What's going on?

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
In 2016 we had 9 total pages in the 2016 turkey kills list thread, including fall and winter kills.

This year, two weeks into our spring season, we already have 9 pages of kills.....

Seems like everybody's killing birds. It's looking like maybe another record harvest brewing for NC.
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
Looks like half are out of state kills. Eastern NC has had a great season,but my local counties have seen the worst yet.
 

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
I've definitely heard more birds than last season. Probably could have tagged out on my permit hunt last week but thought I could get him closer. Haven't had a bird roosted on property I can hunt but I've been having a blast. I've been going every chance I can get even if it is only an hour before work. I've dropped 10 lbs in two weeks.
 

Randy

Ten Pointer
Where I hunt in Halifax Co. I've heard and seen more gobblers than the last few years; but they've also been accompanied by more hens than I think I've ever seen making hunting a little more challenging. Heard a good amount of gobbling at daylight but its been shutting down not long after flydown. The turkey I killed Friday and his buddy were the 1st gobblers I had seen by themselves this spring.

A not so good thing I've noticed this year where I hunt is the lower number of jakes than I've seen in the past few years.
 
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Jlewis74

Old Mossy Horns
I hunted last week all week in Halifax County, saw 2 toms the morning my son got his, and only saw one other tom the entire week. Never saw a jake or hen which is unusual. I did hear quite a few gobbling even later in the morning they just would not come out to a field, had this happen twice on two different farms, they would get right on edge of field but not step out. It was a little strange, usually when you get them going like that in late afternoon they will be running out to the calls.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
This hs been a good year for me hearing birds but only in certain areas its like where they are there are plenty but in parts of Pisgah, numbers are still poor. Seen enough jaks to give me hope for next year.
 

smilliganqb

Eight Pointer
Saw or heard 3 or 4 Tom's opening week Halifax Co, didn't see any hens, been out 6 times since then, twice to a private piece in Stanly, no birds to speak of, and 4 times on Alcoa with nothing to speak of. Heading back to Halifax to close the season on last day
 

Putt

Old Mossy Horns
I just hope this cold rain right now doesn't kill alot of eggs!! I have 8 jakes on camera that haven't been shot!! :D Hopefully next year will be even better.
 

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
Rain won't hurt eggs. They won't begin incubation until the hen sits. Now if this rain were during the last week of May/early June, we'd be having our annual poults are dying everywhere thread.
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
Wet hens are easier to smell from varmints,This is not a good rain we are getting,already found one hen killed from a bobcat, I also loose alot of my chickens who nest around the farm when it rains, opposums and coons are hell on them. Already got reports from guys seeing hens setting on nest the last week and half. we need a good hatch this spring to really help the numbers, it is pitiful in some areas.I had 3 jakes around till last week, there were 9 of them in the same flock just before the hurricane last fall, not sure if they dead or roamed off with different hen. 2 of my old bearded hens have yet to show up that I have seen last 4 years also.
 

GUP

Eight Pointer
I don't know if it's really more birds state wide or just more people hunting them that's causing the record harvest. My guess would be more hunters in the field than ever before. The numbers around where I hunt seem about the same as last year which was a good year. Unfortunately the word must have gotten out. I have family who in just one week received 2 phone calls from different folks asking about hunting the same private land I hunt. Thankfully they were turned down! More hunters in the field will usually mean more birds killed. Which I'm afraid will have a negative outcome over time.
 

brhc2

Guest
everybody and their mom is hunting turkeys in the se part of the state... birds have been tough to kill here because so much pressure and people educating them... they wont come within in 200 yds of decoys...
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I think we just have more people turkey hunting now. I got 5 neighbors who took up turkey hunting this year that never have. Going to be as bad as deer hunting in NC. I probably will never tag out again, Here in Harnett county. Turkey land going to be harder to come by.
 
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Dolfan21

Ten Pointer
well, if I needed for feel worse about my abysmal season so far, this did the trick! ( j/k, I am happy for all those getting a bird, hopefully I'm next).

In all seriousness, I noticed that in the Uwharries last year, 11 of the 26 birds taken were Jakes. This proportion was much higher than any other gameland if I recall correctly.


