."

[Feedman]

2010 spring turkey season opens on April 10th. Wonder how much of a difference it will make??? I think it will make some difference.

[wkyoutdoorsman]

Some of you have mentioned on here that for those that complain about the hen - tom ratio then you should do something about it by harvesting them when given the opportunity in the fall. While I understand those suggestions and have harvested a couple of turkeys in the fall myself. I have never harvested a turkey in the fall while actually hunting for them it has been with a bow while in a tree stand primarily awaiting the arrival of a whitetail. I never have really agreed with a fall turkey hunting season. Now that's not saying I strongly object to it, however, it is the equivalent of deer hunting in the spring. While I know some throughout the state would not mind that, there would however, be many that would object to that. I like the idea of an early season in the spring for harvesting hens. Even if it was just 1 or 2 tags per hunter it would make a difference. And like scrape juice mentioned before we have obviously accomplished the feat of turkey restoration and now need to focus on management of wild turkeys. JMO

[WaterDog88]

I'm having a hard season too, but I dont think killing hens is the answer. Turkeys have a hard enough time with predation. If you kill a hen in the spring you will kill those poults she may have produced that spring, and out of those poults only a small percentage will ever see the fall, and an even smaller percent will make it to the spring. We need all the hens in the spring to insure we will be able to hunt in future springs.

It works with deer becuse people are the only major preditor of deer in KY. Sure a coyote or dog might get ahold of a few, but deer just arent preyed upon like turkeys. Those 2 fawns that a doe might drop stand a much better chance than a bunch of poults in the woods...JMO

[maxcam]

That is why they call it hunting and not killing....

There will never be a spring hen turkey season ever...... Why not you ask? Whats the difference in killing them in the spring versus the fall you wonder...?

Well the biggest reason is because hens do this little thing every year called laying eggs......Imagine that....The critters actually lay a clutch of eggs and then hatch the little boogers so there are more the following year.......

Get over the fact that you dont have the patience it takes to be an exceptional turkey hunter and start working on your game! You might find that its not as hard as you make it out to be......

Maybe you should start by not blowing up the woods with a turkey call and educating your birds.......Then spend a little time observing what your birds are doing....... Very rarely do I find a tom on the roost during peak breeding that is vocal and or comes running to the call right off the roost......But I have learned what a Tom does and goes after he finishes breeding the hens in his harem and that bird is always killable.......

I hear some of you talk about bushwacking a bird.......That is odd to me.....I can promise you that I know of several strut zones that I can catch a Tom in and can make him strut his stuff all the way into range.....

So what is the difference in setting up where a bird is roosting only to have it fly down all sleepy eyed and land right in front of your gun barrel?

["KJ"]

Shew you're telling me. I had a hen fly from accross the hill and almost land on my head. It came running as soon as I started working the gobbler, flew and landed about 10 feet from me. The tom was on one side of me and the hen was on the other and it flew in and was gonna whoop my ***. When it couldn't find the hen it was looking for it decided to go cut off my gobbler and lead him away. That's about how it goes this year but hopefully it'll get better.
I think I would have tried to scare the crap out of that hen and flush her off that ridge. If the gobbler couldn't see you move, it probably wouldn't bother him any. I don't think we'll ever see a spring hen tag. But I agree there seems to be an awful lot of hens, around to deal with.

[CSS archer]

The abundance of hens is a better reason to have later season not earlier.

I always have better luck calling toms the last week of season.

I doubt we will be killing hens in the spring, the only reason we have a fall season is 40% of the fall hens won't make it to spring anyway. Mortality on hens is that much greater than gobblers, human mortality is the biggest factor with gobs.

For a great reproductive year with turkeys hens must average 3 poults per hen, high mortality on poults is the nature of the beast. To kill hens that have been lucky enough to make it to nesting time would be a very bad impact on the resource.

[ecmbowhunter]

Im sorry i dont agree with the whole everyone wanting to mow down all the hens, but i think we should all be greatful we have a good turkey population. How many of you guys complaining about too many hens kill them in the fall?
Noone said anything about "mowing down" the hen population. Do the hens need thinning? Yes they do.

