Alabama turkey population down....

[ericjames]

What do you all think about the turkey population throughout the state? What do yall think has led to the decline? Do you think it is one main thing or multiple things. I know in the southwest part of the state  is getting pretty bad.


http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/local/progress/2015/02/05/state-study-wild-turkey-population/22923641/

[silvestris]

The golden days are over.

[ericjames]

I agree!

[Blong]

Burn,burn, burn and then burn some more! We are starting to see improvement in our area because some landowners are doing this again. Privet hedge is the devil!!!! Around the Bienvielle nf there has always been turkeys because they burn like they should.

[Tail Feathers]

How can the turkey population drop from zero?

Guesswho!  You got some 'splainin' to do!!!!

[silvestris]

In the Homochitto NF they burn during and after hunting season.  how ya like your eggs?

[Gamblinman]

I thought there weren't any turkeys in AL. What the natives around here keep tellin' us.   


Gman

[worth612000]

Burn,burn, burn and then burn some more! We are starting to see improvement in our area because some landowners are doing this again. Privet hedge is the devil!!!! Around the Bienvielle nf there has always been turkeys because they burn like they should.

Privet Hedge, I have Privet Trees. Wished I owned stock in round up 25 years ago. Cut one limb and get 10 in return. They are on about 2500 feet of fence line and can't do much about it .

[Blong]

 

In the Homochitto NF they burn during and after hunting season.  how ya like your eggs?

That is insane! Surely Adam has told them not to burn after mid March. HNF is a beautiful place for sure. Hunted sandy creek last year, only time I have ever been on it.

[crenshawco]

They did they same thing on Upper Sardis while I was in school over there. We had a wet February and March, so they just burned in April and May. I couldn't believe it.

[guesswho]

I can't tell any difference in the population now than any other time.   A bad hatch two years in a row makes it hard for some folks to kill'em.  Just like a couple good hatches in a row creates a lot of expert turkey hunters.

I haven't seen a turkey in this state since 1994. 

[J Hook Max]

Eric is right, things are not good in the Southwest part of the state. Too much thick woods is definitely some of the problem and then lack of burning hasn't helped. In fact, they go hand in hand.
I have turkey hunted here for over thirty years and the last ten have not been anywhere close to the twenty before that. Hurricanes have also contributed to the thick woods and loss of big timber.
I'm not convinced that it won't get better one day but it may take reducing the limit or taking a couple of weeks off the season, at least for a few years. Arkansas did that and tings are getting better there now. A mandatory checking system would help but people here would have to be forced to accept it.

[spam manwich]

I have a farm in the southwest part of the state and our turkey numbers are stronger than ever. We do a lot of timber management and supplemental feeding for them throughout the year and it really has paid off

[bammerslammer 50]

I agree with controlled burns but come on. Be smart about it. Don't burn the woods off while everything is dropping babies and nesting. The management area I hunt stayed on fire in some area or another March till May. And if it wasn't burning it seemed like it was being logged. I'm no biologists but if you destroy habitat and prevent reproduction you'll see a decrease in just about everything. It's ridiculous!

[J Hook Max]

You are dead on.