Be a responsible consumer and Mississippi

[sasquatch1]

Nearly all of us here like turkey hunting, and id wager most also don't like crowds.

I don't know what the answer is because I see a scary trend in restricted access and pricing hunters out of opportunity but there's also a massive rise in demand on a finite resource.

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Only true way, or easiest way out of this is more public lands but there likely won't be any meaningful increases there. Timber companies owning tons of the land and turning it into nothing more than pine thickets don't help.

The pricing excuse is just that, a made up excuse. If people can't afford a few hundred dollars a year to do what they love, then they just don't love it like they claim. Those same guys likely can be seen buying $7 cans of dip everyday, drinking all week, driving around in new vehicles, and letting their ole lady shop Amazon all day.


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[slave601]

Alabama delaying there regular season 10 days and farther delaying public land until April 1 has a lot to do with the situation. Also add Georgia, Tennessee, and Oklahoma from an early season to the delayed season group...... more turkey hunters than ever pursuing turkeys on public lands influenced by social media. It's the perfect storm. 

I had a good discussion Saturday with a young man with a camera and a pinhoti hat.  He told me about all the guys coming to hunt from out of state and it used to not be near this bad.  I explained to him the evolution of Arkansas duck hunting and now the evolution of turkey hunting taking place before our eyes. I hope he took it to heart. Loose lips sink ships.  Hunt because you love to play the game. Don't hunt because you need to be validated by strange men online.
WELL SAID!

[slave601]

I'm not for a big pushback on the season here in Mississippi but I'd like for it to match bamas. At least it wouldn't be all crosshairs on Mississippi come March 15th. I've hunted Florida and I've seen what social media has done to south Florida. It's ridiculous and they better get a grip on it fast. Last year was crazy. This year was worse!!

[Shiloh]

I am not a fan of pushing back season.  There is no evidence that it has helped in any other states.  Also, MS has the best guy in the country at the helm as lead turkey biologist, so for that we should be thankful.  The public that I hunt is no worse than it was in 1997 when I took a college visit day to hunt and road a bike several miles in only to have a guy slip in between me and the turkey and shoot him 75 yards in front of me.  We've got it pretty good down here. 

[Kygobblergetter]

I personally think Mississippi handled things perfectly... as stated, there's no evidence to support pushing seasons back has helped. Too many states jumping on that bandwagon in my opinion. Other states doing that meant Mississippi had to make a change. They did so to relieve pressure but also remove as little opportunity as possible. Sure I hate that I have to draw a tag if I want to hunt there. It sucks. But  I think it was really the best option to handle the increased pressure without removing tons of opportunity. I don't like the trend of trying to price people out of hunting in general but it is what it is.


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[arkrem870]

I personally think Mississippi handled things perfectly... as stated, there's no evidence to support pushing seasons back has helped. Too many states jumping on that bandwagon in my opinion. Other states doing that meant Mississippi had to make a change. They did so to relieve pressure but also remove as little opportunity as possible. Sure I hate that I have to draw a tag if I want to hunt there. It sucks. But  I think it was really the best option to handle the increased pressure without removing tons of opportunity. I don't like the trend of trying to price people out of hunting in general but it is what it is.


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Agree

[arkrem870]

I am not a fan of pushing back season.  There is no evidence that it has helped in any other states.  Also, MS has the best guy in the country at the helm as lead turkey biologist, so for that we should be thankful.  The public that I hunt is no worse than it was in 1997 when I took a college visit day to hunt and road a bike several miles in only to have a guy slip in between me and the turkey and shoot him 75 yards in front of me.  We've got it pretty good down here.

Yes

[BB30]

Mississippi added a required $100 turkey permit on top of all the other fees. Be a $500 hunt now. Not to mention a non resident draw requirement to hunt all public lands including national forest and fed ground.

This is a disturbing trend that's playing out all across the country including my home state Arkansas. Directly related to the major increase in non resident hunters

Social media is the driver of the trend. I urge everyone to be a responsible consumer / user this season.

