Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Yeah I’m no mathematician but that doesn’t seem like a sustainable recipe to me.
Wild Turkey population is tanking across most of its range
- Thread starter Howboutthemdawgs
- Start date
I dont think what happened 40 years ago is relative. If you just look at rhe numbers 40 years ago, pph was at 5 and harvest was at 50. Now pph is at around 2 pph or higher and KY just set a record or near record harvest. AR likely to break 10,000 for the state harvest and we think things are looking up
BenA
5 year old buck +
But, the trend from 40 years ago until now is telling. I'd hate to see it continue its downward decline over time. I don't think there's any one answer for the reason of the decline.I dont think what happened 40 years ago is relative. If you just look at rhe numbers 40 years ago, pph was at 5 and harvest was at 50. Now pph is at around 2 pph or higher and KY just set a record or near record harvest. AR likely to break 10,000 for the state harvest and we think things are looking up
Yes, there are multiple reasons for the decline in pph. But the good news, for whatever reason - pph numbers seem to be climbing across the south in general. KY’s pph numbers in 2023 are indicative of an increasing population. AR has seen the same thing - in spite of absolutely horrible nesting weather and a severe summer drought - yet we are up to nearly 2.5 pph - the highest in almost 15 years. Of course, our g&f is taking credit by claiming it is the season structure - finally after 15 years a positive affect. We also experience our worst pph numbers for a number of consecutive years with the same season structure.
356
5 year old buck +
The week 1 harvest did not include any tags filled by me, although I only went out one time. State wide numbers were surprisingly good. Opening day was overcast, but not raining, over most of the state. Our NW Missouri county was 5th lowest (out of 114) in the state, which is about where we land in deer harvest as well. I head a couple of shots on opening day, and a hen has been looking for nesting areas on our property.
Missouri Harvest: April 21-28, 2025
Adult Gobblers: 27986
Juvenille Gobblers: 4733
Bearded Hens: 254
Total: 32973
Missouri Harvest: April 21-28, 2025
Adult Gobblers: 27986
Juvenille Gobblers: 4733
Bearded Hens: 254
Total: 32973
BenA
5 year old buck +
I was listening to a podcast with the head of turkey management for Kentucky, Zak Danks. Disease and health in coordination with the state vet was one of the things they are studying right now along with other things spurred on by public complaints of lower numbers. They were talking about the cicada hatches and how it shows a definite correlation with turkey populations because of the high numbers seen after in regards to hen condition, poult production, nest success, re-nesting, harvest numbers, etc. They said it indicated turkeys were limited due to insects, because ideally, you would not want to see a single factor like that show such drastic influences. Agriculture, forestry, development practices, and other landscape wide, insect affecting practices can affect turkey numbers. Another thing he talked about was trapping of predators was encouraged, but you have to realize the scale, spatially and temporally, over years of intensive effort to maybe document a success, and that's if you have the habitat in place.
I had read they expected increase pph with the cicada hatch. We didnt have cicada’s, but we had a crop of grasshoppers like nothing I had seen. Kansas had a great hatch last year, also - but no cicada hatch. AR hatch has been on an upward trend for the last three years.
I have noticed a number of states - including AR, KY, and MO - are changing the way they conduct poult surveys, using online input from private citizen observations. They are comparing the old collection method with the new collection method - and typically the new method shows a higher number than the old method.
I worry that the numbers are factual using the new method - and I will use myself as an example. For years I participated in the old pencil and paper surveys. If I missed reporting a turkey, I dont remember it. Now, I am not “tasked” with doing a poult survey. I find myself online recording hens and poults - but less likely to record single hens or gobblers. I do fairly well at the start of the survey period - not as well towards the end.
Conversely, during the old pencil and paper survey - the number of survey participants kept dropping every year to the point there was concern there wasnt enough data.
Our state is planning on going to a split zone with the southern half of the state opening and closing earlier than the northern half due to the large difference in green up and perception of when the gobblers are most active.
I dont see this as a good thing at all - generating an influx of hunters to the southern part of the state the first week and an influx of southern hunters to the northern part of the state the last week of season
What would be your thoughts on this? I know TN has now gone to different opening dates for some counties
I dont see this as a good thing at all - generating an influx of hunters to the southern part of the state the first week and an influx of southern hunters to the northern part of the state the last week of season
What would be your thoughts on this? I know TN has now gone to different opening dates for some counties
BenA
5 year old buck +
Will there still be a state limit on harvests, or will each zone have different limits? If you can still only kill the same number, regardless of zone, I'd be for it from a hunter perspective, just to hear the gobbling. It might actually limit pressure on each zone across the season timeframe. There'd be more pressure for a shorter time I would think, but there could be less pressure adjacent to nesting start if timed right.
The statewide limit will be the same. Me, being in the south zone, opening a week before the north zone - can imagine a theoretical swarm of north state hunters coming to my area to hunt. The north zone will be open a week longer than the south - and would probably see an influx of southern hunters during the last week - but probably not to the same extent.
I think we should just open the season a week earlier - which would be around the 14th of Apr. I would not think the second week of Apr would be too early for north AR
BenA
5 year old buck +
Do you think it would make the harvest numbers for Arkansas go up?
I would guess the harvest might go up a little. In view of the fact that the gobbler to hen ratios are lower than target levels - I dont know that we need a higher harvest. More folks in the woods means more nesting hen disturbance. A little earlier season means a little more comfortable hunting weather.
Last edited: