huntngolf
Six Pointer
is anyone thinking that hens are nesting yet? had 2 gobblers yesterday in fields with several hens each
I think it just depends on where you are. Finally had a cobbler alone the other day. First since the season started. So I think it's getting that time. Especially in my area.
Did you eat the whole dang thing??.LOL
They should be on the nest.
Thats the point of when NC's season is set, except for the early youth week.
Its set so hens are not wandering around getting shot and peak breeding has already happened.
I love wturkey's reason for editing his post... Got right with God hahahahaha
A later opening date provides a measure of protection for turkey nests, hens and even jakes. Hens that are in the process of laying eggs are prone to abandon their nests if disturbed. Starting the season close to May 1 may reduce nest abandonment. Hens that are not yet incubating are often found with gobblers early in the season. Lone hens in the process of laying eggs are apt to be moving around the woods during hunting hours if the season occurs too early. The later the season opener, the fewer hens will be available for accidental or illegal shooting. Later opening days may, therefore, enhance the survival of hens. In studies, illegal harvest of hens accounted for 34 percent of all the hen mortality in the spring in Virginia and 13 percent in West Virginia (where the season opened later).
So Virginia had a 34% mortality on hens by illegal killing during the spring gobbler season
So some states do set seasons to minimize hens being shot. Imagine that!
I'll BET way more hens are killed and nests are destroyed in NC every year by farming and forestry practices than illegal hunting.People notice that when you get in a bind, you resort to quoting biologists from elsewhere!! LOL
Did your Pa biologist also tell you they have over 1,000,000 turkey hunters there?
That many hunters are gonna step on nests........empty nests.........full nests!!
34% huh? I can't help but wonder who pulled that number out of the "air" since I don't think people are gonna report illegal spring kills!!
One way we try to protect hens in the spring is to restrict shooting hours. The current shooting hours from ½-hour before sunrise until noon are intended to protect nesting hens because incubating hens (hens sitting on eggs in a nest) tend to leave the nest to feed in the afternoon. If hunters are afield in the afternoon, the likelihood that a hen is killed, either accidentally (mistaken for a gobbler) or illegally ("poaching") may increase. The killing of hens, either illegal or accidental, can have serious impacts on turkey populations, and at high levels (for example, if 10% or more of adult hens are killed annually), it will reduce rates of population growth. Unfortunately, these issues are difficult to measure and control, so we limit shooting hours to try to minimize any potential negative impacts.
The NYSDEC also refers to other states in relation to this issue:
Research in states like Missouri, Virginia, and West Virginia has shown that poaching can have a negative effect on population growth, but we do not know if "all-day" spring hunting (sunrise to sundown) would result in many more hens being killed either accidentally or illegally............
http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Documents/ATimetoKill.pdf
NWTF again mentions studies in VA, WVA showing illegal hen kill mortality.
If those numbers are bogus, why does the NWTF cite them?
I noticed you cherry picked two states that allow rifle hunting, thus the chance of long range shooting and chance of misidentifying their sex.http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Documents/ATimetoKill.pdf
NWTF again mentions studies in VA, WVA showing illegal hen kill mortality.
If those numbers are bogus, why does the NWTF cite them?
I like how you continually post conflicting info.I like how you and wturkey01 are disputing some states set their spring seasons when they do to cut down on hen mortality.
Have a great rest of the turkey season.
I like how you continually post conflicting info.
I like how you continually post conflicting info.