Decline of turkey population

[jgard]

I have read the 5 pages of what is your state doing for turkeys. I am wanting to know if the decline in the turkey population has been researched and if the reasons are readily know. The reason I ask is because the quail population in my home state of Oklahoma has crashed and there doesn't seem to be an answer on why. Properties that use to hold numerous coveys are still the same but the quail are gone

[Spurs]

Arkansas' decline has been attributed to numerous things, but the top reasons are:

1. Heavy late spring flooding for several years.
2. Shift in timber company land management (went from thinning until pines until saw logs to clear cutting for chipping).
3. Mixture of feral hogs and predator increase.

At least that's all I can think of right now.

[Gooserbat]

Well since I'm an Okie as well I'll share what I think... poultry industry in the NE region, increased bear population in the SE region, hogs in general, and furbearers/ nest predators.

[Rzrbac]

All of the above!

I should include resources and money not utilized in an efficient manner.

[jgard]

I do know that the two ice storms we had really did a number on our birds.  Our county went from two birds to one

[Greg Massey]

I'm going to say weather the pass 3 years in my part of Tennessee and predators

[guesswho]

Many pieces to this pie.  A couple pieces that you don't hear mentioned much is more hunters, the dumbing down of turkey hunting  and less trigger control.   Then you throw in a couple bad hatches and some of the other issues mentioned above and you have a problem, a problem that may be long term.

[ccleroy]

Many pieces to this pie.  A couple pieces that you don't hear mentioned much is more hunters, the dumbing down of turkey hunting  and less trigger control.   Then you throw in a couple bad hatches and some of the other issues mentioned above and you have a problem, a problem that may be long term.

Yep, perfect storm.

[GobbleNut]

I agree that it is a multi-faceted issue.  Based on my understanding of those places that are having problems, I would speculate that changing climatic conditions resulting in increased spring flooding during nesting season and the "hog invasion" are the two primary culprits.  ...Just speculating...

[Txag12]

I believe hogs are the worst thing for a wild turkey here in Texas. The next I believe are climate variations (too little or too much water) and poor land management in the form of over grazing or extreme overgrowth in more heavily wooded areas. Also think on a nationwide basis that there is a lot of pressure put on birds, which in my opinion is hurting things in some areas more than a lot of hunters want to accept.

[jgard]

So what can we do?  I am trapping the nest predators ie raccoons and possums. My state just this year is allowing year around raccoon trapping.

[Chad]

I believe the effects of Neonicotinoids should be further researched. I know Canadian research showed they can be lethal to adults turkeys. With planting and nesting seasons overlapping, one would think ingestion of neonics by a laying hen would detrimentally effect the unborn chicks. Not to mention the neonics killing insects that the chicks must have.

I would also like to see more research on avian diseases from commercial poultry, such as LPVD virus.

Big Ag has a lot of power though...

[Ihuntoldschool]

Timber harvest in the Southeast.
Lack of diversity in the gene pool , more susceptible to disease.

[zeke632]

Living in SE Okla and turkey hunting here since 1980 I've never seen it as bad as it is now, except before turkeys were reintroduced.I voiced my concern several years ago to the states SE turkey biologist. At that time his thoughts were two years in a row of very dry summers which killed off bugs that young turkeys depend on to make it. Since then we've had an explosion of pigs and a thriving bear population (which seems to be the primary priority of the Oklahoma Depatment of Wildlife). Now we are having wet springs, and what I think is poor forest management. Add in that fur isn't worth much so not many trappers or coon hunters.I spoke to the biologist just a few weeks ago and he was honest enough to say that they don't know what is going on. They can speculate and on several things that add to the problem but certainly don't have answers as to what to do to reverse the trend.

[drake799]

Too many hunters ,too liberal bag limit, weather which led to bad hatches, reaping/fanning which has turned some bad to mediocre hunters into consistent killers and just overall poaching I believe    I'm in Tn and I think our check in system allows people to get away without checking in birds.  I know people will argue that isn't true. But that's just what I believe lol