Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

     I just checked out the 2024Spring Hunt Guide in the Turkey Call Mag. There are a good 10 States with just a 1 Gobbler Bag Limit.  Most States have a 2 Gobbler Limit. A few States have a 3 Gobbler Limit.At least 1 State has 4. And Montana has a 5 Spring Gobbler Limit. While New Jersey- There is a opportunity to buy alot more then 5 Turkey Permits.
    I feel bad for residents in States like Ohio. Just 1 Gobbler.   Probably  most hunters would want a much shorter Spring Turkey Season if they could take 2 Gobblers.
  2 Gobblers is Probably just right for a bunch of States.  So how do you feel about your States Spring Turkey Bag Limit? Too Few,Too Many, or Just about right?

Georgia recently went from 3 to 2 gobblers and also moved the opening day up a week later in the year.  We start this Saturday, March 30th.  I am good with the changes if it will help the turkey population out.  Two per year is a plenty if you ask me.

 Too many with a caveat:
Mississippi-currently has a 3 bird limit. My personal opinion is NR should be one and one only. Resident should have a one ( maybe 2) bird limit at license purchase with an opportunity at an additional tag with a predator bounty.
Quit wasting money on tele-check. Look at the NWTF harvest report for MS. Little over 11k reported but MS "thinks" like 30k actual. Wow. Even they know it's ridiculous. Use $ for something else. Like supporting a predator bounty... get all us NWTF members off our duff and #1 trapping- gotta get that tag! and #2 helping man and support that predator bounty.... Just one poor man's opinion. lol, might have got a little more than u asked....

Depends on the reason for asking about the limit, from a hunter standpoint I wish we could kill 5. From a "good for the turkey" standpoint I believe a 1 bird season would help. But then again, we've had so many new hunters from out of state showing up lately, even with a one bird limit I doubt the total harvest would decrease. I believe it's something like 2% actually fill their second tag here.


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Not sure how to answer this.

Pennsylvania is a big place.  State limit is 2 spring birds.  There are places that should be cut to 1 bird.  There are places it could be upped to 3 birds.

I guess if it's gonna be one set limit for the entire state, then 2 is just right.  Not sure why the Game Commission hasn't broken the limit down by WMU ??  I thought that's what they were for........

South Carolina dropped the limit from 5 to 3 a few years ago. Also pushed the start date back a week. We're looking at possibly more changes next season. Personally I'm ok with whatever is in the best interest of the resource. I hunt private as well as public land. Our WMA's all have different bag limits based off size of area and population. On the private land I hunt I have a self imposed limit of 1 bird per season for the past three years. I still get to hunt plenty with my grown kids and son-in-law. I enjoy pulling the trigger on an old long beard as much as the next guy, but the biggest thrill for me is calling and working a gobbler. I support any changes so long as they are made with logic and common sense.

Seems simple to me. If recorded harvest counts show a declining trend year after year, then bag limits should be something to look at for sure. Unfortunately most Wildlife Agencies count on license and permit fees to fund their operations. This might (will) serve to make them apprehensive about changing laws that could affect their livelihood. It's an unfortunate "conflict of interest" that many DNR's are struggling with. Funding has become a major problem with everything in life. We all know as sportsman that when states look to cut budgets, hunting and fishing dollars could be easy targets for sure. No target funding is safe anymore......

Quote from: Tom007 on March 27, 2024, 06:53:14 AM
Seems simple to me. If recorded harvest counts show a declining trend year after year, then bag limits should be something to look at for sure. Unfortunately most Wildlife Agencies count on license and permit fees to fund their operations. This might (will) serve to make them apprehensive about changing laws that could affect their livelihood. It's an unfortunate "conflict of interest" that many DNR's are struggling with. Funding has become a major problem with everything in life. We all know as sportsman that when states look to cut budgets, hunting and fishing dollars could be easy targets for sure. No target funding is safe anymore......

X2 Unfortunately with some states it appears its all about money. Very Unfortunate!

I am ok with the reduced limits if they are done using biological data and in a way to be effective. However, they are usually applied as appeasement to the crowd hollering, "do something about our turkeys". Reducing the bag limit is the easiest and fastest way to demonstrate to the whining masses they are doing something. In reality most small reductions in bag limits do very little to stabilize flocks. As someone else said, most hunters never fill all their tags. Here in Ohio approx. 40% or less filled the second tag. We buy our tags individually and a lot don't even buy the second. Using the states own harvest numbers works out that the reduced limit to 1 gobbler averages saving one gobbler for around every 25,000 acres. That's not going to do much for the flock as a whole. It's just a smoke screen and not biologically sound in most places.

The main problems are declining habitat and perhaps more significantly people, too many people persuing a limited resource.  For the most part a hunter behind every tree.  Cutting the limits and the seasons are about the only things a game department can do.  I so miss the old days of the 1980s and 1990s.

I have watched the slow decline of the turkey population here in South Carolina since the mid 1970's and in my opinion, if we don't make changes in a lot of areas, not just season limits and start dates we will see the continued decline of turkey similar to what happened to quail. It's really a state by state issue because what works in one state may or may not work in another, it should be left up to the game department and their biologist and researchers in each state to make the recommended changes and we as hunters should follow the science. If that means we spend less time in the woods during turkey season and are able to kill fewer birds, so be it. If that's what it takes on our part for our children, grandchildren and future generations to enjoy turkey hunting even close to the way many of us have, then in my mind, that's a small sacrifice on our part and one we should gladly make.

Grew up in New Jersey when there was no season. Now go back because the population of birds is better than Maryland where I live. I think Jersey does a decent job of limiting the amount of people hunting per week per zone. Have 7 tags, will be lucky to hunt 10 days spread over entire season. I wish Maryland would go to a permit system to help rebuild the population. I would never take 7 birds but look for that perfect hunt when he plays the game the way I want it.   

Quote from: Prospector on March 27, 2024, 05:17:10 AM
Too many with a caveat:
Mississippi-currently has a 3 bird limit. My personal opinion is NR should be one and one only. Resident should have a one ( maybe 2) bird limit at license purchase with an opportunity at an additional tag with a predator bounty.
Quit wasting money on tele-check. Look at the NWTF harvest report for MS. Little over 11k reported but MS "thinks" like 30k actual. Wow. Even they know it's ridiculous. Use $ for something else. Like supporting a predator bounty... get all us NWTF members off our duff and #1 trapping- gotta get that tag! and #2 helping man and support that predator bounty.... Just one poor man's opinion. lol, might have got a little more than u asked....

I am from ms. My feelings are the same as yours.
3 birds is too many with all the out of staters put on us  :you_rock:

I have always believed that all states should have a 1 bird limit for non residents. With a delayed start, even if it's 2 days.

Quote from: Gobbler428 on March 27, 2024, 08:18:00 AM
I have watched the slow decline of the turkey population here in South Carolina since the mid 1970's and in my opinion, if we don't make changes in a lot of areas, not just season limits and start dates we will see the continued decline of turkey similar to what happened to quail. It's really a state by state issue because what works in one state may or may not work in another, it should be left up to the game department and their biologist and researchers in each state to make the recommended changes and we as hunters should follow the science. If that means we spend less time in the woods during turkey season and are able to kill fewer birds, so be it. If that's what it takes on our part for our children, grandchildren and future generations to enjoy turkey hunting even close to the way many of us have, then in my mind, that's a small sacrifice on our part and one we should gladly make.

X2

I would rather have a turkey to hunt and chase, than no turkey left at all... I can remember the early years of just being glad to hear a gobbler or two during the spring season. So it's all part of a cycle and hopefully numbers will increase again. I have seen more turkeys in the last several months than in the previous two years in my area.  Good luck everyone this spring.

I think it needs to be broken down more specifically, one thing Illinois does well is county by county tags and the smaller state lands are tag specific for that one place.

They also have 5 separated seasons.

I don't like seeing opportunities taken away however the focus should be on population effects, which may be minimal?

I wouldn't mind seeing a premium to get a second tag, and or not allowing a second tag until you fill the first.

I like one bird per day restrictions and even one bird the first week like Missouri.

Keeping non res off federal land is a joke!

Tom's are supposedly expendable after peak breeding but there would be less on the landscape to hear and work from year to year.

Hopefully the Covid effect starts to slow down!


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There's a reason for the one tom limit in some states that may be legitimate, or it could be a knee jerk reaction because as i was told by ODWC "We had to do something."  I could write pages about doing something but I'll just sum it up and say if we all as turkey hunters put just 2-3 hours a week into what ever we feel passionate about (habitat improvements, predator control, controlled burns, ...) then our combined efforts would change a lot of the situation. 

It depends on the states population and  how much pressure is being put on the population. As long as harvest is not more than 30% of the adult gobbler population in the state. You want to have enough in the population to withstand a really bad hatch year. I like to see things managed for quality of hunts more than managed for opportunity to hunt.

Pa.2 Gobblers allowed with 2nd Special tag. Pa has it,s ups and downs with its Turkey Population every year. I know we used to trap the turkeys and trade them to either one of the Dakota states the one with a lot of pheasants because we have a horrible pheasant population and they traded birds. On the other hand Pa.GC is always struggling for money and their 2nd tag is a money maker for them. If I remember it,s the most expensive extra tag out of all the extra tags you can purchase. :firefighter:

2 is a Gracious plenty for any State IMO.  This is a resource that has more downs than ups and we as Resource Managers should be thinking this way, if we want to be able to hunt these Amazing Animals in the FUTURE!  TOO MANY predators and BAD things can happen when eggs are laid on the ground.  God wasn't kind to Turkey hatchlings so we need to do our part to HELP them any way we can.  My 2 cents.

If every state had a stamp, delayed non res, and limit 1 non resident... a lot of problems would go away.

