Eliminate Fall Turkey Hunting

And we're all laughing at your outlandish comments. You only say you're laughing because your feelings are hurt because you've been exposed as a rookie with no knowledge of turkeys. 49, but you're the master, that's funny, I don't care who you are. If you ever want any lessons, I'll charge you a minimal fee to learn about aging turkeys and that its not even close to an exact science and in fact, nearly impossible once they turn 2.

 

I have been told that Owls kill more turkeys on a good night.. than Fall Turkey hunters harvest in an entire Fall.I do know that no one can positively age a gobbler past it’s 2nd year..... unless you have it in a pen or banded/ radio collared.

 

Wow, didn't realize owls were that efficient. Agree with you aging assessment.

 

We can nearly agree here. Yeah that dude says he can tell an old gobbler from a younger gobbler based on their gobble, hahahaha. Only if it's a jake and sometimes jakes will full gobble. As far as the blind thing, bow hunters pretty much have to have a blind and some gun hunter's choose too based on the location they're seeing birds. For example, if I've been seeing a gobbler in a particular field on a consistent basis sometimes I might throw a blind up and hunt it in the field. I wouldn't call it lazy though, most of my birds I walk miles for up and down the hills, just depends on situation for me. I'll use whatever tactic I need to depending on a particular turkey and the situation. You throwing all hunters into a lazy category because they may use a blind on occasion isn't cool. Also, many use blinds for rainy days when us run and gunner's are home out of the rain, that's not lazy that's smart.

 

I have a few honest questions. Why do people think the turkey population is declining? I understand we all hunt different parts of the state and populations vary - just because I saw more toms than ever this year doesn't mean someone else did. But I also have days where I think there isn't a turkey in the county I'm hunting - that doesn't mean they aren't there. I talked to guys who tagged out after 2 days, and guys who didn't kill a bird (but they only hunted a couple times.) Opening day I hunted ALL DAY and saw 1 hen, while friends hunted down the road and saw plenty. I hunt 3 counties in NKY and have experienced the same in all 3. Is the KDFW saying numbers are down, or just hunters? I'd like to think the dept would adjust accordingly if this were true. My second question is why the hatred for decoys, no matter hen or tom? I think using decoys is just an example of hunters getting better at hunting. Plus, at least for me, decoys work less than more of the time, probably something to do with my presentation I'm guessing. I suppose I don't see what's wrong with getting better at hunting animals. Decoys seem to make things more exciting when trying to introduce youths and new hunters to the sport as well. But to each his/her own.

 

If decline hasn't hit your area it will soon. if nothing isn't done.i have seen it and lived it.no joke.i feel it's a combination of several things.some in our control some not.read up on it.look up wayne county tennessee turkey populations.i use to live there.they don't even have any turkeys anymore.

 

I don't trust the dept to do the right thing, concerning anything, but that's just me.
As far as the decline, it is true, there is no way of denying that. Just because someone is not seeing it on their grounds (yet), does not mean it isn't happening. It isn't just in KY, it is all across the southeast US. Even alot of places in the midwest are seeing a decline in #'s.
The farms and area I hunt used to be loaded with birds, and I mean loaded. Now, not is it just folks not harvesting during season, they aren't seeing/hearing much. I'm not saying that there isn't still some birds around, but it is very very few.

 

Man, I agree with this 100%. The department has soured me on them, due to the elk ignorance they spew. I don't trust a thing they say. About the turkeys, our area had a bunch but I've talked to others that have experienced the opposite. It's for sure a fact that the decline is real across the southeast.

 

The decoy thing, I don't get it either lol. The turkey decline is a thing though, not in all parts but a lot.

 

I have been reading some articles about the decline. Here is one that I found interesting.
https://www.gameandfishmag.com/editorial/kentucky-turkey-hunting-outlook-2019/359018
If you get a chance it's worth reading.

As far as decoys, If it gets you a harvest and food on the table, then why not use them. Do whatever it takes to make that harvest happen.

 

I don’t hunt them so I really don’t have a dog in the fight. I defenitely know there are way way more yotes and coons in South Central KY than there use to be. As someone just observing it looks like to me leave the seasons alone so people can have the opportunity to hunt more but limit the number of birds you can harvest and only take gobblers for a few seasons and aggressively attack the coon and yote problem. Then the numbers should stabilize. As far as the decoy debate what does is matter what tactic someone uses in hunting as long as it is legal. Everyone has their own idea of what they get out of it.

 

Exactly and you need to start turkey hunting.

 

Agree. I know hunters who get so fired up over it and I love to see that. I’ve tried to get into it but I always seem to be working on food plots and lotta kids sports during spring and in fall deer season. I support turkey hunters. Actually I support any hunters or fishermen/fisherwomen or anything outdoors.

 

I don't get the decoy thing at all! I've killed alot of turkeys over the yrs and I don't think I've killed 2-3 over a decoy.
I used to take a week off to hunt in the spring and always killed my 2 birds and then spent the week fishing. Now it takes the whole season to maybe kill one.

 

I’ve never even limited where I hunt. It’s always been a struggle but I’m not sure our numbers are down. It’s just a darn weird, unpredictable place. Saw 10+ every sit during deer season and only 4 the whole spring season and none of them close to me. If I can get 1, I’m usually satisfied.