I counted 47 hens last fall under my stand while deer hunting. Do I kill hens in the fall? Yes, I do.

I have yet to lay eyes on a tom this spring. Guys 15 miles south of me in Tennessee have been tagged out with 4 toms for 2 weeks. Our season is too late.

[headoftheholler]

Are there any states that actually permit harvesting a hen in the spring?

[CHL]

Are there any states that actually permit harvesting a hen in the spring?


Nope :rolleyes:......and for all the folks that want it, you can go ahead and take KY off the list as well. There's NO WAY to ever make everyone happy with the season. However, there are a bunch of guys that only hunted a few days and are now tagged out that would argue season is right on time. Just a reminder, season has only been in for 10 days so far.......that's all. There's a bunch of time left to kill 2 gobblers, and the hens will begin leaving them earlier and earlier.

[turk2di]

Are you joking? Shooting hens in the spring would probably kill our population. I think your just having a hard time hunting this spring.

I agree! It will never happen. Go out in the fall & kill you 4!!

[Iceman35]

Turkeys are not deer. They cannot be Quality managed like deer. Their lifespan and mortality rate prevent any sort of QDMA like deer. The best we can do is improve the habitat. Any imbalance that exists in hen to tom ratio naturally corrects itself within a year. Look up any article by Lovitt Williams, he'll explain it better than I can.

[BRADM]

Im sorry i dont agree with the whole everyone wanting to mow down all the hens, but i think we should all be greatful we have a good turkey population. How many of you guys complaining about too many hens kill them in the fall?

Yep, try hunting over here in Ohio. :rolleyes: I've hunted your public land in KY.
Public land where I live is a joke. Be grateful.

[maxcam]

Noone said anything about "mowing down" the hen population. Do the hens need thinning? Yes they do.

I counted 47 hens last fall under my stand while deer hunting. Do I kill hens in the fall? Yes, I do.

I have yet to lay eyes on a tom this spring. Guys 15 miles south of me in Tennessee have been tagged out with 4 toms for 2 weeks. Our season is too late.

Maybe you arent as good a hunter as you think you are......Ever thought that might be the case?

[FlydownCackler]

I definitely do not think shooting hens in the Spring is the answer, but we should all make an effort to take some out in the Fall.

[johnboy]

I also agree there are to many hens and that the season opens to late.

we should NOT be shooting hens in the spring.

they need to move the season back a month and they need to increase the shotgun season length in the fall (oct) (or add a week in nov so we have 1 each week of the month in the fall). at this point i still think the max bag of 4 per year is good.
given that most people will only take 1-2 a year.

[maxcam]

I also agree there are to many hens and that the season opens to late.

we should NOT be shooting hens in the spring.

they need to move the season back a month and they need to increase the shotgun season length in the fall (oct) (or add a week in nov so we have 1 each week of the month in the fall). at this point i still think the max bag of 4 per year is good.
given that most people will only take 1-2 a year.

So you think that we should have a season on Tom's before the peak of breeding begins?

NOT!!!!!

[Redlined]

The fact that you can go out and hear/see multitudes of hens should make you proud that the flock is doing so well. Are you guys forgetting that only about 20 years ago if you were a turkey hunter, most had to drive to LBL, western Ky, or another state if you wanted to hunt turkeys? I started hunting them in the early 90's-- and our county didn't even have a season. I remember knocking on doors 100 miles from home and being completely pumped to see a single hen or hear a lone gobble for an entire weekend. Our turkey population is a super success story, and yes this season has been more difficult than others because it opened to henned-up birds and at or near the gobbling lull. That being said, thinking it should be open season on nesting birds is not the answer, kind of like biting the hand that feeds you:cool:...............

[kyscrapejuice]

Maybe you arent as good a hunter as you think you are......Ever thought that might be the case?

WOW!!