I feel a lot of bad feelings for non res hunters, are they really putting that much of a dent in the turkey numbers? I see as many non res vehicles around here as I do resident during turkey season. My state has a 2 bird limit with one bird being taken in specific units. I live in one of the special units so I don't have to travel much. I would rather see a one bird limit with a second permit after you tag the first. The second tag would be contingent on the unit and a $50 fee. But that's just my  :z-twocents:. Z

Quote from: zelmo1 on March 27, 2024, 10:55:13 AM
I feel a lot of bad feelings for non res hunters, are they really putting that much of a dent in the turkey numbers? I see as many non res vehicles around here as I do resident during turkey season. My state has a 2 bird limit with one bird being taken in specific units. I live in one of the special units so I don't have to travel much. I would rather see a one bird limit with a second permit after you tag the first. The second tag would be contingent on the unit and a $50 fee. But that's just my  :z-twocents:. Z

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This is 9 in the morning on April 20th last season at a WMA I've hunted since a kid. It has 4 parking areas on this one 4,000 acre tract and this is just one of them. April 20th was the Thursday after opening weekend mind you. 6 days in to the season on a week day. You'll see 10 to 1 non resident plates on any WMA or national forest land that I've been to within 100 miles of my house the years of 21,22,23. And each year it gets worse and worse. It's to the point of either going out of state yourself to get to hunt or just not hunting. That particular WMA from 2009 until 2021 had less than 30 total turkey taken during the spring season on 8,500 acres combined between all tracts, and it was very heavily pressured then. Even the covid year of 2020 there were 28 turkeys taken. 2023 there were 59, 2022 there were 60, 2021 there were 37, 2020 there were 28.   
The only thing that changed was an influx of OOS hunters. How long can this WMA handle this constant increase of harvest and pressure?. This is just one of many in the state that is seeing this trend. I personally feel that our state needs to get on board with the states within a 8 hour drive of us and all open the same day. Drop the limit to 1 turkey and charge a 100$ turkey stamp. I had many conversations with the OOS guys last year and every one of them told me they were "chasing 49" or because "our season doesn't open for 3 weeks and this was the closest place to go to hunt". 6 out of 10 were from Ohio, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania. Very few were from the south of us or out west.

And before this gets misconstrued, I'm all for fairness. I'll gladly pay for a 100$ stamp, a license increase across the board, and kill one less turkey if it means I'll have them to hunt in 20 years and in the mean time can actually hunt the lands around here instead of spending  6 hours, from 3 hours before daylight until I give up, the handful of days I have to hunt driving to every WMA and National Forest land around because they all have a OOS hunter camped at them 2 or 3 deep.

I say all of that but I also want to say, I don't mind, respectful OOS hunters that have common sense and morals. I ran in to a few older gentlemen last year from up north as I was leaving that pulled in behind me and we talked for a half hour and I wished them well. But 90% of these cats are running around, "my turkeys" "gotta fill my tags" rush in on you working birds, rev their trucks behind yours when you beat them to park, honk their horns, etc.


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Quote from: zelmo1 on March 27, 2024, 10:55:13 AM
I feel a lot of bad feelings for non res hunters, are they really putting that much of a dent in the turkey numbers? I see as many non res vehicles around here as I do resident during turkey season. My state has a 2 bird limit with one bird being taken in specific units. I live in one of the special units so I don't have to travel much. I would rather see a one bird limit with a second permit after you tag the first. The second tag would be contingent on the unit and a $50 fee. But that's just my  :z-twocents:. Z

Ok I travel and I'm working towards the US Slam.  For the most part I have no issues with taking a single bird in each given state especially on public land.

Joey46- New Jersey has no set Max Limit on Gobblers Killed. If you know the Lottery Phase- the Over the Counter Phase- have plenty of Time + Money and Extra Quick Typing Fingers- 8- 10+ Turkey Permits are possible.
    I realize a small but growing group takes advantage  of this System Loophole.

I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

We went from 2 to 1 and it was long overdue. When you have outfitters saying there aren't surplus gobblers anymore you know something is amiss. I haven't bought a turkey tag since 2020. On a calm morning you may not even hear a turkey gobble. Quite the change fron 10 years. Get alot of poachers from Arkansas and points south and east though.

We can start with no jakes unless it's for a youth first. MS been 3 birds forever and I've never had to up my effort to kill my limit, so I don't want to hear how the birds disappeared. Some years are better and some worse. We are talking about a highly fluctuated resource here. They are not deer. It doesn't take but 2 solid years of hatches to make a drastic difference in population.

The only reason most of this even gets brought up now is from a huge increase of social media driven newbies all wanting instant gratification.

These post pop up almost everyday, just 5 years ago they hardly ever showed up.

No jakes and no filming on public lands. Let's just Start there


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Quote from: quavers59 on March 27, 2024, 11:47:16 AM
Joey46- New Jersey has no set Max Limit on Gobblers Killed. If you know the Lottery Phase- the Over the Counter Phase- have plenty of Time + Money and Extra Quick Typing Fingers- 8- 10+ Turkey Permits are possible.
    I realize a small but growing group takes advantage  of this System Loophole.

I can tell you first hand that Jersey is seeing the effects of these bag limits. The Northern part of the state has seen a very concerning drop in populations. The last 3 years in a row have shown an average drop of over 20% annual harvest over-all. The Southern part of the state is now getting pounded, it's a matter of time that the entire state will suffer very low bird numbers. It's a shame that they rely heavily on this permit revenue, thus steps to reduce same will lead to budget shortfalls. Time will tell, but I can see this becoming a real problem in the future. On-line checking that was instituted the past few years I believe has impacted this also. They make it too easy for a dishonest hunter to harvest several birds on the same permit. I believe you could add another 10% to the annual harvest numbers due to birds that were not checked in. All this will definitely affect the resource, we can only hope it survives.....

The thing about lowering bag limits...specially to one, is a lot of people won't give a  and just wont report their harvest.

I'd like to think that wasn't the case.  But I have seen my share of illegal  on public, can't imagine what goes down on private.

I would support states going to a one tag limit for NR, and it would be great if first week was resident only. I'm sure not every state is a 'destination' state, but residents should always have priority in their home states. What if only a set number of NR tags were allocated by lottery like top destination deer states? Might throttle back the pressure a bit. Most states are probably pretty good with a two bird limit for residents.

I dont think the limit matters much. Very few hunters have the ability to kill more than 1 a year or even every 2 years. Dropping the limit only affects a select few

I am for letting the states decide. I do think it could be fined tuned a bit according to the regional populations, but that's just me. Branching out on that thought, I would rather they restrict legal methods of harvest before reducing bag limits. I am selfish and perfectly fine with admitting it. I would rather be hunting them handicapped with a recurve bow and no limit than be allowed 1 by many of the legal methods today. 

Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club

Quote from: Happy on March 27, 2024, 04:00:16 PM
I am for letting the states decide. I do think it could be fined tuned a bit according to the regional populations, but that's just me. Branching out on that thought, I would rather they restrict legal methods of harvest before reducing bag limits. I am selfish and perfectly fine with admitting it. I would rather be hunting them handicapped with a recurve bow and no limit than be allowed 1 by many of the legal methods today. 

Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club

This


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If we were producing poults at an annual rate that exceeded 3.0 poults per hen, I think this would be a different conversation.

But we've arrived at a point in the US where folks are happy just to see 2.0 pph and things are barely sustaining.  And we've also arrived at a point where innovation has permeated every aspect of turkey hunting and the birds are taking it on the chin.  Let's be real damn honest.  It's easier than every to kill turkeys and the seemingly endless number of harvest records being set in states with stable or declining populations reflect it. 

I'm a pretty well traveled guy and one of the most common things out of state farmers/landowners/hunters say to me when turkeys take over the discussion is "Son, you should have seen it 8/10/15/20 years ago."  I really liked turkey hunting a lot more 8/10/15/20 years ago too!

There are a myriad of factors influencing wild turkey populations but we have killed our way into a scenario where most states are dependent on robust hatches each year.  Turkey mortality from hunters, nest predators and avian predators never relents.  If anything it has only intensified and that should be extremely concerning to everyone.

While I hunt public extensively, I'm also fortunate to help manage a decent bit of private dirt.  I can say without any hesitation that killing less than 20% of the gobblers off a property and trapping will go a long way towards ensuring robust flocks.

I've said for many years I don't understand why an NR hunter should be allowed to harvest more than 1 gobbler in any state.  Go enjoy a quality experience with good opportunity at success, be happy with your 1 gobbler and drive your  home.

I also don't believe we should be able to kill any more than 2 gobblers as residents of the majority of states around the country.

The best hunting in the country can be found where bad limits are 1.  And i'll happily take a quality experience where I see an abundance of turkeys and hear an abundance of turkeys over seeing few, hearing few but also killing a few.

I guess this was a long way of saying i support resident bag limits of 2 in most places (1 where populations are really struggling) and a nationwide 1 bird bag limit for NR's in any state they travel to.

I have hunted quite a few states. I actually like the way some states are doing it. Iowa for example has limited non resident tags, different seasons, different zone and each zone has its allotment of tags. Minnesota is also limited to one tag and has different seasons but does not have a license quota. Illinois is based county by county with a limited number of tags and different seasons. Honestly, I like the different season approach when I'm traveling. But that's just me.

I know each state is different. Each state is dealing with their own problems. I have no issue with going out of state for one bird (tag). Three of the states I'm going to this year, including Iowa, has a one bird limit. I'm not greedy so I'm good with that.

I am definitely for states limiting out of state tags. Give the first shot to residents if tags are limited, as well, like Illinois. That's fair. I'm also for limiting the number of people on WMA's. I've hunted several that I've had to draw tags for and they are well managed.

Virginia, my state, has always had a three bird limit since I started hunting them in 1992. I think it's time for them to look at that. Certain parts of the state the population is in decline while other parts of the state population is steady or increasing.

Again, it is definitely up to the states to decide but I truly hope they have the turkey in the forefront of their mind over money. But...what's the chances?

 I am a hunter.

I am not an educated, trained biologist.

My view of a state population has no merit. I will let the professionals do their jobs.

When Oklahoma dropped the statewide limit from 3 birds to 1, I started hunting another state every year to try and fill 1 or 2 more tags.

Prior to that I was happy to hunt in Oklahoma and fill a couple of tags each Spring.

Dropping the limit to 1 bird might actually INCREASE the number of non-resident hunters in some areas.

California has a 3 bird season limit, 1 bearded turkey per day.  I am fine with that.

Turkeys are not a native species in California, and some consider them "invasive."  Outside of harvest season/limits, nothing is done, or allowed to be done to improve turkey numbers...

Plenty of urban areas with turkey issues, and there has been talk of relocation, but relocation of turkeys in California is NOT allowed at this time.

From my understanding, much of the state fees from licensing and stamps goes to the general state fund, and not back into game or fish management.

My impression is (and I could be wrong) that if there were two turkeys left in California, the limit would remain 3.

