Gameland turkeys

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
That Midwest trip is definitely on my bucket list.

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You won't regret it just gotta do your homework and be in area that has birds some will tell you they are under every rock but that is not true every state I've been in has had areas where they were plentiful and areas that seemed practically void and when spending them vacation days and cash you want to be in the plentiful area. Turkey days are valuable
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
You won't regret it just gotta do your homework and be in area that has birds some will tell you they are under every rock but that is not true every state I've been in has had areas where they were plentiful and areas that seemed practically void and when spending them vacation days and cash you want to be in the plentiful area. Turkey days are valuable
Yes sir,those turkey days are more valuable than gold.

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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
You are quite possibly a nut! why lead this guy on and not be truthful on this if you don't have personal experience and by your post I know you don't just don't reply you don't have to chime in on every thing. As far as the area it holds birds but not all that many if you look at Pisgah harvest some down 20% last year because 2 years ago we had an absolutely terrible hatch in areas still birds around and there are pockets that did not suffer you an kill em but just be ready to walk as far as the terrain its steep and fairly rugged no real open land that you would want to hit it;ll be hardwoods hunting the openings get pressured pretty hard as far as overall pressure its moderate to heavy early then tapers off. Be assured there are not to many turkeys unless your real lucky you'll work hard for em and unless your close enough to scout you'll work real hard

Madison County is loaded with turkeys on private and game lands.

I do turkey hunting up there on the nf. Turkeys are doing just fine on the Pisgah unlike the deer population.

Have a good turkey season.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I've hunted places where there were so many hens it made the gobbler hunting terrible.

The big toms did not have to come in because the minute they went off the roost they were henned up.

Then a big die off of the turkey population happened and the gobbler hunting got a lot better.

I do think west nile virus is having an impact on turkey populations and that is one reason for turkey declines in places.

Have a good season
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
I've hunted places where there were so many hens it made the gobbler hunting terrible.

The big toms did not have to come in because the minute they went off the roost they were henned up.

Then a big die off of the turkey population happened and the gobbler hunting got a lot better.

I do think west nile virus is having an impact on turkey populations and that is one reason for turkey declines in places.

Have a good season
Yes too many hens make hunting a little harder, but biologically there is no such thing as too many turkeys.

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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
West Nile has killed Pisgah turkeys first reported by CRC and I thought t was the bad hatch that did it I learned something new today. At least you've given 2 excuses for not killing em 1 west Nile and 2 to many hens. Gobblers can be killed when they are hens around just gotta work little find a lonely tom and not sit and call at a henned up one and there is always a lonely tom somewhere
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
West Nile has killed Pisgah turkeys first reported by CRC and I thought t was the bad hatch that did it I learned something new today. At least you've given 2 excuses for not killing em 1 west Nile and 2 to many hens. Gobblers can be killed when they are hens around just gotta work little find a lonely tom and not sit and call at a henned up one and there is always a lonely tom somewhere
Lol, it's west nile's fault. At least he hasn't blamed coyotes, yet.

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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
that is an interesting theory there CRC, one that was new to me. WNV.

any links to that affecting turkeys?

No. Purely speculation on my part.

In Pennsylvania they have done studies and shown that WNV is indeed having a negative/lethal impact on ruffed grouse.

I just figured it could also be lethal to young wild turkeys as well. Turkeys can indeed contract WNV.
 
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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
West Nile has killed Pisgah turkeys first reported by CRC and I thought t was the bad hatch that did it I learned something new today. At least you've given 2 excuses for not killing em 1 west Nile and 2 to many hens. Gobblers can be killed when they are hens around just gotta work little find a lonely tom and not sit and call at a henned up one and there is always a lonely tom somewhere

Never said you couldn't kill any.

Seen several big gobblers killed in areas with lots of turkeys. Also in areas with fall seasons.

Besides NC isn't seeing a decrease in the turkey population like other states. Our flock keeps growing.
 
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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
No. Purely speculation on my part.

In Pennsylvania they have done studies and shown that WNV is indeed having a negative/lethal impact on ruffed grouse.

I just figured it could also be lethal to young wild turkeys as well.


FYI - a turkey isn't a grouse,,,,,,,,,your supposition is wrong,,at least to any study I have seen on it,,,to include those in PA,,,,,,,yes wild turkeys can have WNV but it has not been a factor in any deaths (that I can find), most (dare I say all) do NOT show clinical signs of WNV, and their blood does not have enough to even allow infection of other critters,,,,,,,
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
Holy hell. I think he may be over the left field wall. Not that we didn't know that already...
 
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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
FYI - a turkey isn't a grouse,,,,,,,,,your supposition is wrong,,at least to any study I have seen on it,,,to include those in PA,,,,,,,yes wild turkeys can have WNV but it has not been a factor in any deaths (that I can find), most (dare I say all) do NOT show clinical signs of WNV, and their blood does not have enough to even allow infection of other critters,,,,,,,

Good deal then.

