Turkeys Are in Decline in the Southeast and Midwest
Dr. Mike Chamberlain discusses why our turkey population is in decline
Dr. Michael Chamberlain’s Top 5 Reasons for The Wild Turkey Decline
Dr. Michael Chamberlain, renowned wild turkey researcher from the Wild Turkey Lab at the Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources joined Clay Newcomb on MeatEater’s Bear Grease podcast to discuss his five biggest culprits of the turkey decline.
Turkey populations peaked in the late 1990s but have since been on the decline for the last two decades. Dr. Chamberlain detailed his five main culprits in order with Newcomb as follows.
#1 Habitat
Dr. Chamberlain led off by discussing his number one reason for the turkey decline. Habitat loss. The disappearance of turkey habitat has been a huge problem. Farms being sold and turned into buildings or neighborhoods. Quality turkey habitat such as grazed fields, areas that provide optimal nesting sites for hens are turning into pine plantations in the south. Conversion of land and habitat has not benefitted turkeys in the least. Fragmentation of the habitat isn’t helping as more and more roads, powerlines and neighborhoods pop up. Loss of habitat has confounded predation, which is #2 on Dr. Chamberlain’s list of contributing factors to the decline.
#2 Predation
Change in habitat has hurt turkeys in several ways. While the turkeys lose the habitat in which they thrive, the change in habitat has benefitted the predators. It’s a double whammy for the wild turkey. The fur trade is all but gone. Raccoons, coyotes and bobcats are wreaking havoc. Rat snakes have entered the spectrum of a major player in turkey predation due to the change in habitat. Rat snakes are effective predators in and around field edges. Mismanagement of land can help the snakes find nests easier. Raptors are also a part of the predation equation. Predation is higher than ever especially on turkey nests. A movement in trapper recruitment is needed to help combat the predator problems.
#3 Harvest
Turkey seasons by and large open during breeding seasons. Birds are being harvested during breeding. Harvesting needs to occur when nesting starts. Many harvest regulations are predicated on what was happening in the 1990s. The paradigm is outdated, according to Dr. Chamberlain.
Science is showing that we are harvesting more than 30% of the male population. Dr. Chamberlain warned if that is the case, what we are doing is not sustainable if we want to continue to have turkeys. The mindset used in the 1990s will not work anymore. Agencies with more liberal harvest tag numbers need to dial back.
#4 Disease
Dr. Chamberlain points to the many different viruses that are affecting turkeys. Some of the viruses are impacting reproduction in turkeys, thus contributing to the decline. Some viruses are even fatal to fully grown birds. Not much is known about these diseases because most birds that get sick are eaten before they can be discovered and tested. We don’t know enough about the disease to understand how badly it is contributing to the decline. There is certainly reason to worry.
#5 We The Hunters
Turkey hunters need to change their mindset and expectations. Those that turkey hunted back in the heyday remember hearing 10 gobblers gobbling in one spot at the same time. Those days are gone. We need to be giving more than we take. Be willing to not take more than we should as we know there is a problem. Dr. Chamberlain suggests we prioritize the bird, work with agencies and landowners to improve habitat and change harvest regulations when needed.
“Hunting creates incentive, which creates protection,” Newcomb said. “Humans gravitate toward success. Hunting turkeys is most fun when accompanied by reasonable odds of success, which produces engagement and excitement. This helps produce something else. Passion.” We all love turkey hunting. Spring warmth is rejuvenating the hardwood timber and flowering trees are starting to bloom. Mornings are still crisp, when we step out of our trucks, we can see our breath. Songbirds are whistling their tunes as the skies begin to grey. A longbeard gobbles on the limb from the ridge across the holler. The game is on. It’s time to take notice, take care and be a part of the solution to help the wild turkey.
“Discipline is giving up what you want today for what you really want most tomorrow” - Will Primos
Hunting Turkeys in All 50 States!
Billy Barnett of Turkey Hunting USA completed the U.S. Super Slam in 2022, making him the first Kentuckian to kill a turkey in all 50 states. Well, all 49 states. Alaska does not have a huntable turkey population.
Barnett is also the owner of a high-quality turkey call line, that you can find on his website.
These call may not help you kill turkeys in 49 states, but they’ll bring them straight to the end of your barrel wherever you’re hunting.
Find More Sheds This Year
Shed hunting is a popular off-season activity for hunters . The trend of shed hunting has become a way to nurture that urge to get outdoors. It’s that time of year!
Deer hunters can obtain valuable information about the bucks on their property by finding shed antlers. Finding a shed is a good indication a buck made it through the deer season. Putting boots on the ground, hiking the terrain while looking for sheds can help hunters document deer sign. This intel aids in piecing together a hunting strategy for next fall.
When to Shed Hunt
Social media has already been fueling the need to get out and shed hunt. People are starting to find a shed here and there, but most of the bucks haven’t dropped yet. If you are finding sheds in December or early January, it’s a bad sign for the deer that dropped the antlers. More often than not, the dropping of antlers and time frame is an indicator of a buck’s over-all health, according to Mark Drury of Drury Outdoors.
You don’t want to start shed hunting too early. If you start those shed drives too early and antlers aren’t off their heads you are putting stress on the bucks and you’ll push them to an area where you won’t find the antlers. You’ll drive those deer onto the neighbor’s place.
Trail cameras can help tell you when the time is right to get out and shed hunt. Wait to shed hunt until your pictures are revealing 60% to 70% of the bucks on camera don’t have antlers. Talk with other hunters to find out what they are seeing on their cameras.
Peak shedding is normally around late February to early March. Most of the bucks will have dropped both antlers by this time. It has been a mild winter so far in Kentucky, expect most bucks to hold onto their antlers a little longer. The later they drop the healthier the deer. It isn’t uncommon to see bucks hold antlers into April.
Where to Look
Finding antlers can be tough. Start your search on field edges or in food plots. These are obvious places deer frequent, especially the food sources. Check water ways, tillable fields, and supplemental feed areas. Fence crossings are good to check, although it’s a little more random to find one there than in those other spots that were mentioned.
If you are in an area that doesn’t have food plots or supplemental feed areas, look around water sources. Check the banks of creeks and ponds, and search around the backside of those ponds. You will have better luck in numbers. Get together with friends from deer camp or go hiking with your family. Fan out and look through south or east facing hillsides and in thickets.
Believe it or not weather can make a difference in your shed hunt. Sunny days can make finding antlers difficult. Antlers naturally blend into the surroundings, sun and shadows can make them harder to see. It is better to shed hunt on a cloudy day. Plan your shed hunts accordingly.
These Kentucky Hunters Are Doing Their Part for Predation
The guys at Lost Mountain Outfitters and East Kentucky Thermal Drone Recovery participated in the Wildcat Coyote Hunt competition last week.
There were over 100 hunters in the competition, and you can see from the photo above that it was a huge success.
Thanks for doing your part, fellas!
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