From what I was told this weekend, there has been such a small turnout at the Turkey meetings over the last few years that they will be combined with the general regulations meeting this month in different locations. All I can say if get on their website and go complain about the current situations with out Turkey numbers, predator issues ,ect... Will it make a big difference...:shrug:....but dang sure can't hurt anything. Squeaky wheels get the grease, thats a proven fact in our society.
Hunters input at the public meetings
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Well they ain't greased it yet and everyone knows they aren't going to so they are probably like me and just got tired of wasting their time fighting a loosing battle.
Yea, you may be right, but I figure I'll have a better chance of getting something done there than setting in my recliner watching a re-run of something on TV. Kinda like voting, it gives me the right to complain when I'm involved. I think the date is January 31st.
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Thanks to no concrete system of measuring the actual # of turkey hunters in this state, I can't be exact with these numbers, but if there are 50,000 turkey hunters in Arkansas (or who participate in turkey hunting / probably low) and only about 50 show up to meetings then can we blame them? If my math is correct that's .001%. What do we expect? I bet their lucky to even get 1,000 mail-in or email responses from hunters. I bet if only 10% of hunters got involved it would open some ears.
So just what is it that yall want them to do? The only action they can take is to limit hunters, have a Monday opener and cut the limit to 1 gobbler. Other than that its out of their control. Its all about the Hatch. The hatch is the key to it all.
What would I have them to do? First have a study enacted to look at the effects of any alfatoxin situation and the way we as hunters are feeding grain. This is another issue I spoke with the Turkey program coordinator about this weekend. He made the statement that a farmer had called him a while back and said; My corn crop has tested extremely high on alfatoxins. Can I sell it for wildlife feed and what should I do? His answer was to have the corn mixed with good corn till the levels were brought down to acceptable levels and then sell. I wonder how many farmers are going to the trouble to call and get advice on this or just selling it. I know what my bet would be. There is at this time no allowable alfatoxin gages set on wildlife feed. Limit feeding times to the fall only, set an acceptably limit that must be met first and require any grain feeding to be done by timed feeders and not placed on the ground in the weather long term. Educate hunters on the effects this may be having on all our wildlife, not just turkey. This has also been shown to effect deer reproduction dramatically it itis ingested in high amounts. This is also a major cause of ground bird nesting predator numbers to increase so dramatically over the last 10 years. An overabundant food supply as well as a ambush situation for grown birds feeding at these feeders long term. Next, get this feral hog situation better under control by enacting laws to prevent the release in unpopulated areas. I can go on and on here but I think you get the picture.
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How much would you bet? 10k???
That's what I want them to do.
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It's a fact we will never find out. Not that many people want to actually get involved, but sure will complain from the sidelines. With the current system I'm not saying they would change a thing, but they would at least listen.
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I agree with that. I believe they would listen, I have 0 faith they'll actually do anything.
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Your probably right. But, .001% or whatever it is really sad in my opinion. That's one reason they may not put much stock in the feedback from public meetings. We can't honestly say what a difference it might make if they were bombarded with folks.
With that said, I am happy with the current spring structure.
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Anybody w/AGFC, I double dawg dare ya to have a meeting on the WWW as in, a special forum here, or on the AGFC website. You want participation? You'll get it!! 
:biggrin:
:biggrin:X2:clap:
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