All the points to be made are in this thread, we have some intelligent people here with experience and common sense. It seems to me that the states should be raising or lowering the bag limits statewide and regional areas to sustain what numbers we do have. But we all have the same issues that negatively affect turkeys and there are remedies for each. 1) Access to good hunting areas, be a steward of the land and assist land owners to promote good faith. 2) Egg  stealers/nest raiders. We can all take a few of these out of the equation and assist trappers to help ourselves. 3)Mandatory physical registration will put a dent in the poaching/slobs. 4)Get involved with your local NWTF or F&G to volunteer time or resources. I have no issues with giving residents a head start or an opportunity for a second bird, but punishing non res hunters doesnt have to be extreme. My season is one of the last openers so a lot of states are either done or wrapping up. Our location dictates the later opener, this brings in the dedicated turkey hunter with an extra opportunity/ incentive to hunt my state. I am liking the 2/1 res/non res limits in general. But I think the individual states need to get cracking on the other issues. I for one dont like the online registration, it can be tempting to some people to roll the dice. Since I had my first license I had to physically tag and register every big game animal I ever took in my own state. Untagged animals here are big fines, as they should be. This online registration is not a good idea in my opinion, it is convenient. But it gives the " less than ethical hunter" more of a chance to be just that. Good luck to everyone and God Bless Y'all. Z

Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on March 27, 2024, 12:11:20 PM
I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

Absolutely. Habitat loss is the #1 reason behind any decline here in the South. Changes in timber management practices go right there. No more prescribed burns bc the big "skidders" don't need clear understory like a man on a saw. Good for deer, good for rabbits- not so good with turkeys. Those growed up clear cuts or sterile understory of older pine plantations ( for huge expanses) just don't support as high a population.
   Also I've said this before. The sport has increased in popularity bc with all the "tech" it's easier to be successful thus nullifying the time spent and expierance factor. Reduce the dependence on the tech and the hunter numbers will probably decrease without true loss of opportunity. JMHO.

Quote from: Prospector on March 28, 2024, 05:21:34 AM

Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on March 27, 2024, 12:11:20 PM
I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

Absolutely. Habitat loss is the #1 reason behind any decline here in the South. Changes in timber management practices go right there. No more prescribed burns bc the big "skidders" don't need clear understory like a man on a saw. Good for deer, good for rabbits- not so good with turkeys. Those growed up clear cuts or sterile understory of older pine plantations ( for huge expanses) just don't support as high a population.
   Also I've said this before. The sport has increased in popularity bc with all the "tech" it's easier to be successful thus nullifying the time spent and expierance factor. Reduce the dependence on the tech and the hunter numbers will probably decrease without true loss of opportunity. JMHO.

You raise a good point about the tech, etc.....Makes me wonder which of the techs is most responsible for upticks in success. 65 yard turkey guns/ loads/ TSS? Lifelike decoys? Blinds? I agree with the premise but I'm honestly not sure how a state wildlife agency would go about putting further restrictions on. It seems like once something is approved it's next to impossible to take it away due to the pushback. If you had hundreds of dollars wrapped up in your DS decoys and all of a sudden they were banned in your state, you would be irate. Same with long range turkey rigs, etc ....I'm not sure how they could realistically ban TSS or tight chokes, etc.....and since TSS is non toxic vs lead I don't see that ever passing. "Maybe" decoys and blinds......We might be better served by pushing for significant fee hikes for turkey tags. That would filter out some of the casual guys and also add valuable revenue that could be devoted to habitat work, etc. And rather than pushing for mandatory restrictions on gear and tactics, there may be room to influence such things from a social standpoint. If you look at things like the resurgence of the old Bottomland camo....it's because eventually most guys like to be considered "old school". It's like a badge of honor. Eventually Bottomland became "cooler" than the modern patterns because the old guy wearing the original were respected ad the seasoned veterans they were. There does seem to be a bit of a shift taking place to old school tactics. More and more guys hanging up the dekes and trying to call them close in the timber vs field ambushing from a blind. Then we have the rise of the 410's and other sub gauges. These could be moves in the right direction. I've already made a lot of these moves myself. We can use our influence to encourage other hunters especially younger hunters to strip down their tech and up the challenge in their sport. Get out of the blind. Get back in the timber. Lose the decoys, etc. Let them see for themselves that the enjoyment is in the challenge of the pursuit, not the score card. I have noticed that I see less and less guys posting their bird stats (spurs and beards) versus a few years ago when it seemed every harvest photo had to have a stat sheet attached. That's a great thing, imo. And I think that's a testament to what positive social
pressure can do.

We are bouncing ideas for sure: One thing though, hiking fees may eliminate the "casual" hunter but it may also eliminate devoted hunters who just don't have that cash flow. Yes, I understand the money thing as far as hi dolla tech. It's not gonna happen bc too much money comes in from companies making the "tech". But it could be done. My opinion is for what it takes to prevent telling a NR he can't hunt NF, or price a hunter out of other states. The Midwest enjoys big white tails bc of geography, bc of genetics, bc of agriculture, and admitting, bc of limited NR access....but also bc they have LONG archery seasons and short firearm seasons. ANYBODY can archery hunt if they re willing to accept the limitations. Conversely with Turkey, you can hunt if you're willing to do so without the tech- Not everyone will

Bag limit changes are not the end all solution, as we all know. Instead of hanging up the gear many hunters just go on to other states or they start recruiting people to call for and take hunting. I know a guy that fills his one tag and then proceeds to take anywhere from 5-10 additional people through the season. Since we have had a one bird limit he is actually responsible for more birds then when he was hunting his own two.

When it comes to money, I imagine in most states turkey tags generate a very small % of the game commission's funds. they will never dictate the attention deer and fishing does, it's simply a supplement to most agencies.

Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on March 27, 2024, 12:11:20 PM
I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

X2

Quote from: Gobbler428 on March 28, 2024, 07:39:24 AM

Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on March 27, 2024, 12:11:20 PM
I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

X2

It's not the harvesting of timber that's the problem. It's the changes in timber management over the years that gets them to the point where they can be harvested that's the issue.

Apperently I must be wired differently than some. When I see logging activity in a big forest setting it gets a pin. No bigger attractor in the big woods in spring than an opening big or small, natural or man made.

These openings provide the security of open space during periods of rain and better yet prime nesting and brood rearing habitat if managed correctly.

If you want more turkeys let the timber companies cut. What needs to be put in place is a management plan conducive to wildlife through the all the stages of a growing forest after said cutting. A thinning regime needs to be put in place to allow light to get the forest floor after the initial 2 to 3 year benefit seen from the logging.

Recent studies are indicating the number one factor effecting turkey populations is the pathetic availability of quality nesting and brood rearing habit throughout the country. It is also becoming apperent to many that any disturbance especially fire and logging that allows light to the forest floor is extremely beneficial to wild turkeys.

Closed canopy hardwoods with open understories are not the the answer. Great for fall winter habitat and of course hunting. Not so great at providing the requirements needed to bring a turkey from egg to adult. There will be turkeys around but the population will not come close to its potential unless " proper" management practices are put into place that and  includes disturbances like fire and logging.

Quote from: Dtrkyman on March 27, 2024, 08:45:59 AM
I think it needs to be broken down more specifically, one thing Illinois does well is county by county tags and the smaller state lands are tag specific for that one place.

They also have 5 separated seasons.

I don't like seeing opportunities taken away however the focus should be on population effects, which may be minimal?

I wouldn't mind seeing a premium to get a second tag, and or not allowing a second tag until you fill the first.

I like one bird per day restrictions and even one bird the first week like Missouri.

Keeping non res off federal land is a joke!

Tom's are supposedly expendable after peak breeding but there would be less on the landscape to hear and work from year to year.

Hopefully the Covid effect starts to slow down!


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I have a love hate with the IL regs. I've spent my whole life crossing the river from IN to IL for deer and turkeys (we own land and all my extended family is from IL). The cut up seasons are annoying as hell but I also appreciate them because it enables the state to provide more tags. If they had a month long open season they would never be able to issue the same amount of permits. And I agree wholeheartedly that the county quota system is great tho I do wonder what data they're running that off of because their broke govt ain't sending biologists into my neck of the woods.

Then on the other side a 5 day season really can suck if you hit bad weather or something comes up at home...

In just about everything we hunt here in the U.S., habitat management would make more of a difference than harvest management.

Things like CRP programs, managed burns, tree planting, etc...

And rather than harvest limits per hunter, I would think that harvest quotas per area would be better.  After so many birds are killed on any given wildlife area, shut it down....

Turkey populations will rise and fall drastically independent of hunting depending on the yearly habitat conditions.  Would not take them long to come back strong, and it certainly does not take long for them to plummet.

I am looking for it - But once upon a time I found the harvest data per hunter for NJ.  A place where you could kill a gobbler every day of the season if you had the money for tags.

Something like 4 people killed 5+ turkeys.  But the vast majority of the turkey harvest was people killing 1.  I bet you could extrapolate that across the country.

I guess the point being, is a 5% harvest reduction (bringing it down to 1 bird) going to actually make a difference.

Bigger issue is always going to be habitat and predator control.

That parking lot pic is outrageous!!Yhat would piss me off!!

Quote from: mdmitchell on March 28, 2024, 11:38:29 AM
1 bird in IN here. 1 bird in KY on public - 2 if private. IL is 2 I'd you're willing to pay for multi tags which I do not so I stick with 1 bird.

Personally I love the 1 bird limit. It helps the birds and keeps the woods from staying busy all season. Guys fill a tag and they're done.

It's crazy to hear the bag limits in the southern states as compared to what we typically have in the Midwest.

You're still allowed 2 turkey in KY on public. You just can't kill them both off of the same place


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Quote from: High plains drifter on March 28, 2024, 12:56:08 PM
That parking lot pic is outrageous!!Yhat would piss me off!!

That's every parking lot, WMA or National Forest around here. Last year, opening morning I took my dad on his neighbors place and around 9 or so he decided he was done hunting. I went to that particular WMA and it had more trucks than that, at every pull off, I went to 6 different counties, 15 different parking areas on several WMA tracts, and a ton of NF land. I drove from around 9:30 am until 6 pm, found one spot that didn't have a vehicle, went in and was working a gobbler, he's maybe 70 yards away, coming. He slicks up, takes off running, 45 seconds to a minute later, here come two guys, no facemask, no hat, no gloves, short sleeve shirts, carrying their guns like they were on the cross, and walked 30 yards right by me. Had no clue I or the turkey was ever there. I went back to the truck and drove home. 400 mile round trip, got out once, walked for 25 minutes, was set up for maybe 15 minutes and then back on the road. Unfortunately, that's the common theme around here the past 2 seasons. 

It's almost to the point of ethics and morals being damned, I'm going hunting right in amongst em because that's the only way you're going to be able to hunt at all. Gonna have to bust right on through there and chase the same bird along side of them. They do it to us.