You ever consider giving turkey hunting lessons?? Does your arm hurt you??, from patting yourself on the back so much? I bet a lot of others on here besides myself wish we could exhibit the skill, prowness, and overwhelming knowledge of the wild turkey that you do. If nothing else just the sheer confidence(arrogance) to pursue the great bird. I certainly don't claim to be the best turkey hunter out there. I too, once thought I had it all figured out though. I had a 7 bird streak going (entered the woods 7 times straight, 7 toms on the ground). However, give it time. Turkey hunting has a way of humbling the best of hunters. If you haven't found that out, you haven't been at it long enough.

[philipfleek]

All I will say is a PUNT gun and CORN! Get it over with.............:confused:

[johnboy]

So you think that we should have a season on Tom's before the peak of breeding begins?

NOT!!!!!

nobody is going to kill ALL the Toms..
That's why we have bag limits.

[Butlerdeerslayer]

WOW!!

You ever consider giving turkey hunting lessons?? Does your arm hurt you??, from patting yourself on the back so much? I bet a lot of others on here besides myself wish we could exhibit the skill, prowness, and overwhelming knowledge of the wild turkey that you do. If nothing else just the sheer confidence(arrogance) to pursue the great bird. I certainly don't claim to be the best turkey hunter out there. I too, once thought I had it all figured out though. I had a 7 bird streak going (entered the woods 7 times straight, 7 toms on the ground). However, give it time. Turkey hunting has a way of humbling the best of hunters. If you haven't found that out, you haven't been at it long enough.
Amen to that scrapejuice you said it all in a nutshell it will definitely humble the best of them and I dont know why people get on here it seems to intentionally cause arguments and fights all you did was post a simple opinion question and this is what it came to... sad it really is

[ecmbowhunter]

Maybe you arent as good a hunter as you think you are......Ever thought that might be the case?Never said I was the great white hunter.....never even said I was a good turkey hunter either. Post your pics, max, since you claimed to be. Take a general concensus on the turkey hunting around here, EVEN YOU, :rolleyes:, may have a hard time finding a killable bird. I doubt it though, you're the greatest.....ever.

[stratos907]

While I don't agree with shooting hens in the spring, or having an earlier spring season. I think any discussion of our turkey population and ways to manage i are worth while. I believe the fall season is WAY under utilized. Hens are very easy to pattern and kill in the fall. Take advanage of this. If you have an imbalance on your property, this is a huge tool, and it's fun too. There is no larger imbalance than here on Peabody WMA where I hunt, and it gets aggrivating at best. But we are blessed to have a lengthy spring season and persistance will kill birds....hens or not. The season is just a little over a third complete...and it's geting better every day...hang in there boys.

[maxcam]

Amazing.....

I never once said I had all the answers..... I never said that I was the greatest....... I thank all of you for the accolades though.......:rolleyes:

To suggest we need to either have a bag limit on hens or extend the season on the front end before peak breeding takes place is a far more bold statement than anything I said or will ever say......... Many of you need to check your egos at the door and realize as sportsmen your focus should always be on the resource. Until you can personally brag that you are the best and are still getting skunked quit your belly aching........

ECM you whine about how bad things are for you down in Murray.......Calloway County is doing far better this year than Crittenden or Livingston Counties as compared to last year.........In fact you are already 2/3 of the way to what your county harvested last year, which was a record year if you will remember, while the other two counties I mentioned are barely half way.........

If you take the time to study the harvest totals for each region, Calloway County would be one of the top five counties in every region but the Green River Region.........So I think we can lay to rest that your county is hurting......I went back 4 years to compare Calloway County's harvest results.......You are already within a dozen birds of where you were in 2007 and still have nearly half the spring season left to improve your numbers.......

Every hunter here knows that when the under growth blooms out and there is more cover and these hens go off to nest, the numbers are going to climb rapidly........

I would recommend you check out a book at your local bookstore called The Turkey Hunters Digest by Dwain Bland.....Its a good read and you might find some of the answers you are looking for!

[thunderchicken09]

Quote:
Originally Posted by maxcam http://www.kentuckyhunting.net/forums/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.kentuckyhunting.net/forums/showthread.php?p=756032#post756032)
So you think that we should have a season on Tom's before the peak of breeding begins?

