Turkey hunting 2024

[AER244]

it should be two birds from two counties. I’m doubtful 1 Tom per year will have a major impact on populations. I don’t think hunting is the culprit for the mass turkey demise. That said, I likely wouldn’t kill more than one unless it was special circumstances

@tynyphil all puns aside- im surprised you didn’t like the beaver. The ones I’ve eaten were surprisingly good. Better than ducks in my opinion.

 

[tynyphil]

@tynyphil all puns aside- im surprised you didn’t like the beaver. The ones I’ve eaten were surprisingly good. Better than ducks in my opinion.

I really didn't dislike it. I think it was the mental thing.....much like my initial deer reaction. Once I got by that....we eat steaks and ground venison all the time now. Putting a deer in the freezer every year is a must now.

 

[Okie4570]

I also don’t think that the state should or will make any changes to bag limits based on isolated locations. If it could be proven that the turkey population had generally increased state wide, would you still be against a two tom limit? I’m not saying that it should happen next year, but if the turkey population steadily increases over the next several years, I’d like to see the limit increased. I’ll save my thoughts on buck limits for later in the year, but I mostly agree with you on a one buck limit.

There's still a vast amount of OK with zero turkey population where there were once hundreds just 20y ago or less. As in there are no small flocks left to make larger flocks while the conditions are good. Conditions can be perfect for breeding, nesting, brooding into adults.............but if there are zero turkeys there, that won't happen lol.

 

[Okie4570]

I will compromise and go with two in different counties but I am in the camp that the ODWC was completely off base by cutting the limits and dates so drastically. To be honest, the date change is what really angers me.

It was a knee jerk reaction by them and I am confident we will never see the reversal. Bureaucrats doing what bureaucrats do when there is no accountability.

Notice they have never published data from the hunter survey they took a few years ago. They gave summary comments but never showed the data. I have been tempted to submit a FOIA request for it but have never gotten around to it.

In the 80's and early 90's turkey season started on March 25th every year. Then April 6th, now the 16th. Kansas has always been later, still has the same population decline as OK. I know in the other waterfowl thread that waterfowl guides have been discussed, and how it seems like there's one every other mile now. Well those guys aren't seasonal, they spring turkey hunt now as well, and that's been going on for the last 7 or 8 years. 10-20 hunters a season, most with 100% success rate. After a while, it has to start taking its toll on an already declining population. I know hunting wasn't the issue with the flocks that I knew of though unless something sneaky was going on with over half a dozen properties, which isn't likely.

 

[meatGrinder]

When other states have reduced turkey limits, it has seemed to discourage more out-of-staters from traveling here. I'm not the type to bitch and moan about others coming to hunt here, but I can only imagine it relieves a little pressure on the flocks. The traveling YouTube turkey hunting crowd is obnoxious. One public spot I used to like is devoid of turkeys in the spring now, after a YTer posted a video of him taking two toms in one sitting. It was perfectly legal at the time. He made very little effort to conceal where he was hunting.
Not counting fine, upstanding out-of-staters like retrieverman of course. He's one of us, lol.

 

[meatGrinder]

When other states have reduced turkey limits, it has seemed to discourage more out-of-staters from traveling here. I'm not the type to ***** and moan about others coming to hunt here, but I can only imagine it relieves a little pressure on the flocks. The traveling YouTube turkey hunting crowd is obnoxious. One public spot I used to like is devoid of turkeys in the spring now, after a YTer posted a video of him taking two toms in one sitting. It was perfectly legal at the time. He made very little effort to conceal where he was hunting.
Not counting fine, upstanding out-of-staters like retrieverman of course. He's one of us, lol.

I want to add that I don't necessarily think hunting pressure is the number one culprit for our turkey problems. I understand it has a lot more to do with habitat loss and predator control. But all the same, less overall turkey hunters I cam only assume would mean more turkeys in the flock. Marginal, I'm sure, but still.......

 

[hunter966]

I can only speak from what I’ve learned from turkey hunting since about 1989 till today but I’ve seen the dates change and from that stand point I’m liking the current dates better than old ones.

Why? To me the toms respond better latter in the season and it gives the hens a better chance of breeding from a mature tom.

Bag limits: I’m a big fan of the 3 bird limit for two reasons, I like to hunt turkeys more than anything and I’ve spent waaaay more money on my turkey hunting gear than any sane person should.

With that being said I don’t mind the 1 bird limit for now with the end goal of letting the numbers increase so we can possibly get back an extra bird or two in the limit.

Low numbers: I really think the polar vortex that set in on us 3-4 years ago killed a bunch of birds. But I think the nest raiders are taking a toll on the eggs and young birds as well.

I know I’ve been murdering the crap out of coons and possums over the last 5 nights and I’m not letting up. Gonna be ordering a bunch more dog proofs.

 

[ElmerFudd]

Low numbers: I really think the polar vortex that set in on us 3-4 years ago killed a bunch of birds. But I think the nest raiders are taking a toll on the eggs and young birds as well.

The hogs don’t help either.

 

[2busy]

Turkeys got so scarce here there would be half a dozen hunters after one tom. Too stupid to leave them alone. There were big flocks in the early 80's till they were trapped out and still haven't recovered here. Of course the trapping is denied but here one day gone the next. Just like cougars didn't exist here for umpteen years.

 

[Jeff Rasberry]

I grew up on SW Ok and mainly hunted quail dove and rabbits. I didn’t even know deer was a thing. I didn’t start hunting deer until I bought my 80 acres N of Okemah about 10 years ago. I have quite a bit on it and me and family harvest only 2 or 3 every year not even putting a dent in the population

Okemah is my hometown