Kdfwr should have a bounty program https://gfp.sd.gov/bounty-program/ In ky, you have to buy a trapping license to use dog proof traps on your own land to control coons that are an overpopulated nuisance. At a minimal, using dog proof traps should be free and without a season.
Whatever helps build the turkey population I'm in.i want my kids and grand kids to be able to turkey hunt for years to come.on the pace the turkeys are on now they will not be able to long.just my opinion.
South Dakota pheasants and ducks bring in a lot more revenue, thus a much more valuable resource, than ky turkeys. Plus you have to have a way to fund the bounty program.
I would say we have a lot of drowned poults in my area where we had so much rain. I'm hoping they get hatched and gone out of the hayfields soon.
Hens should never be killed by hunters period, end of story you want to improve numbers and hunting? Eliminate the male decoys, reaping etc. That would leave thousands of birds in the flock each spring, and allow the most dominant birds to successfully breed as most likely they won’t be killed. We have become far too efficient killers of male birds with decoys, long range guns etc. It is having a negative impact but people won’t admit it, and won’t adjust their way of hunting to potentially make things better as a whole.
Hitch, I kill 2 KY state birds every year. Have for 20 years. 2 is all me or anyone is allowed. Why does it matter how they're killed, in your opinion? 2 is 2 right?
It’s more the people that would have zero chance without the aid of the decoys. You know the type and the effectiveness of those decoys can make some hunts super easy and allow for people to kill birds that would go empty handed without them
There are far more factors in the declining turkey population then hunters harvesting their legal limit during spring turkey season.
And this is the entire problem in a nutshell, no one wants to admit it or even entertain we as hunters are causing issues. As a group we shove our head in the sand and are unwilling to really think about how we are potentially impacting the population. The natural issues have been and will always be around, predators weather etc. What have are we doing that is having an impact and can regs be changed to lessen those impacts. imagine how many lognbeards would be alive right now if you removed the ones killed over male decoys and long ranger shotgun loads?
i disagree.i have killed more turkeys with out decoys over the years.why not just go back to hunting with bow and arrow then?
Again not talking about you, talking on a statewide level. If you don’t believe there are thousands of turkeys killed each year that wouldn’t be killed from using male decoys and also long range shells then you’re only kidding yourself. My comments aren’t directed at you personally so don’t take it that way. I’d be fine if it was bow only. Sure it would be tough but I’d enjoy the challenge and also playing the game.