NOT!!!!!


We do its called the fall season. Who ever argued that we shoot does in the fall also forgets thats the only time deer season is in. Turkeys get hunted in the spring and the fall. An early hen season before breeding would pressure the birds even more than they already are and cause them to be even harder for you guys crying too many hens to kill.

[bigpuddin43]

I am having the same problem everyone else is. birds are roosted with hens they fly down and shut up and dont want anything to do with calls. I agree more hens need to be taken. In the fall i can watch a field of over 200 birds on our farm. most of them are hens. I hunt them hard in the fall with both archery and shotgun usually get 2 to 3 hens i refuse to shoot a bearded bird in the fall. the other hunters on our farm also hunt them hard during fall shotgun and take every opportunity at one with a bow. but how does taking 7 or 8 hens in the fall compete with 150 others nesting in the spring, easy it doesnt our population continues to grow and grow and im not complaining about that but when the week before season i can drive through the farm and see 15 or better strutting toms and they all stay henned up throughout the season has to mean there is a problem somewhere. the problem we have in the fall is that while they are easy to pattern once you shoot at them they move to the next farm over and it takes them a while to come back. they should at least make it so you can take more hens in the fall and make it so you can take more than one in a day in the fall. I dont like the idea of shooting hens in the spring because if a hen has layed 10 or 12 eggs then gets shot it seams like a waste of the energy she has put into that nest. but would love to see the limits raised in the fall.

[ecmbowhunter]

Amazing.....

I never once said I had all the answers..... I never said that I was the greatest....... I thank all of you for the accolades though.......

To suggest we need to either have a bag limit on hens or extend the season on the front end before peak breeding takes place is a far more bold statement than anything I said or will ever sayYeah, I agree, the turkey population in Tennessee is in trouble since they open a month before us......... Many of you need to check your egos at the door and realize as sportsmen your focus should always be on the resource. Until you can personally brag that you are the best and are still getting skunked quit your belly aching........

ECM you whine about how bad things are for you down in Murray.......Calloway County is doing far better this year than Crittenden or Livingston Counties as compared to last year.........In fact you are already 2/3 of the way to what your county harvested last year, which was a record year if you will remember, while the other two counties I mentioned are barely half way.........

If you take the time to study the harvest totals for each region, Calloway County would be one of the top five counties in every region but the Green River Region.........So I think we can lay to rest that your county is hurting......I went back 4 years to compare Calloway County's harvest results.......You are already within a dozen birds of where you were in 2007 and still have nearly half the spring season left to improve your numbers.......

Every hunter here knows that when the under growth blooms out and there is more cover and these hens go off to nest, the numbers are going to climb rapidly........

I would recommend you check out a book at your local bookstore called The Turkey Hunters Digest by Dwain Bland.....Its a good read and you might find some of the answers you are looking for!Check the bold print and take your own advice, max. Do you actually do ANY hunting or just look at internet stats all the time? TELECHECK STATS at that, being the "TELECHECK IS A JOKE " guy.

I may need a lesson in counting from 1-10, because the numbers there still makes it look like Calloway county sucks for turkey hunting. Hmmm....seems like the majority of customers through the shop here need to learn how to hunt too, right?

I'm done arguing with you, maxcam. Your EGO and arrogance is overwhelming.

[JDMiller]

Every hunter here knows that when the under growth blooms out and there is more cover and these hens go off to nest, the numbers are going to climb rapidly........

Max... Calloway, Graves & Fulton counties are your southern most counties in Kentucky. We've been bloomed out & the undergrowth green since the first week of April. In my opinion we peak on breeding earlier than the rest of the state... always have...always will.

I also have to say it surprises me you taunt the inaccuracies of tele-check for one game animal but readily quote turkey harvest numbers for a given county to shore up your response. Using it as an indicator of a given county, able to guage a hunters abillity & predict future possible record breaking harvest.. based on telecheck , blooming trees & green leaves. Pretty amazing stuff.:rolleyes:

[turk2di]

I would recommend you check out a book at your local bookstore called The Turkey Hunters Digest by Dwain Bland.....Its a good read and you might find some of the answers you are looking for!