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In Illinois we can get 3 birds. Counties are allotted so many tags per season, so I can't blame non-residents on a declining population the state already decided that's how many birds can be taken out. Now there are other things that are frustrating such as parking in non-parking areas on public ground. This is supposed to be illegal according to the site rules, but out of state plates are always parked on the side of the road for an easier walk. Sure come hunt our state, I may want to hunt yours one of these days. The regs are easy to find online, take 5 minutes and read them before your hunt.

Quote from: ScottTaulbee on March 28, 2024, 01:07:23 PM

Quote from: mdmitchell on March 28, 2024, 11:38:29 AM
1 bird in IN here. 1 bird in KY on public - 2 if private. IL is 2 I'd you're willing to pay for multi tags which I do not so I stick with 1 bird.

Personally I love the 1 bird limit. It helps the birds and keeps the woods from staying busy all season. Guys fill a tag and they're done.

It's crazy to hear the bag limits in the southern states as compared to what we typically have in the Midwest.

You're still allowed 2 turkey in KY on public. You just can't kill them both off of the same place


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Ahhh ok thanks for the clarification

I think 2 is perfect number. Honestly I would be content with one. But 2 is a good middle ground

I live in a multiple tag state, but I'd be okay with 1 gobbler IF I knew it would help the population recover. I get more than one tag, but I'm not looking to fill them all. It's more about getting to be out there than stacking game for me.

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    All States should raise the price of a non resident Turkey Hunting Permit. I would have no problem  paying double the cost of a New Jersey Turkey Permit which is $21 Bucks. Jersey should charge $42 Bucks for those tags that non residents need to buy.
    And my home State of New York should definitely  raise the price of a non resident Turkey Permit. Currently- for $20 Bucks you get 2 Spring Turkey Permits and 1 Fall Turkey Permit. 3 Tags for just $20 Bucks.No wonder New York has so many non resident Turkey Hunters visiting every Spring. And a NY non Resident  hunting License only costs a low of $100 Bucks.
    A few here has said that limiting non resident Turkey hunters to 1 Gobbler is the way to go . I agree.

It is one in my part of Texas.  Eastern birds here.  I think the four bird statewide limit is high and should go to three. 

I'm fine with 2 birds for residents. I'd like to see 1 for non residents and higher tag prices. The WMAs in this state have become a joke. I've seen a parking lot as bad or worse than above at a wma half that size.

Ky just raised the OOS fees. Don't know if for this year or next.

Simply stated, this discussion all comes down to wildlife biology 101.  If you have a declining resource, you make adjustments wherever needed to protect the remaining resource at a level where that resource has the ability to recover should that decline be reversed.  For wildlife managers, the single factor that is most easily controlled is human-caused mortality in the form of hunting.

There are a variety of ways to reduce that hunting mortality, many of which have been mentioned in this discussion.  Until that problem of a declining resource, wherever it might be occurring, is addressed, wildlife managers (if they are knowledgeable, responsible, and free of negative outside influences) are going to continue to incorporate more and more restrictive regulations in an attempt to minimize the impact on the remaining resource. 

Each of us can "choose our poison" as to how to best go about minimizing that impact, but rest assured, without a reversal of those factors that are the "real" culprits...reproduction/population recruitment failure...we are doomed to seeing more and more restrictions put in place over time.  Those will almost assuredly be in the form of more restrictive bag limits, hunting methods, shorter seasons, and/or reduced hunter participation...or some combination of those.

Hunting is the quickest and easiest thing to change. In my opinion, hunting may be a contributor to declines, but it is not the central cause. Sadly the bigger issues are long term strategies and optimal fixes are outside the scope of state agencies. They simply can't impact enough private land management to make a huge difference. Over all I see an improvement in farming practices around my area, and a slight change in timber management, but most landowners only see forest land as cash reserve and monetary value. Loggers exploit this and throw big numbers at the landowners to get access. Once in they absolutely destroy the woods. The only way to mitigate that is engage foresters or do your homework and hire low impact loggers. Landowners need to have a contract and require a bond unless they wholehearted know they can trust the logger. Human encroachment doesn't help either. We see more and more larger tracts of land busted up into smaller plots and sold off. Those get developed into home or vacation plots with cabins or homes. I just saw a 170 acres of prime turkey habitat reduced to developer plots. Money is indeed the root of all evil, including the turkey woods. It's already been said in previous discussions, but I'll say it again, changing bag limits is not going to bring back birds, it may help stabilize the flock a little, but I doubt it. If hunting is a cause then cease killing opportunities by reducing seasons or just stop all hunting, but no agency is going to commit professional suicide and do that. I am for doing all we can to stabilize flocks, but in all honesty, barring a huge social/economic paradigm shift, I think we are past the point of restoring the flocks we saw 25-30 years ago. The best we can hope for is sustaining what we have.

Quote from: Vintage on March 30, 2024, 08:06:46 PM
Ky just raised the OOS fees. Don't know if for this year or next.

Where did you get this info. I just checked and they said License are unchanged this year.

Quote from: Paulmyr on March 28, 2024, 11:13:13 AM

Quote from: Gobbler428 on March 28, 2024, 07:39:24 AM

Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on March 27, 2024, 12:11:20 PM
I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

X2

It's not the harvesting of timber that's the problem. It's the changes in timber management over the years that gets them to the point where they can be harvested that's the issue.

Apperently I must be wired differently than some. When I see logging activity in a big forest setting it gets a pin. No bigger attractor in the big woods in spring than an opening big or small, natural or man made.

These openings provide the security of open space during periods of rain and better yet prime nesting and brood rearing habitat if managed correctly.

If you want more turkeys let the timber companies cut. What needs to be put in place is a management plan conducive to wildlife through the all the stages of a growing forest after said cutting. A thinning regime needs to be put in place to allow light to get the forest floor after the initial 2 to 3 year benefit seen from the logging.

Recent studies are indicating the number one factor effecting turkey populations is the pathetic availability of quality nesting and brood rearing habit throughout the country. It is also becoming apperent to many that any disturbance especially fire and logging that allows light to the forest floor is extremely beneficial to wild turkeys.

Closed canopy hardwoods with open understories are not the the answer. Great for fall winter habitat and of course hunting. Not so great at providing the requirements needed to bring a turkey from egg to adult. There will be turkeys around but the population will not come close to its potential unless " proper" management practices are put into place that and  includes disturbances like fire and logging.

Paulmyr I would like to expand on your take here. I agree with you that it is more the way it's managed rather than that it is. Clear cuts ARE a game draw and ARE a pin on my map as well. The problem is that here in east central MS most of the land is timber company owned. That means VAST cuts at one time. It is very common to see cuts as far as you can see with absolutely no trees left. That's gonna limit how much and how long a turkey can utilize it. In a season or two it turns into an impenetrable briar patch- for hundreds of yards. And the companies don't respect the hardwoods and SMZ. They cut right up to the banks of even large creeks etc.They certainly do not replant hardwoods either. Also, the spraying practice by helicopter or plane not only destroys native plants but has been proven to stunt or eliminate acorn production on any oak left big enough to not be killed outright. If you pay to lease timber company land you have no rights here/ they will bid it out to be cut during turkey/deer season regardless of Why you leased it.

Quote from: Prospector on March 31, 2024, 08:27:05 AM

Quote from: Paulmyr on March 28, 2024, 11:13:13 AM

Quote from: Gobbler428 on March 28, 2024, 07:39:24 AM

Quote from: Ihuntoldschool on March 27, 2024, 12:11:20 PM
I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

X2

It's not the harvesting of timber that's the problem. It's the changes in timber management over the years that gets them to the point where they can be harvested that's the issue.

Apperently I must be wired differently than some. When I see logging activity in a big forest setting it gets a pin. No bigger attractor in the big woods in spring than an opening big or small, natural or man made.

These openings provide the security of open space during periods of rain and better yet prime nesting and brood rearing habitat if managed correctly.

If you want more turkeys let the timber companies cut. What needs to be put in place is a management plan conducive to wildlife through the all the stages of a growing forest after said cutting. A thinning regime needs to be put in place to allow light to get the forest floor after the initial 2 to 3 year benefit seen from the logging.

Recent studies are indicating the number one factor effecting turkey populations is the pathetic availability of quality nesting and brood rearing habit throughout the country. It is also becoming apperent to many that any disturbance especially fire and logging that allows light to the forest floor is extremely beneficial to wild turkeys.

Closed canopy hardwoods with open understories are not the the answer. Great for fall winter habitat and of course hunting. Not so great at providing the requirements needed to bring a turkey from egg to adult. There will be turkeys around but the population will not come close to its potential unless " proper" management practices are put into place that and  includes disturbances like fire and logging.

Paulmyr I would like to expand on your take here. I agree with you that it is more the way it's managed rather than that it is. Clear cuts ARE a game draw and ARE a pin on my map as well. The problem is that here in east central MS most of the land is timber company owned. That means VAST cuts at one time. It is very common to see cuts as far as you can see with absolutely no trees left. That's gonna limit how much and how long a turkey can utilize it. In a season or two it turns into an impenetrable briar patch- for hundreds of yards. And the companies don't respect the hardwoods and SMZ. They cut right up to the banks of even large creeks etc.They certainly do not replant hardwoods either. Also, the spraying practice by helicopter or plane not only destroys native plants but has been proven to stunt or eliminate acorn production on any oak left big enough to not be killed outright. If you pay to lease timber company land you have no rights here/ they will bid it out to be cut during turkey/deer season regardless of Why you leased it.

Amen brother I hunt 10,000 acres of mostly timber company land in South Carolina and 
it seems like they are cutting and spraying somewhere on us constantly and the only hardwoods left are mostly in the bottoms near the creeks where they leave a few that don't get sprayed. Last year they starting cutting on one of our tracks on opening day of turkey season and its normal for them to spray while hens are nesting,

Quote from: Vintage on March 30, 2024, 08:06:46 PM
Ky just raised the OOS fees. Don't know if for this year or next.

Not sure what they used to be but I paid $242.05 total for my KY oos license. That was online so there was some sort of convenience fee tacked on.

The moral of timber companies is that they are in the timber, not wildlife bizness no matter how many touchy feely pamphlets they put out demonstrating different.
I am not normally for lots of regs but in this case I wish that there were more to help our natural resources as a whole rather than just exploitation of one of them. Money buys influence though and that is very apparent in my home state.

Quote from: deathfoot on March 31, 2024, 08:46:04 AM

Quote from: Vintage on March 30, 2024, 08:06:46 PM
Ky just raised the OOS fees. Don't know if for this year or next.

Not sure what they used to be but I paid $242.05 total for my KY oos license. That was online so there was some sort of convenience fee tacked on.