I know the impact on grouse is indeed real and being taken seriously by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
To get back on topic ......
Got my first gameland bird on the Sandhills State Forest in SC on April 3 1997
Got the 2nd and 3rd gameland bird on the Chatham gameland in 1998 when that part of Harnett county along Parkers creek was included in the gameland.
Maybe this year I will get drawn for permit to hunt the Sandhills :)
 
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bshobbs

Old Mossy Horns
Have not hunted gamelands, all private lands. Heck enough people out these days chasing a bird, almost like gamelands.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
To get back on topic ......
Got my first gameland bird on the Sandhills State Forest in SC on April 3 1997
Got the 2nd and 3rd gameland bird on the Chatham gameland in 1998 when that part of Harnett county along Parkers creek was included in the gameland.
Maybe this year I will get drawn for permit to hunt the Sandhills :)

you should be done in rockingham after the first weekend. Turkey heaven. save that permit fee.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
on the west nile virus:
I got this repsonse from someone that knows more than us on the topic. Yes i asked the 'dumb question" :) have you ever considered WNV as a factor on the turkey population?

His response:

'Yes my counterparts in the southeast have brought this up but there appears to be little evidence that WNV is the culprit."
We rely on the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) which is headquartered at the University of Georgia.
They are the preeminent disease experts in the southeast and perhaps the nation. "
They are not seeing much evidence to bring this idea together.

That being said we (the SE turkey biologists) have talked about some funding for SCWDS to do some captive turkey research related to WNV.
At this point it has not come together but at least we are talking about it."

"Not a crazy question"

That made me feel good because i was afraid it was.

I guess you learn something everyday when it comes to the turkeys. before CRC's post i had never heard it mentioned as a factor on turkeys.
 
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Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
on the west nile virus:
I got this repsonse from someone that knows more than us on the topic. Yes i asked the 'dumb question" :) have you ever considered WNV as a factor on the turkey population?

His response:

'Yes my counterparts in the southeast have brought this up but there appears to be little evidence that WNV is the culprit."
We rely on the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) which is headquartered at the University of Georgia.
They are the preeminent disease experts in teh southeast and perhaps the nation. "
They are not seeing much evidence to bring this idea together.

That being said we (the SE turkey biologists have talked about some funding for SCWDS to do some captive turkey research related to WNV.
At this point it has not come together but at least we are talking about it."

"Not a crazy question"

That made me feel good because i was afraid it was.

I guess you learn something everyday when it comes to the turkeys. before CRC's post i had never heard it mentioned as a factor on turkeys.
I'm glad you asked someone. I had never heard of WNV being a threat to turkeys either. I guess it's not so far fetched.

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woodmoose

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I'm glad you asked someone. I had never heard of WNV being a threat to turkeys either. I guess it's not so far fetched.

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there has been captive wild turkey research,,,,no evidence that WNV is harmful to wild turkeys,,,,,,


before CRC's post i had never heard it mentioned as a factor on turkeys.

CRC was, by his own admission, speculating,,,,no basis in any facts,,
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
there has been captive wild turkey research,,,,no evidence that WNV is harmful to wild turkeys,,,,,,




CRC was, by his own admission, speculating,,,,no basis in any facts,,
I understand CRC was just speculating,like most of the time,but it never hurts to ask someone who might have some factual insight. Turkey populations are cyclical. You will have a stretch of good hatches and then a stretch of bad. That's why I stated earlier there is no such thing as too many turkeys.

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woodmoose

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,,,,,but it never hurts to ask someone who might have some factual insight.

that's what I did,,,,,,sure don't think I know a dang thing about them birds!!

,,,,, Turkey populations are cyclical. You will have a stretch of good hatches and then a stretch of bad. That's why I stated earlier there is no such thing as too many turkeys.


that is a fact,,,,as with most short lived critters,,,,,,,folks just don't want to face that and want something to blame it on,,,,,,,,
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
that's what I did,,,,,,sure don't think I know a dang thing about them birds!!




that is a fact,,,,as with most short lived critters,,,,,,,folks just don't want to face that and want something to blame it on,,,,,,,,
Yes sir and they have to have something to blame their lack of "success " on.

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oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Yes sir and they have to have something to blame their lack of "success " on.

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it is amazing the disparity in thoughts on the turkey population come spring.

some of that gets leveled out now as folks dont need to hear one to kill one these days ,

but still one guy has them tearing the woods down (gobbling) while a mile away the "coyotes have eat all my birds."
 
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Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
it is amazing the disparity in thoughts on the turkey population come spring.

some of that gets leveled out now as folks dont need to hear one to kill one these days ,

but still one guy has them tearing the woods down 9goobling) while a mile away the "coyotes have eat all my birds."
Lol I think coyotes get blamed for aids,cancer,no turkeys, no deer. They are real trouble makers. Sometimes it's simply a matter of seasonal habitat needs. I've hunted a couple different places that were covered up in turkeys in the fall,but were scarce when spring rolled around.

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oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Lol I think coyotes get blamed for aids,cancer,no turkeys, no deer. They are real trouble makers. Sometimes it's simply a matter of seasonal habitat needs. I've hunted a couple different places that were covered up in turkeys in the fall,but were scarce when spring rolled around.

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i think a lot of deer land is turkeyless come spring. I have a landowner in SC who teases me all winter thru early march with bird pics ; then they leave.
 
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