Ah yes, the late Dwain Bland!! A very good friend of mine. This book will instill in you the right attitudes towards hunting the birds...spring or fall! Maxcam, i simply can't believe what i am reading on here. Of course, every year on here and about this time, here come the season is too late threads. But it's a first that i can remember a thread seriously discussing the fine merits of busting spring hens! Go ahead & bust you some spring hens. A couple years in a row of bad hatches, 10,000 or so spring hens shot & there we are, back in the early 90's!! As i stated earlier in a post, if you have too many hens, hunt them in the fall!

[maxcam]

Ah yes, the late Dwain Bland!! A very good friend of mine. This book will instill in you the right attitudes towards hunting the birds...spring or fall! Maxcam, i simply can't believe what i am reading on here. Of course, every year on here and about this time, here come the season is too late threads. But it's a first that i can remember a thread seriously discussing the fine merits of busting spring hens! Go ahead & bust you some spring hens. A couple years in a row of bad hatches, 10,000 or so spring hens shot & there we are, back in the early 90's!! As i stated earlier in a post, if you have too many hens, hunt them in the fall!

Dwain Bland's book is probably one of the best how too books I have ever read........

He was a common man with a simplistic approach on how to hunt turkeys...... The book is really well worth the price and time to invest in reading it.......

[maxcam]

Finally, JD and ECM........ I used telejoke because both of you seem to accept the KDFW's numbers as the word......

Now make a case for or against and lets get on with the debate......

[predator]

Very good thread! Killing hens in the spring? I hope not. Earlier opener? As someone stated the season will open next year on the 10th, so time will tell.
I'm having the toughest season since 1996 and 90% of it is my own doing. I was so confident, that I didn't even scout!:eek: The ice storm completely changed the "lay of the land" on my places and threw off my game plan. One of my prime pine thicket roosting areas was almost completely destroyed. Now I have to hunt a little harder, but like CSS and others have mentioned, I've killed some of my more vocal birds the first week in May.:D

[JDMiller]

Finally, JD and ECM........ I used telejoke because both of you seem to accept the KDFW's numbers as the word......

Now make a case for or against and lets get on with the debate......


Max... thats still funny coming from you.

Personally.. I dont think spring hen harvest is the answer and it squarely sits on the issue of our fall season. Most hunters are deer hunting and just dont take advantage of it. I know I dont specifically turkey hunt in the fall and wont make out like I have the answer to get more to participate.

Maybe we should open crossbow season to run concurrent with the entire archery season. :D The gloom & doom on our turkey resources have never materialized as you said they would. Maybe raise the fall limits back to what it was prior to 06 before you campaigned to getting it changed. Additional oppertunities at toms like we use to have might get hunters to occasonally wack a hen ... again I just dont know.

As far as an earlier opener.... theres no way you can blanket the entire state in saying the peak breeding occurs at this certain time. I've been saying it for a couple of years now... I've had better expieriences when the season opener fell earlier. I say this for my area and have no way to say its that way further north or east in the state.

This is why I understand the season dates are set the way they are and know full well their done in this manner to allow the majority of hens to be bred before we start blasting toms. I just think a minor adjustment of the dates could be done without an adverse effect.. considering the populations were dealing with as compared to years ago.

I also know enough about turkeys to understand the higharchy of the flock. The dominant bird will do the majority of the breeding. Subordinates will stay whipped down and occasionally sneak time with a hen ..if they get away with it. Factor in multitudes of hens in a certain area being bred by only a few dominant toms... the henned up theory will not get better any time soon.

I'm not campaigning for any changes personally but like others ... have an opinion and can respect others opinions. I'll just hunt & make the most of whats offered and enjoy it.

[maxcam]

I refer back to your numbers........I don't see where this year is any worse than last year. Show me where there is a problem.....