That's probably what he's talking about. They added that "convenience fee" this year. We've never had that before


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Indiana raised their prices for oos last season or the season before. For deer, it is now over 500$ for the bundle license. It did not change the amount of oos pressure I saw deer hunting on state property. I feel like the guys that take the time to hunt out of state are going to do it regardless of price. If anything, I feel like increased prices may increase the pressure from your more serious guys. The perceived notion that the price is going to keep people from also going is an incentive to go. Let's face it, what is 100 or 2 dollars now. It's a drop in a bucket in the grand scheme of things. I'm happy with Indiana 1 bird limit. Public land is a zoo anymore it feels like.

I have a friend in West Tennessee who spends a fortune on turkey habitat each year. Owns 680 acres where you don't hunt your bird, you select him. Two years ago we counted over 80 jakes in a field.I typically hunt with him, doing an afternoon and following morning hunt...always kill two,  three or four year old birds.

He only hunts first two weeks of the season taking friends each day. He harvest his birds by the 3rd day of the season. Last year there were 23 birds taken on 15 hunting days. If he shot 4 birds per man per season, he would not make a dent in his population. There are areas of the state where you are lucky to kill one bird a year. I see no reason to not allow a higher harvest total when the state knows there is probably less than one bird average taken per hunter a year. What difference would it make if the limit was three per year and very few will even get two?

Virginia:  3 per season with no more than 2 in the Fall.  That's about right. From what I have seen, Virginia manages it flocks well.  Over the last years, I've seen more turkeys than ever before.  And I am seeing them in places I've never seen them before. 

Quote from: Prospector on March 27, 2024, 05:17:10 AM
Too many with a caveat:
Mississippi-currently has a 3 bird limit. My personal opinion is NR should be one and one only. Resident should have a one ( maybe 2) bird limit at license purchase with an opportunity at an additional tag with a predator bounty.
Quit wasting money on tele-check. Look at the NWTF harvest report for MS. Little over 11k reported but MS "thinks" like 30k actual. Wow. Even they know it's ridiculous. Use $ for something else. Like supporting a predator bounty... get all us NWTF members off our duff and #1 trapping- gotta get that tag! and #2 helping man and support that predator bounty.... Just one poor man's opinion. lol, might have got a little more than u asked....

Yep predators are out of control.  I kill every coon, possum and coyote I see, but need help.

I know these post are old but Pa. starting in 27 it will be 1 Gobbler per season.The GC came up with some really off the wall reason why stating they added Sunday hunting. The 2nd tag was the most expensive out of all the extra tags you could buy and over 25,000 hunters purchased this tag.

Texas different limits for different counties, based mostly on the turkey population.  A lot of Rio territory has four bird limits.  Some Rio counties have a one bird limit, many have a four bird limits.
Easterns in E. Texas are a one bird limit.  And we start that season very late to make the breeding is done. 
I don't see most of those counties changing any time soon.  A lot of counties around me are closed to turkey hunting and that's a annual concern for me where I hunt.
So my answer is, that Texas probably has it about right, set the limit and the seasons according to the population.

As I see it; habitat loss is huge. And sometimes, somethinng weird just happens. Several years ago, a buddy of mine saw a bunch of jakes that particular spring while hunting. He probably let 4 or 5 groups of 4 or 5 walk away. We thought the next spring was going to be lots of fun..only problem was; the next spring, we never heard the first gobbler in any of those areas and only found 1 hen track. We have no idea what happened or where they could have gone. Wildlife and fisheries denies trapping them..says no reports of dieoffs..nothing.
I know the reports say that few guys collect more than 1 bird. But I know in some cases, some of these guys shoot far more than that. I know a guy who told me several years ago that he had gotten 10 the previous year by driving around on rainy days and shooting from the truck. He got caught last year for that exact violation..and not tagging the turkey. Years ago, a poacher was caught night hunting and had been selling the game. The report was he had killed over 1000 deer and turkeys in the previous 3 years. Just imagine the damage THAT did to the populations

Bag restrictions can actually in rare cases work against a population. Game animals seem to do best when they are harvested to the allowable limit. It keeps them in recovery mode. Stock pile too many and you exceed the carrying capacity and nature will cull and correct the imbalance. She usually does it very cruelly by human standards and it's usually an over correction. Her favorite tool is Disease. Over abundance of predators, again from lack of hunting are overzealous killers. I hold a personal opinion that deer baiting has been very bad for our turkeys, it concentrates them and spreads disease. When entire flocks disappear suddenly I am guessing it's disease. My cousins farm has been intensely managed for years and within one year the entire east side flock disappeared (on 980 acres) . Hunting and predators didn't do that. There's a group of deer hunters that bait the neighbors and I wonder if they got some bad corn. Perhaps the avian flue hit them. I heard a veterinarian virologist say avian flue was 100% fatal to turkeys. I know one thing I believe as an absolute, removing one gobbler from a personal bag limit is a joke when it comes to saving turkeys. It's all fluff and propaganda. I done the numbers for Ohio and it came down to Approx. one gobbler per township +/- (23,000 acres) saved. That's a nothing number when it comes to flock preservation. The loud voices cry, "Do something" and the DNR do the most obvious and easiest. The NWTF and TFT are two very loud voices. They don't always get it right. The trouble is high ranking people see a problem in their little honey hole or state region  and cry, "The world is ending". It's not ending, but there are localized problems. What happens in Ga. may or may not apply in the northern states. 

Between wildlife commissions/dnr's using unproven theories to delay seasons etc, states retaliating against each other with non resident restrictions etc, a slew of people trying to be social media famous with no thought of the regular Joe local hunters left to pick up the pieces after they are long gone and the hunting industry (mossy oak etc) funding the entire thing for profit. We are in a mess for the near future

Quote from: eggshell on February 14, 2026, 11:03:37 PM Her favorite tool is Disease. When entire flocks disappear suddenly I am guessing it's disease. My cousins farm has been intensely managed for years and within one year the entire east side flock disappeared (on 980 acres) . Hunting and predators didn't do that. Perhaps the avian flue hit them. I heard a veterinarian virologist say avian flue was 100% fatal to turkeys.

I know one thing I believe as an absolute, removing one gobbler from a personal bag limit is a joke when it comes to saving turkeys. It's all fluff and propaganda. I done the numbers for Ohio and it came down to Approx. one gobbler per township +/- (23,000 acres) saved. That's a nothing number when it comes to flock preservation. The loud voices cry, "Do something" and the DNR do the most obvious and easiest. The NWTF and TFT are two very loud voices. They don't always get it right. The trouble is high ranking people see a problem in their little honey hole or state region  and cry, "The world is ending". It's not ending, but there are localized problems. What happens in Ga. may or may not apply in the northern states. 

I've been thinking the exact same thing. It seems it's a problem that's very hard to figure out, but removing (or not removing) males of a species was never a population control method.

I wish Mississippi would adopt Missouri's season structure and bag limit. 2 for residents and 1 now for non residents. Cut the 6 week season down to at least 4 weeks. Also bump the start date back to match Bama's.

Quote from: slave601 on February 15, 2026, 10:15:38 AMI wish Mississippi would adopt Missouri's season structure and bag limit. 2 for residents and 1 now for non residents. Cut the 6 week season down to at least 4 weeks. Also bump the start date back to match Bama's.

Mississippi is the evidence pushing season back doesnt help increase reproduction. So few residents kill 3 and so few non residents kill 2, dropping the bag limit will accomplish nothing at all on a landscape level. Yes it could.help on a small localized scale by increasing carryover (i.e. heavily hunted club) but ultimately youd just be taking away opportunity for all with hardly anything to gain in return.

If you really think most residents barely kill 3 you're sadly mistaken. You may work for MDWFP but you're very out of touch of what really goes on here in our state. 6 weeks is enough pressure on turkeys. My season shortening statement was to limit the pressure not as much as the reproduction aspect

Quote from: slave601 on February 15, 2026, 11:37:09 AMIf you really think most residents barely kill 3 you're sadly mistaken. You may work for MDWFP but you're very out of touch of what really goes on here in our state. 6 weeks is enough pressure on turkeys. My season shortening statement was to limit the pressure not as much as the reproduction aspect

We can disagree all day long, but I assure you I'm not out of touch with turkey hunting in Mississippi. Yes, a lot of birds go unreported. But its not like half your turkey hunters are killing 3 or more.  Ive lived/worked on both ends of the state and hunted/have contacts everywhere between.

Some things I think we can agree on:

1.) An astonishing number of turkeys are now whacked with the aid of bait. Turkeys that would not have died so quickly a decade ago.

2.) Turkey hunter numbers and hunting pressure are as high as theyve ever been.

Those two things alone have drastically changed turkey hunting quality across our state.

I can agree with those. Feeders and cell cams are depleting gobblers at an alarming rate. I just think that if the season was shorter and one less on the limit and non residents limited to 1 bird it could help. I've hunted Mississippi every year since I was 9 and I'm 41 now. I do not work during season so I hunt every single day of season. I'm putting boots on the ground day in and out. I've seen the changes. I KNOW what's really killing turkeys. I'm just stating a few legal changes that could help. Because at the end of the day unless it's a 1k fine and losing possession of a hunting license like "spot lighting" 75% of hunters around here are going to bait turkeys and shoot em over it.

Stop wishing for restrictions that make zero impact on turkey production. It's a crazy phenomenon. We must stop this madness.

Provide better habitat. Trap/kill predators. And turn in turkey baiters. Etc. That is what matters to turkeys.

I've watched a few videos on turkey hunting in New Zealand lately.  They basically consider turkeys a nuisance species.  So, while hunting pressure may not be much as here in the US, the turkeys there have zero predators.  They roost about a couple feet off the ground.  It certainly gives you a clue as to the impacts of our population if we could get predators under control.   

Quote from: arkrem870 on February 15, 2026, 12:48:23 PMStop wishing for restrictions that make zero impact on turkey production. It's a crazy phenomenon. We must stop this madness.

Provide better habitat. Trap/kill predators. And turn in turkey baiters. Etc. That is what matters to turkeys.

I don't wish on season changes. I'm just saying Mississippi doesn't need a 6 week long season. 4 weeks are plenty enough. Yes the amount of baiting and varmints in the woods nowadays is causing a big effect. More people would rather cry and complain we don't have turkeys than to trap like they should be. If everyone would do their part I can guarantee the turkeys would profit from it.

Quote from: slave601 on February 15, 2026, 12:40:17 PMBecause at the end of the day unless it's a 1k fine and losing possession of a hunting license like "spot lighting" 75% of hunters around here are going to bait turkeys and shoot em over it.