Good luck to everyone and remember loose lips sink ships

Ha this was basically a retort to Arkansas pulling all of the oos shenanigans they did with their waterfowl season. It always cracks me up someone from Arkansas complaining about other out of state fees and then some of those same people complaining about out of staters ruining flooded timber in Arkansas.

I am in agreeance with you that is is a little ridiculous. You may not be one of those Arkansas guys that hates oos duck hunters coming to your state but you can thank those that do have a problem with it for the sudden cost rise in Mississippi oos turkey costs.

[arkrem870]

Except Arkansas left full access to federal lands..... whereas Mississippi did not. They only restricted state owned lands for non residents

[Prospector]

As a Mississippi rez I see both sides. It is NF and Public land but IT IS Ridulous the amoiunt of OOSH that pour in bc of a M15 opener. Not sure of the answer that solves ALL the pblms but a handle has got to be gotten on that! Maybe all the Southern states could open the same day or something? As far as limitations on non rez licenses I think our fat cat politicians are pulling the wool over our eyes. As in" the last 10 years we have averaged 1,498 non Rez licences so let's " limit" it to 1497 and try to keep the locals happy..."?

[Howie g]

As a Mississippi rez I see both sides. It is NF and Public land but IT IS Ridulous the amoiunt of OOSH that pour in bc of a M15 opener. Not sure of the answer that solves ALL the pblms but a handle has got to be gotten on that! Maybe all the Southern states could open the same day or something? As far as limitations on non rez licenses I think our fat cat politicians are pulling the wool over our eyes. As in" the last 10 years we have averaged 1,498 non Rez licences so let's " limit" it to 1497 and try to keep the locals happy..."???

The last sentence in this post is 100% spot on . 

[Spurs]

Mississippi added a required $100 turkey permit on top of all the other fees. Be a $500 hunt now. Not to mention a non resident draw requirement to hunt all public lands including national forest and fed ground.

This is a disturbing trend that's playing out all across the country including my home state Arkansas. Directly related to the major increase in non resident hunters

Social media is the driver of the trend. I urge everyone to be a responsible consumer / user this season.

Good luck to everyone and remember loose lips sink ships

Ha this was basically a retort to Arkansas pulling all of the oos shenanigans they did with their waterfowl season. It always cracks me up someone from Arkansas complaining about other out of state fees and then some of those same people complaining about out of staters ruining flooded timber in Arkansas.

I am in agreeance with you that is is a little ridiculous. You may not be one of those Arkansas guys that hates oos duck hunters coming to your state but you can thank those that do have a problem with it for the sudden cost rise in Mississippi oos turkey costs.

Arkansas resident here and I was a HUGE opponent to the BS they have done to the Non Residents.  It is horrible on the WMAs now.  The splits that they can hunt are freaking crazy.  Boats are stacked up like they have never been before.  Now you got growing support for a draw system for OOS...It's like people cannot understand how this could negatively impact their hunting opportunities. 

I'm for opening things up and letting nature take it's course.  If you can't handle the heat on public ground, then hang it up.

[Jbird22]

Forum member Prospector added a reasonable suggestion in reply #9 on the Kansas Advisory thread.  Some might want to take a look at it.  Good topic for another "discussion" or be added to this one.  It would be reciprocity most could live with in regards to public land turkey just about anywhere.

That is why I have said multiple times in this thread that reciprocity must apply from ALL angles if you're going to apply it at all. It can't just apply to license fees but to not bag limits/season length/etc... Otherwise, it's not true reciprocity!

[sasquatch1]

Restrictions sound good until they affect you.

Now, it wouldn't matter to a large majority as most probably don't hunt as much as they act like they do,  but there's tons of early opener states residents who can't wait to run up north and catch openers elsewhere after they kill some at home.

This can be a very slippery slope that needs to be well thought out long term.

I do believe residents should reap some benefits but at what cost I'm not sure. I do think the WORST solution is different openers in the same stat from public/private. That probably HURTS the public lands more


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[WV Flopper]

 North Dakota and Reciprocity wouldn't work to well. But, I don't live in ND, works fine for me.