BTW, I spent 15 years hunting in Crittenden and Livingston Counties and use to deer hunt WKWMA regularly.......I know just a little bit about what hunting down that way is like...... I wouldnt have spent thousands of dollars a year leasing property and 10's thousands more on food plots. gas and food as well as shelter if the hunting sucked!

[ecmbowhunter]

Crittenden and Livingston counties are hot for turkeys....Calloway is far from it.


It's not any different than last year....last year sucked too.

Max...I was talking to another member this morning and we can't figure out why as much as you get on here and gloat, we have yet to see any pictures of ANYTHING you have harvested. Show us that you can get it done like you say you can.

[turk2di]

Earlier opener? As someone stated the season will open next year on the 10th,

Season starts on the Saturday nearest the 15th. That would be the 17th next year!

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

The abundance of hens is a better reason to have later season not earlier.

I always have better luck calling toms the last week of season.

I doubt we will be killing hens in the spring, the only reason we have a fall season is 40% of the fall hens won't make it to spring anyway. Mortality on hens is that much greater than gobblers, human mortality is the biggest factor with gobs.

For a great reproductive year with turkeys hens must average 3 poults per hen, high mortality on poults is the nature of the beast. To kill hens that have been lucky enough to make it to nesting time would be a very bad impact on the resource.
this guy has it right......the rest of ya'll seem to be belly aching just because things aren't going your way. Toughen up. there is still plenty of season yet to come and it will get better. Just because you didn't get a Big tom to fly down to your pretty boy on the first day doesn't mean season is over. Just hang in there and if you hunt hard you will get them to gobble and come in.

[CHL]

Turk is right on. Season doesn't open until April 10th in 2010. It's always the Saturday closest to the 15th, which will be April 17th next year b/c the 15th is on the Thursday before.

[maxcam]

Crittenden and Livingston counties are hot for turkeys....Calloway is far from it.


It's not any different than last year....last year sucked too.

Max...I was talking to another member this morning and we can't figure out why as much as you get on here and gloat, we have yet to see any pictures of ANYTHING you have harvested. Show us that you can get it done like you say you can.

Talk all you want to.....I dont care....

Ive got rugs, mounts, skulls, feathers and beards in my house, shed and garage. I dont have to prove a darn thing to you or anyone else for that matter. There are picture up from animals that I have harvested......

Maybe Im a lot smarter than you when it comes to pickin my huntin spots......Maybe you should move a little farther north....

Its funny the best year Calloway has had number wise was last year.....Again I say take a look in the mirror bud cause you aint gettin it done!

[ecmbowhunter]

All we get from you is talk, max...that's all. Blah, Blah, Blah. Maybe you are smarter than me at choosing hunting spots, but show us. Prove it. Quit spewing your arrogance and prove it.


Oh yeah, the 2008 harvest here was impressive. :rolleyes:

[matewsq2]

Well the way I see it is that if everyone killed their one longbeard an the rest hens in the fall or not take the longbeard an use it on a hen thats 3 or 4 hens per person X's every fall hunter in the state.how many hens would that thin out?If they are lucky enuff to tag all 4 fall birds.I have taged 1 longbeard in the fall from the time i started hunting them in the fall an that was my 1st bow kill,an all the rest of my fall birds has been hens.an i tell you what there ant no better eaten than a 9 or 10 lb hen.an on our farm we kill 7 or 8 hens a year between me an dad an we still have tomany

[turk2di]

All we get from you is talk, max...that's all. Blah, Blah, Blah. Maybe you are smarter than me at choosing hunting spots, but show us. Prove it. Quit spewing your arrogance and prove it.


Oh yeah, the 2008 harvest here was impressive. :rolleyes:

Last year it was 264. Not to shabby! Already 194 with 12 days to go!!

[thunderchicken09]

this guy has it right......the rest of ya'll seem to be belly aching just because things aren't going your way. Toughen up. there is still plenty of season yet to come and it will get better. Just because you didn't get a Big tom to fly down to your pretty boy on the first day doesn't mean season is over. Just hang in there and if you hunt hard you will get them to gobble and come in.

This is exactly what i have been trying to say, just couldnt find the words haha.