If it was up to me, baiting turkeys would result in a license suspension! It is amazing how quickly the turkey baiting escalated after it was legalized for deer, and then during the instant gratification social media era. Baiting for turkey is even becoming more common on public land.

Quote from: slave601 on February 15, 2026, 02:53:49 PM

Quote from: arkrem870 on February 15, 2026, 12:48:23 PMStop wishing for restrictions that make zero impact on turkey production. It's a crazy phenomenon. We must stop this madness.

Provide better habitat. Trap/kill predators. And turn in turkey baiters. Etc. That is what matters to turkeys.

I don't wish on season changes. I'm just saying Mississippi doesn't need a 6 week long season. 4 weeks are plenty enough. Yes the amount of baiting and varmints in the woods nowadays is causing a big effect. More people would rather cry and complain we don't have turkeys than to trap like they should be. If everyone would do their part I can guarantee the turkeys would profit from it.

It is actually an 8 week season when you count youth. And personally, even though I know it has no impact other than a tiny bit more carryover on a localized scale, I'd be fine knocking 7-10 days off it. Mostly at the end. If that gobbler survives til about April 20 or so with all the pressure we see, he deserves to live!

Quote from: slave601 on February 15, 2026, 12:40:17 PMI can agree with those. Feeders and cell cams are depleting gobblers at an alarming rate. I just think that if the season was shorter and one less on the limit and non residents limited to 1 bird it could help. I've hunted Mississippi every year since I was 9 and I'm 41 now. I do not work during season so I hunt every single day of season. I'm putting boots on the ground day in and out. I've seen the changes. I KNOW what's really killing turkeys. I'm just stating a few legal changes that could help. Because at the end of the day unless it's a 1k fine and losing possession of a hunting license like "spot lighting" 75% of hunters around here are going to bait turkeys and shoot em over it.

So I assume, even though you take the WHOLE season off to turkey hunt, you also self impose those restrictions/limits on yourself?

Or are you another one that needs the government to regulate you vs do it yourself?

If you believe in it, start practicing it on your own.


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Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 15, 2026, 03:32:55 PM

Quote from: slave601 on February 15, 2026, 12:40:17 PMI can agree with those. Feeders and cell cams are depleting gobblers at an alarming rate. I just think that if the season was shorter and one less on the limit and non residents limited to 1 bird it could help. I've hunted Mississippi every year since I was 9 and I'm 41 now. I do not work during season so I hunt every single day of season. I'm putting boots on the ground day in and out. I've seen the changes. I KNOW what's really killing turkeys. I'm just stating a few legal changes that could help. Because at the end of the day unless it's a 1k fine and losing possession of a hunting license like "spot lighting" 75% of hunters around here are going to bait turkeys and shoot em over it.

So I assume, even though you take the WHOLE season off to turkey hunt, you also self impose those restrictions/limits on yourself?

Or are you another one that needs the government to regulate you vs do it yourself?

If you believe in it, start practicing it on your own.


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For one you don't know me to start making any accusations. I usually hunt 8-10 states on public ground every year. I'm gone from Mississippi by either the bama opener or Tennessee opener. I have 3 children and we work for their limits before I even attempt mine. So you can throw those comments else where 🫡

Simple question, unanswered, that has nothing to do with the number of children or other states.

We all know the likely answer, I just wanted to see if you'd claim it.

And by chasing the kids limits first maybe you don't by default vs choice.

If you hunt Ms so little, why be so invested to want residents cut by 33% and NR cut by 66%.

Also, kids pretty much have school so you have 5 days a week to hunt for yourself for the most part.


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For one.... My kids "spring break" lands our youth and opening week. Secondly they home school so they can hunt as much as possible. And hunting "so little" of Mississippi? We hunt from the youth opener till usually April 11th. That's around 5 weeks. You're trying to call me something you have no business calling someone you don't know. You're assuming and reaching. The original topic was too many or too less tags. Go point your theory's and accusations elsewhere

You don't self impose what you preach for

Got it


Also, in your travels why not go to MO over TN? They now have the limits you like

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Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 15, 2026, 04:30:33 PMYou don't self impose what you preach for

Got it


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Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 15, 2026, 04:30:33 PMYou don't self impose what you preach for

Got it


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I have better things to do then defend myself against a keyboard warrior that has no idea who I am. You clearly missed the whole topic and started finger pointing at someone you have no idea who they are. Tennessee opens before Missouri and I hunt Missouri as I have done for 20ish years now every year. Have a nice day and good luck to you this season 👍🏼

Keyboard warrior?

I typed one question that has STILL not be answered.

A simple moral question, do you practice what you preach is all.


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Go back to 6 starting on the 15th ending last day of April --- no decoys, no prefabricated blinds, nothing but lead/copper shot or bows -- harsher penalties for baiting

NJ recently closed the fall season. I'm hearing rumors from good sources about at least one zone closing and an actual season limit.
We need to start bobcat trapping and take the birds of prey off the untouchable list. They kill lots poults.
One point of consideration.. We are sportsman. We originally asked for limits and regs. We can be conscious of issues and self limit. Ask someone about that it'll be a foreign concept to most.
If the state "game managers" can't respond quickly enough we can. Guys wanna keep hunting, shoot one bird than take a kid. It's much harder and will be less impact

Quote from: WLT III on February 16, 2026, 09:03:36 AMNo self respecting turkey hunter would kill his own turkeys

In my circle that depends. Between myself and family we own approximately 1400 acres of turkey habitat. I do kill birds off that land and leave the public for those who don't have private. What we do though is take inventory and estimate our flock and set a property limit. Most years we keep it to 3-4 gobblers harvested, we have taken as many as 6, but that was in really strong years and only about 20% of the mature gobblers on the property. So yes we have practiced self imposed limits for years. I think you could take 30% of the mature gobblers and be ok. Yet we still saw a decline on one side of the farm, so our management was not a guarantee of flock stability. Its intensely managed habitat too. Actually my cousin won National Tree farm of the year several years ago and was honored by at the white house by George Bush. The habitat and management has been in place and still we lost a big chunk of the flock. That's why I believe disease and nest predators are more the culprit then over-harvet. Last year we took 2 gobblers and our inventory was 20+.

Quote from: WLT III on February 16, 2026, 09:44:25 AMNot knocking anyone who does, especially on that much ground, but I just can't target gobblers that I see almost everyday, year round. Sounds like you have a good management plan though :icon_thumright:   

Thanks we take pride in our land

Never understood the over satisfaction and self congratulations of "yeah killed that one on public". lol. Who cares?

As turkey hunters, my advice would be to just take the time to observe what is happening where you hunt...and then, perhaps, adjust your attitude towards killing turkeys accordingly.

Where I hunt, over the last decade or so, here is what I have witnessed. Every year I hear (and see) fewer and fewer gobblers. In pretty much every area of the public land I hunt, where once I could almost assuredly hear multiple gobblers in the morning on any day of the season, I am now maybe hearing a single bird...and more regularly, none at all. Simply put, there are, without question, fewer gobblers in our woods.

At the same time, I am also seeing more and more hunters pursuing the remaining gobblers...and with equipment and tactics that are much more effective than those used over the previous several decades. There is absolutely no question that there is a direct correlation between the decline in gobbler numbers with the increase in hunter numbers and their effectiveness.

Fellers, that bothers me.  As a turkey hunter, I WANT to hear those gobblers...and KNOW that they are there. If I don't, I want SOMETHING to be done about it...and personally, if that means I have less opportunity in terms of such things as season lengths and bag limits, so be it.

Sure, I want those restrictions to be based on science (to a degree), but when I can see with my own eyes what is happening...and clearly as a result of that increased pressure on the resource...it is time for changes, both in management...and my attitude about my approach to killing gobblers without some level of consciousness. 

Quote from: GobbleNut on February 16, 2026, 10:06:01 AMAs turkey hunters, my advice would be to just take the time to observe what is happening where you hunt...and then, perhaps, adjust your attitude towards killing turkeys accordingly.

Where I hunt, over the last decade or so, here is what I have witnessed. Every year I hear (and see) fewer and fewer gobblers. In pretty much every area of the public land I hunt, where once I could almost assuredly hear multiple gobblers in the morning on any day of the season, I am now maybe hearing a single bird...and more regularly, none at all. Simply put, there are, without question, fewer gobblers in our woods.

At the same time, I am also seeing more and more hunters pursuing the remaining gobblers...and with equipment and tactics that are much more effective than those used over the previous several decades. There is absolutely no question that there is a direct correlation between the decline in gobbler numbers with the increase in hunter numbers and their effectiveness.

Fellers, that bothers me.  As a turkey hunter, I WANT to hear those gobblers...and KNOW that they are there. If I don't, I want SOMETHING to be done about it...and personally, if that means I have less opportunity in terms of such things as season lengths and bag limits, so be it.

Sure, I want those restrictions to be based on science (to a degree), but when I can see with my own eyes what is happening...and clearly as a result of that increased pressure on the resource...it is time for changes, both in management...and my attitude about my approach to killing gobblers without some level of consciousness. 

There is alot to this and have seen this in alot of areas across this country I have hunted for many years. In my opinion limits are one part of it but the biggest factor in my opinion that would help would be a reduction in season length and time allocated in the day to hunt. In the early years of Missouri's spring turkey hunting i think they had it correctly "2 week season and only one tag for each 7 day period 1pm closure and no youth season". There were more turkeys during that time frame than what they proclaim was the peak population (which they based off of kills) which happened when season was lengthened to 3 weeks and youth was added and could kill 2 birds in consecutive days starting second weak

GobbleNut, for sure it is a huge fascination for killing turkeys, now.  I was one of the few, young, turkey hunters back in my preteen, teenage and even twenties.  Yeah, some kid would kill one in a field his dad owned, or in a neighbors field, very few turkey hunted.  It has exploded.

What has also exploded is the way timber companies have these new skidders that can demolish a stand of trees in mere days that used to take us months.  I know, I started in the logging business at 13, by 14 was cutting up on the loading group, by 15 cutting trees down.            The timber growing has also changed, today, "let's clear cut it all, replant, grow for several years, thin, clear cut it again. 

I also agree, we, as hunters, need to determine what should be taken off the land.  If your land doesn't have many turkey's, why, oh why, are you going to kill every long beard you can?    Now I understand, neighbors, predators, weather are all going to take some too, but we have "dominion" over the animals, that give us a responsibility in this pursuit.   

I had an interesting conversation with an ol' timer last Spring.