I know its not an exact science, but would taking that many jakes have a negative impact on the gobbler harvest the next year or is that more of an indication of the size of last years flock that that there were that many jakes taken?
 

jboi72

Eight Pointer
Saw or heard 3 or 4 Tom's opening week Halifax Co, didn't see any hens, been out 6 times since then, twice to a private piece in Stanly, no birds to speak of, and 4 times on Alcoa with nothing to speak of. Heading back to Halifax to close the season on last day

What part of alcoa you hunting? Heard birds every time I've been including one at 55 yards and a miss by my buddy on one.
 

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
well, if I needed for feel worse about my abysmal season so far, this did the trick! ( j/k, I am happy for all those getting a bird, hopefully I'm next).

In all seriousness, I noticed that in the Uwharries last year, 11 of the 26 birds taken were Jakes. This proportion was much higher than any other gameland if I recall correctly.


I know its not an exact science, but would taking that many jakes have a negative impact on the gobbler harvest the next year or is that more of an indication of the size of last years flock that that there were that many jakes taken?
I think the logic is harvesting a jake has no impact on next year's harvest as that tag still leaves a mature bird in the woods that could have been taken. That said, I don't think a near 50% harvest of jakes is ever a good thing.
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
I think the logic is harvesting a jake has no impact on next year's harvest as that tag still leaves a mature bird in the woods that could have been taken. That said, I don't think a near 50% harvest of jakes is ever a good thing.

Its bad over ther this spring, I thought last year was bad, the one I got was 3 year old, I did see 1 jake and 4 hens the first week and I traveled alot of land over there.Pray for a good hatch this spring guys some places are in dire need of it.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
well, if I needed for feel worse about my abysmal season so far, this did the trick! ( j/k, I am happy for all those getting a bird, hopefully I'm next).

In all seriousness, I noticed that in the Uwharries last year, 11 of the 26 birds taken were Jakes. This proportion was much higher than any other gameland if I recall correctly.


I know its not an exact science, but would taking that many jakes have a negative impact on the gobbler harvest the next year or is that more of an indication of the size of last years flock that that there were that many jakes taken?

Often high Jake harvest indicats 2 things good hatch previous year and not so good year befor that and people are settling for jakes due to lack of longbeards and yes if jake harvest is high and there were no carry over of older brds will hurt that years hunting but often if you have really good hatch then there are enough jaks to make the next year good
 

Dolfan21

Ten Pointer
Its bad over ther this spring, I thought last year was bad, the one I got was 3 year old, I did see 1 jake and 4 hens the first week and I traveled alot of land over there.Pray for a good hatch this spring guys some places are in dire need of it.

Yeah, I heard a few gobbles the opening weekend but not much since. They have an entire field of red clover I sat on one morning and didn't see or hear anything then entire morning except for a coyote that almost came into range before he got wind of me and bolted. Seeing a little sign, but not much. Alot of Alcoa just had some controlled burns so I a not sure if I will bother with tuckertown till next year. I may just have to take a trip to the mountains........
 
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strut buster

Eight Pointer
I think the logic is harvesting a jake has no impact on next year's harvest as that tag still leaves a mature bird in the woods that could have been taken. That said, I don't think a near 50% harvest of jakes is ever a good thing.

Never understood that logic. Just as likely that the jake is dead and with the hunter density and small property size in this state, the mature bird gets dead too.
 

Dolfan21

Ten Pointer
Never understood that logic. Just as likely that the jake is dead and with the hunter density and small property size in this state, the mature bird gets dead too.

I was thinking the same thing to be honest. I think that logic assumes that if the same hunter did not shoot the Jake, he would have shot a Tom instead. while that may be true in some cases, I would imagine in just as many it was that Jake or no bird at all. They are mutually exclusive events in alot of cases. anyway, not trying to stir up a debate, just my two cents.
 

Dolfan21

Ten Pointer
I'd be jumping on them controlled burn areas by this weekend for sure or tomorrow if could

Really, that soon? I was up there 2 weeks before the season and the ground was literally still smouldering. I dont think there is much regrowth yet. Are you saying its a good spot because of regrowth or other factors? I may have to give it a shot regardless, you have my attention.
 
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