[thompson]

Turkey numbers in south AR in most county's except about 2 have lost about the same if not more significant numbers than I see in most sections of the National Forrest with the exception of extreme North west. Coon and yote populations have skyrocketed in this area as well. I would love to know the number of feeders across the southern half of the state during the fall months. It would be astronomical. I also see with this feeding there is a major number of hogs across the south half of the state which again, can't be good for any other spices we have. Increased hog numbers are also feeding the yote population which use to relie mainly on rabbit. Yotes are hammering our hens during the nesting months. Direct impact of turkey ingesting corn is probably the last worry with supplemental feeding. The affect it has on other wildlife which causes predation to rise considerably on the birds is a much more serious problem. JMO

 

[Buck-Ridge]

I want the fall season back. I'm sorry you guys don't have turkeys but the place I hunt has plenty. We all see them almost every day deer hunting. Plant some clover you can at least get the local birds to stay around it. As many acorns as we had this year they came to the clover every day.

 

[luckless]

I want the fall season back. I'm sorry you guys don't have turkeys but the place I hunt has plenty. We all see them almost every day deer hunting. Plant some clover you can at least get the local birds to stay around it. As many acorns as we had this year they came to the clover every day.

Just out of curiosity...where is the fun in shooting a hen or a non-gobbling/strutting spring time Tom?

 

[Juice]

Monday opener would be my vote.

 

[BIG JIM]

:idea: Have the game and fish trade back all those rattle snakes that they traded turkeys for back in the 80's.

 

[Juice]

Just out of curiosity...where is the fun in shooting a hen or a non-gobbling/strutting spring time Tom?

Fall hunting can be a blast when you bust up a flock of turkeys and then set up and call them back. It seems like the hens are alot more vocal in the fall, maybe because the flock is younger birds. I loved it when I was younger, but haven't gun hunted them that tiime of year for a long time. Killing a gobbler in the fall is a great feat, those things are not easy to work that time of year.

 

[Juice]

:idea: Have the game and fish trade back all those rattle snakes that they traded turkeys for back in the 80's.

Had a guy in the store earlier this week from Missouri who said their DNR had trapped too many turkeys and traded them for otters to another state. :head: He said that was the reason for their turkey problems.

 

[Juice]

...We've talked about a one-bird limit. While I'm in favor of that for the time being, I don't think that would make much difference as few hunters take two birds anyway. All that would do is free up a "good" hunter to call in gobblers for others to kill, effectively eliminating any gains made by going to a one bird limit. So, in writing this I might suggest a one gobbler limit as long as a rule was established that forbids anyone other than a licensed guide on private property from calling in gobblers for someone else.

Several years ago in our turkey zone, the limit was one gobbler per spring. There was one small piece of ground in our county that was in the turkey zone to the north. This was back in the day of checkstations (which I miss) and I'll bet half the turkeys killed in the county were "killed" in that spot. Not a big piece of ground, but it must have been loaded with gobblers that year.

I said it on another thread, but a poacher will always have a tag in his pocket regardless of the bag limit. I'd venture to say some wouldn't even "burn" the tag on the last day of the season. Seems like the best turkey hunters always hunt the entire season, never made alot of sense to me.

I did find it interesting your comments on calling for others. I always like to get a little blood on my hands, but I get as much enjoyment out of calling and videoing someone else. It'll get you just as worked up as killing a gobbler yourself.

 

[luckless]

Fall hunting can be a blast when you bust up a flock of turkeys and then set up and call them back. It seems like the hens are alot more vocal in the fall, maybe because the flock is younger birds. I loved it when I was younger, but haven't gun hunted them that tiime of year for a long time. Killing a gobbler in the fall is a great feat, those things are not easy to work that time of year.

U must not hunt around corn feeders!!

 

[Hooked Spurs]

I wouldn't mind an Annual limit of 2 gobblers. 1 tag could be used in the fall or 2 in the spring......jake restriction and no hens. If you kill one in the fall, you have one tag for the following spring. Set a conservative fall season and allow opportunity for fall hunting.

I think one concern of fall hunt lies with the fact that so many bait in the fall, many would be killed standing over a corn pile.

 

[Tink]

Close season in zones where turkey population is so far down that seeing one is like spotting the ivory bill woodpecker.

 

[KemperCamper]

Once again, the date for Central and North Arkansas is too late, but for South Arkansas it's pretty much OVER by the time the season opens.

THE DATE NEEDS TO BE MOVED UP FOR SOUTH ARKANSAS

 

[wood duck whacker]

See fur prices skyrocket!

That would help alot. Lack of people predator hunting has had a toll on the turkey population