I ran into him where I've been calling my 'home' range hunting spot the last 5 years.  He had seen my truck so he wanted to chat.   He's been hunting there for 40 years.   He shared how much it has changed in the last 5 years.  Said you would hear 10-15 turkeys gobble any given spring morning.  Now we're lucky it hear 2. 

I asked him what he thought the change was, people? social media? TSS? ect.  He said the amount of hunters hasn't changed.  The landscape hasn't changed (most of it is wilderness)  he said the only thing he has seen change is predators.  Racoons being the biggest increase.  Said he can remember when he saw his first one, now they are like rats. 

Quote from: Swampmonkey on February 16, 2026, 09:58:08 AMNever understood the over satisfaction and self congratulations of "yeah killed that one on public". lol. Who cares?

Lol right

Honestly I've not killed many private birds but the ones I did kill have me more trouble than the public birds.

On public I find birds alone much more so than on private where the flocks aren't busted up.


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Quote from: WLT III on February 16, 2026, 11:35:30 AM

Quote from: Swampmonkey on February 16, 2026, 09:58:08 AMNever understood the over satisfaction and self congratulations of "yeah killed that one on public". lol. Who cares?

I'll start by saying that I've been hunting local public ground way before it was cool. For me, it has not been so much public ground, but hunting pressured turkeys, rather than unpressured turkeys. I enjoy the challenge more than killing someone's pets. Plenty of private turf that is just as heavily pressured as public though

We can agree on that part. Everyone around us has about 500-50acres. If you ain't hunting him someone is

Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 16, 2026, 11:49:02 AM

Quote from: Swampmonkey on February 16, 2026, 09:58:08 AMNever understood the over satisfaction and self congratulations of "yeah killed that one on public". lol. Who cares?

Lol right

Honestly I've not killed many private birds but the ones I did kill have me more trouble than the public birds.

On public I find birds alone much more so than on private where the flocks aren't busted up.


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I've experienced the same

In my zip code, I have witnessed the turkey population spike up and down twice in the 29 years I've been hunting them. Last season I self imposed a limit of 1 in east TN. Let several go late season after I got off the road. There were several Jakes last spring and this year there is a pile of gobblers. 13 in 1 group. So yeah, I'll happily take the limit this season. Turkey populations vary and can go from pitiful to over run in just a few years.

Quote from: appalachianassassin on February 16, 2026, 07:00:22 PMIn my zip code, I have witnessed the turkey population spike up and down twice in the 29 years I've been hunting them. Last season I self imposed a limit of 1 in east TN. Let several go late season after I got off the road. There were several Jakes last spring and this year there is a pile of gobblers. 13 in 1 group. So yeah, I'll happily take the limit this season. Turkey populations vary and can go from pitiful to over run in just a few years.

Agree, very cyclical and compounding population changes can happen quickly with the right/wrong conditions in both good direction and bad.

Nothing wrong with self imposed limits if one believes in it. Personally I don't think the harvest is hardly measurable on the population swings but who really knows.


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Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 16, 2026, 07:32:46 PM

Quote from: appalachianassassin on February 16, 2026, 07:00:22 PMIn my zip code, I have witnessed the turkey population spike up and down twice in the 29 years I've been hunting them. Last season I self imposed a limit of 1 in east TN. Let several go late season after I got off the road. There were several Jakes last spring and this year there is a pile of gobblers. 13 in 1 group. So yeah, I'll happily take the limit this season. Turkey populations vary and can go from pitiful to over run in just a few years.

Agree, very cyclical and compounding population changes can happen quickly with the right/wrong conditions in both good direction and bad.

Nothing wrong with self imposed limits if one believes in it. Personally I don't think the harvest is hardly measurable on the population swings but who really knows.


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Do you believe predators could be part of the problem? Humans are predators. How come areas you hunt, often right near where we are ,always have at least one property, the one with the no hunting signs, saturated with turkey and deer. If its local everything else us the same. 
Might be obvious to think thats where they just got pushed to but if everything else was the same the flocks, herds ought to diminish. They dont.
Something to think about.
Now understand dead is dead no matter how theyre killed. We have to have an affect I'd think

Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 16, 2026, 07:32:46 PM

Quote from: appalachianassassin on February 16, 2026, 07:00:22 PMIn my zip code, I have witnessed the turkey population spike up and down twice in the 29 years I've been hunting them. Last season I self imposed a limit of 1 in east TN. Let several go late season after I got off the road. There were several Jakes last spring and this year there is a pile of gobblers. 13 in 1 group. So yeah, I'll happily take the limit this season. Turkey populations vary and can go from pitiful to over run in just a few years.

Agree, very cyclical and compounding population changes can happen quickly with the right/wrong conditions in both good direction and bad.

Nothing wrong with self imposed limits if one believes in it. Personally I don't think the harvest is hardly measurable on the population swings but who really knows.


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Im not sure if hunters have an impact or not. Either way, I wish not to be part of the problem. That, and I prefer adventure hunts anyway.

Quote from: Bowguy on February 17, 2026, 04:27:22 AM

Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 16, 2026, 07:32:46 PM

Quote from: appalachianassassin on February 16, 2026, 07:00:22 PMIn my zip code, I have witnessed the turkey population spike up and down twice in the 29 years I've been hunting them. Last season I self imposed a limit of 1 in east TN. Let several go late season after I got off the road. There were several Jakes last spring and this year there is a pile of gobblers. 13 in 1 group. So yeah, I'll happily take the limit this season. Turkey populations vary and can go from pitiful to over run in just a few years.

Agree, very cyclical and compounding population changes can happen quickly with the right/wrong conditions in both good direction and bad.

Nothing wrong with self imposed limits if one believes in it. Personally I don't think the harvest is hardly measurable on the population swings but who really knows.


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Do you believe predators could be part of the problem? Humans are predators. How come areas you hunt, often right near where we are ,always have at least one property, the one with the no hunting signs, saturated with turkey and deer. If its local everything else us the same. 
Might be obvious to think thats where they just got pushed to but if everything else was the same the flocks, herds ought to diminish. They dont.
Something to think about.
Now understand dead is dead no matter how theyre killed. We have to have an affect I'd think

Birds learn where sanctuary properties are, I 100% believe pressure moves them. Back when I run bird dogs I hunted management plots for Pheasants. After about a week a plot that held 30 birds would only provide a few flushes. ODNR marked off safety no hunting zones around these plots. I would send the dogs into them and wait outside the boundary and birds would pour out of those zones, but they would rarely fly towards the legal shooting area. It would be very hard to convince me they don't learn where they are safe.

It's simple to think....if we didn't allow turkeys to be harvested by hunters the population would boom!  What many fail to realize is turkey are hunted by everything else - coons,coyotes,fox, bobcats, owls, hawks, eagles, snakes etc 24/7 365 and they dont just harvest males like we do.

Spring hunting for gobblers only isn't a threat to wild turkey populations with our current parameters.

Habitat improvement will help - but that is probably the hardest needle to move as Turkey's and turkey hunters are such a small segment of the radar for much of our nation's population.

But predators are something that all of us can do something about even if truly fixing habitat is not doable where we live and hunt. I do not have all the answers and don't pretend to. But one thing I do know - a turkey can nest and operate just find even if she has to nest in open hardwoods (and it happens as I walk up on nests in open hardwoods almost yearly), as long as something does not raid her nest. We can all kill more crows, trap more coons, possums and such. It is just a matter of do we care enough to do it.

Just a question - I have long wondered if banning TSS would make a difference in turkey hunting? I don't know and am just asking. But there is a good chance based on what I encounter in the woods on public - that if folks did not have the means to shoot birds down at 60, 70, 80 or even 90 yards - alot of them would not kill a bird and many of them would eventually give up and find something else to do. I personally would be fine being limited to lead shot only as it used to be. But I am not sure if that is the answer and am just asking for your thoughts?

Death by a thousand cuts, there is generally no smoking gun.

I hunt an area that is predator paradise, it's got em thick, but also has piles of turkeys.  Why, the habitat is incredible, build it and they will come!

Many habitat changes go under the radar, I hunted an area where I had access to a pasture for over a decade, I literally never hunted it as it never had birds.

Lost access a few years ago and it has birds in it every stinking day! The neighbor logged right next to it and the pasture has a new renter, it looks no different but things have changed!


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Quote from: eggshell on February 17, 2026, 07:24:36 AM

Quote from: Bowguy on February 17, 2026, 04:27:22 AM

Quote from: sasquatch1 on February 16, 2026, 07:32:46 PM

Quote from: appalachianassassin on February 16, 2026, 07:00:22 PMIn my zip code, I have witnessed the turkey population spike up and down twice in the 29 years I've been hunting them. Last season I self imposed a limit of 1 in east TN. Let several go late season after I got off the road. There were several Jakes last spring and this year there is a pile of gobblers. 13 in 1 group. So yeah, I'll happily take the limit this season. Turkey populations vary and can go from pitiful to over run in just a few years.

Agree, very cyclical and compounding population changes can happen quickly with the right/wrong conditions in both good direction and bad.

Nothing wrong with self imposed limits if one believes in it. Personally I don't think the harvest is hardly measurable on the population swings but who really knows.


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Do you believe predators could be part of the problem? Humans are predators. How come areas you hunt, often right near where we are ,always have at least one property, the one with the no hunting signs, saturated with turkey and deer. If its local everything else us the same. 
Might be obvious to think thats where they just got pushed to but if everything else was the same the flocks, herds ought to diminish. They dont.
Something to think about.
Now understand dead is dead no matter how theyre killed. We have to have an affect I'd think

Birds learn where sanctuary properties are, I 100% believe pressure moves them. Back when I run bird dogs I hunted management plots for Pheasants. After about a week a plot that held 30 birds would only provide a few flushes. ODNR marked off safety no hunting zones around these plots. I would send the dogs into them and wait outside the boundary and birds would pour out of those zones, but they would rarely fly towards the legal shooting area. It would be very hard to convince me they don't learn where they are safe.

That is obvious but.... How come those particular flocks, herds arent decimated by predators?. Theyd (predators) all be stupid if they didnt head to the game richest property to hunt.

Something is definitely happening, but I don't think anyone really knows what.  It could be disease or it could be predation or it could just be that numbers spiked and have to settle at a reasonable carrying capacity.  Do what you can where you are at whether it be habitat work, trapping,trigger control, etc.....

Well, I typed a response and it timed out and didn't post, oh well.

Predators, back in the day, you had guys doing it for a living, plus you had us boys and dad's running dogs for coons on Friday and Saturday nights.  Some of us adventurers, we would get into an older uncle's, granddad's, great grandad's sheds and find some old traps for coons, beaver, fox, possums and even coyotes.  Coyotes weren't as prevalent in my neck, but we did have some.  .22's and taking care of these predators, a lot of fun was had in those days.  We, ok, I didn't look at it like predator control, I was having fun!!!!!  A pelt(s) would bring money for 12 gauge shells, bricks of .22lr, even helping out with the family, not to mention maybe spending it to take a girl out.

You didn't have the government involved - name on this trap, run it everyday, blah blah blah.  Set it and check it when you could.  We didn't wait weeks or anything, but hard for a youngster to check a trap everyday and have school, after school work and or sports, family obligations and chores, etc.  Maybe getting some dad or granddad to loan us the pulpwood truck and load a cord and a half to make some serious extra money to buy traps.     

Anyone remember betting a brick of .22lr or a .7oz coke on who could load the largest piece to go on the bottom for stacking the load? 

I have submitted a proposal to our state that would keep the limit at 2, but issue 1 Tom only tag and 1 legal turkey tag. Nobody, even kids need to shoot 2 jakes. I want the kids to be involved and learn the ethics we try to live by here. Also asked that anyone over 16, exempting first time hunters, be issued "Tom only" tags. I am interested in long term results, even though I won't be here to see them, lol. Z

Quote from: WLT III on February 16, 2026, 09:03:36 AMBaiting, TSS, and youtube, has taken its toll on turkeys, more than any other factors. Anyone who cannot realize that, has no ability to reason.  My personal self imposed limit, is 4 longbeards, Spring and Fall combined. I eat everything on them, and 4 will carry me thru a year, Although I have turkeys on my own land, as well as neighbors, my satisfaction has always come from killing on public ground. No self respecting turkey hunter would kill his own turkeys, at least in the circle I run in :icon_thumright:

so now youre not a self respecting turkey hunter if you harvest turkeys out of the population on the ground you own lol

you guys always make solid points then go back and say the dumbest "look at me im a old school pro" comment ive ever heard. 


what is this your 3rd or 4th account on here?

can you write out the old swamper pro turkey man pelican lalongbeard rules of engangement?

I WANNA BE A PRO TOO GUYS PLEASE WRITE THE RULES OUT FOR ME.

pat yourself on the back a little harder please

wait sorry i forgot your tell... :icon_thumright:

  I stopped last Spring  of 2025 at 2 Gobblers in New Jersey to concentrate on New York more and help my Partner get her Gobbler.
    I still think New Jersey should have a Max Spring Limit of 5 Gobblers.
  I know there is a Small group that knowing all the regs,Lightening Fingers during the early minutes of the" Over The Counter" day in March and just plenty of Time,Money, and most likely hunting both Private + Public-- are able to kill 8- 10+ Gobblers a Season- probably  more as the upper limit is 25+ Spring Turkey Tags.
  Problem is this small group grows each Spring . 5 Max in such as small State as New Jersey.  That is plenty enough.
 

Quote from: quavers59 on February 18, 2026, 07:48:01 AMI stopped last Spring  of 2025 at 2 Gobblers in New Jersey to concentrate on New York more and help my Partner get her Gobbler.
    I still think New Jersey should have a Max Spring Limit of 5 Gobblers.
  I know there is a Small group that knowing all the regs,Lightening Fingers during the early minutes of the" Over The Counter" day in March and just plenty of Time,Money, and most likely hunting both Private + Public-- are able to kill 8- 10+ Gobblers a Season- probably  more as the upper limit is 25+ Spring Turkey Tags.
  Problem is this small group grows each Spring . 5 Max in such as small State as New Jersey.  That is plenty enough.
 

I think a limit of 2 would be fine. Obviously it would help dwindling populations. This winter here will certainly affect Northern NJ, minus temps, frozen snow on the ground for months could be a problem, stay tuned. IMO

I think Jersey does a pretty good job on limiting permit sales per zone but totally agree with the lower numbers of birds around now, my zones sell out every year fast, unfortunately know a few local guys who are self-employed and kill a lot of Toms. I will get a permit for each week, hopefully hunt 1 day per week, but limit myself to 3 Toms. Haven't hit that limit in a longtime.

Tom007+ JeffC-seasonal member/ don't  know how to quote.
    A good 3 weeks back my Sister filmed a good sized flock of possibly  25 Turkeysin New York- just a few miles from Sussex County,NJ.
  North Jersey Turkey Populations are coming back slowly . There are pocket areas in all the Public Areas in North Jersey and there are alot of these areas. I think Sussex County Turkey Hunters will have more Luck in 2026.
  JeffC- Agree the limit might be better at 3 or 5. I hope to get 3 this Spring before helping out. I probably  help others too much- lol.
  I knowingly laughed while watching a Southern Outdoorsman podcast a few days back-- THIS MAN KNOWS - when Alabama  Turkey Hunter Claude Strothers said to the guy he was calling for -- for 3 Springs. If,I keep Yelping them up for you,I will never take another Gobbler.
  Awesome Podcast- unfortunately  he just passed away at age 82 just before that podcast aired.

Quote from: quavers59 on February 18, 2026, 10:01:53 AMTom007+ JeffC-seasonal member/ don't  know how to quote.
    A good 3 weeks back my Sister filmed a good sized flock of possibly  25 Turkeysin New York- just a few miles from Sussex County,NJ.
  North Jersey Turkey Populations are coming back slowly . There are pocket areas in all the Public Areas in North Jersey and there are alot of these areas. I think Sussex County Turkey Hunters will have more Luck in 2026.
  JeffC- Agree the limit might be better at 3 or 5. I hope to get 3 this Spring before helping out. I probably  help others too much- lol.
  I knowingly laughed while watching a Southern Outdoorsman podcast a few days back-- THIS MAN KNOWS - when Alabama  Turkey Hunter Claude Strothers said to the guy he was calling for -- for 3 Springs. If,I keep Yelping them up for you,I will never take another Gobbler.
  Awesome Podcast- unfortunately  he just passed away at age 82 just before that podcast aired.

Saw several Bobcats last season in Northern NJ while deer hunting. I took a video of one 35 yards from me stalking a squirrel  along a stream. He moved 30 yards in 20 minutes. He nailed him. A turkey would have been duck soup. These cats are protected in NJ. Had one grab my hen decoy on a farm last season. Stay tuned on how theses cats will affect our already struggling pops. These critters are as stealth as you can get, they will have an impact IMO.

(https://i.ibb.co/3mkjd9qH/5-B6-E15-B9-E121-48-A2-9-A9-E-F18954-F46-AF5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nMRYmNvS)

Keep your Bears and cats up there!!
Now we are dealing with a bad outbreak of suspected bird flu, over 1100 geese dead or found sick. Besides the ongoing loss of habitat and a long hard winter, the Turkeys are really getting beat up. Every time I drive thru, another farm is up for sale, since the supply shortage during covid, builders are putting up warehouses everywhere. Houses are squeezed in between warehouses. Going to be a rough season.     

Quote from: JeffC on February 19, 2026, 08:09:26 AMNow we are dealing with a bad outbreak of suspected bird flu, over 1100 geese dead or found sick...   

I suppose I may just be out of the loop on this, but with all the talk about avian flu and its impact on all sorts of bird species, I am totally shocked that I/we have not heard/read of significant investigations by our wildlife agencies as to how this disease is impacting wild turkey populations...at least I have seen very little about it around these parts. I would think that wildlife agencies across the country would be all over this, but around here...crickets.

Quote from: GobbleNut on February 19, 2026, 08:41:35 AM

Quote from: JeffC on February 19, 2026, 08:09:26 AMNow we are dealing with a bad outbreak of suspected bird flu, over 1100 geese dead or found sick...   

I suppose I may just be out of the loop on this, but with all the talk about avian flu and its impact on all sorts of bird species, I am totally shocked that I/we have not heard/read of significant investigations by our wildlife agencies as to how this disease is impacting wild turkey populations...at least I have seen very little about it around these parts. I would think that wildlife agencies across the country would be all over this, but around here...crickets.

water fowl carry it and are most affected. Heck, gobblenut, do you even have open water in your state. I went to a Forestry association meeting and the speaker was a research Veterinarian Virologist. It was one of the most informative and interesting talks I have ever attended. His focus was on avian flue and it's affect on wild and domestic fowl. He was with Ohio State University and worked under USDA guidance. His work is part of national research, I believe. I asked him about how it would affect wild turkeys and he said he didn't have any data on wild turkeys, but it was 100 lethal in domestic turkeys. If it got in a turkey farm they all died, he bluntly said, "there are no survivors". I asked if any wildlife agencies were working with the research team and he said not that he new of. If that's true and our agencies aren't involved it's a travesty. However, that's not his division so it could be happening. This is the guy  https://vet.osu.edu/people/andrew-bowman and here's a web page https://vet.osu.edu/research/animal-influenza-ecology-epidemiology-research-program

Illinois has a 3 bird limit and 5 different seasons.  Each season last 5 to 7 days.  This year we start !April 6th in the south zone.  Two weekends prior are the youth hunts.  So they get beat on hard during peak breeding time. I think it sould be two birds and u get 25 days to kill the two.  Our permits cost 19.50 a season. U can get up to 3.  Charge 40 and 2 bird limit. 

Virginia still allows 3 birds, my opinion locally where I live it should be looked at and I love hunting them as much as anyone, also this state still allows a rifle in the spring, 2025 the state reported 797 birds harvested by rifle in the spring, I don't agree with this using a rifle in spring to kill a turkey isn't Turkey hunting

I've said that AR should have went to 1 bird years ago but it never happened, they went to 1 for NR this year. If it ain't a duck the AGFC don't seem to care about it. LOTS of chicken houses have went in the hills of AR over the past 20 years and I've talked to several old timers that believe that spreading their litter in hayfields has spread the chickens diseases to turkeys and played a number on them....something that makes me wonder if they're right?

Kansas went to 1 bird from 2, and our turkey population is recovering nicely, after being in the shitter for several years.

Not saying that's the reason why, but it certainly can't hurt. I'm perfectly fine with one turkey per year.

Quote from: Kansan on February 27, 2026, 06:00:48 AMKansas went to 1 bird from 2, and our turkey population is recovering nicely, after being in the shitter for several years.

Not saying that's the reason why, but it certainly can't hurt. I'm perfectly fine with one turkey per year.

Thats good news. I might suggest not posting it on the web, just say in my area. I know Kansas got hammered by NR hunters. Your area could have been impacted by over harvest. We had a good hatch around here too. I think weather patterns have been better here. Hens still need nesting habitat and protection.