Zbone's Link
Kansas Cancels Fall Turkey Hunting
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/kansas-cancels-its-fall-turkey-hunting-season-amid-declining-populations-in-pockets-of-the-us/ar-AA1gMOtf
Have a group of 6 Jakes now and getting pics of other mature gobblers still around. Been trapping for 3 years now taking over 100 nest predators off of 100 acres.
Word is getting around. I have had 3 calls from guys wanting me to trap their land now.
Where I've hunted in the past in Nebraska I've heard the coon population (nest robbers) is out of control. The coyote population also isn't doing too bad with less mange in recent years. Add to coon and coyotes..... bobcats and opossums. Lots of predators and nest predators roaming the Midwest and elsewhere. Here in Colo we have bears plus mtn lions to add to the list.
?FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 12, 2022) — Two ongoing research projects should provide insight into why Kentucky's turkey harvest has slipped since its record peak in 2010.
Hunters reported the harvest of 26,836 turkeys during the state's spring 2022 seasons. While that level is comparable to the heyday of the turkey population boom in the early 2000s, it falls well short of Kentucky's record harvest of more than 36,000 turkeys during the spring season 12 years ago, and the past 10-year average of 30,822 harvested.
Kentucky is not alone in its turkey harvest decline.
“This is a range-wide phenomenon – it's happening in other states, too," said Zak Danks, turkey program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Researchers are talking and collaborating with each other, trying to figure out what's going on across the wild turkey's range."
Kentucky is currently working with Tennessee Tech University and the University of Georgia on a turkey reproduction study. Researchers are investigating nesting success and the survival rates of young birds. Biologists will study how predators, weather, habitat and gobbling affect the number of turkeys that reach adulthood.
Another ongoing study is examining the impact of hunting on the flock. For this research, being conducted in partnership with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, biologists started banding male turkeys earlier this year. Researchers will continue banding birds through 2025 to gain a better understanding of how many birds are taken by hunters versus how many birds die from other causes, such as predators.
Ben Robinson, acting director of the department's Wildlife Division, cautioned that researchers need to finish the entire project before they begin interpreting the results.
“Drawing conclusions now would be like calling the Kentucky Derby halfway through the race," he said.
Several factors impacted turkey season this spring, including bouts of cold and rainy weather. Holidays may have affected hunter numbers as well: Easter fell during the opening weekend while the spring season concluded on Mother's Day. Other factors during the spring season, such as the Kentucky Derby, youth sports or other group activities, once again competed for peoples' time.
License sales numbers this year indicate the surge in hunting and fishing participation during the pandemic has waned as COVID restrictions have eased.
3.00 Coon, skunk, 2.00 and on and on. You could make good money quick, in sure volume. Trappers and new trappers would get at it. No need to skin, just freeze, verify by state and state can dispose of them. I could make serious money quick.
Trapping before nesting eliminates the excuse of " bumping" deer. Trapping may not be the saviour for the turkey decline in all areas, but it has a real impact and is something a guy can do beside bitch and wring his hands.
Don't get caught up in the double talk about global warming, forest succession, avian flu etc. The talking heads only talk. Most of us know more about real wildlife issues than the text book experts do.
As a side note I use small sized, cheap cat or dog food with a liberal squirt of liquid smoke. Drives them crazy and is mess free. Only fill bait to top of trip lever. I sometimes put a dab in front of trap also to help them commit.
Fwiw I catch more racoons with grape jelly than anything I have tried. Also calling racoons is great fun.
Glad to hear that trapping coons has worked in quite a few situations mentioned above.
I've also heard that hunting turkeys early in the spring can lead to fewer hens getting bred. It messes with the pecking order harvesting older age class toms. There are also fewer toms to breed every hen. Supposedly jakes aren't the males doing the actually breeding. If there aren't many toms that make it through the season it's evident that hens likely aren't getting bred. Some states have actually limited or eliminated early spring seasons to possibly help hens get bred.
I would also agree with the comment above that there are a heck of a lot more turkey hunters today than there were 10+ years ago when turkey numbers were at an all-time high across the Midwest. Fewer mature toms available to breed hens may have an impact?
Harvesting hens in the fall obviously doesn't help! If turkey numbers are decreasing, it is a no brainer to eliminate either sex tags in the fall!
Again, glad to see that KS is stepping up to positively improve the downward trend of turkeys in Kansas.
https://realtree.com/turkey-hunting/articles/is-your-deer-bait-killing-turkeys
"As turkey numbers decline, some are wondering if all those corn piles could be part of the problem Turkey numbers are down right now, and that's no secret. The most troubling declines are in the Southeast, where some measures of poult recruitment show that hens aren't making enough little turkeys in the spring to keep flock numbers stable. In Georgia, for example, hens were producing an average of 4.5-5 poults each spring in the late '90s. Today, the state's poult-per-hen average is hovering around 1.5, below the 2-poults-per-hen number needed to break even."
even though fall turkey harvest was only like 1% of the total kill, the G&F cut it first
and it made no difference in the declining turkey population
Too bad greenies are anti fur and anti oil but will only buy synthetics made from oil when fur prices could help save a lot of ground nesting birds.
Here you go again guys the true article..without the neonicotinoids BS! https://realtree.com/turkey-hunting/articles/is-your-deer-bait-killing-turkeys
Aflatoxin Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus that occurs on corn. It occurs naturally in the environment and tends to build on corn as it lays on the ground. Why does it matter to turkey hunters? Because turkeys are among the most susceptible animal species to it. Aflatoxin as low as 200 parts per billion (ppb) can harm turkey poults by causing liver dysfunction and immunosuppression.
A recent study by the MSU (Mississippi State University) Deer Lab monitored corn piles placed on the ground during the summer and fall, the very times when young turkeys are out foraging to put on weight for the upcoming winter. All the piles tested negative for aflatoxin the first three days on the ground. But by the fifth day, nearly half the piles tested positive at an average concentration of 400 ppb. By days eight, nine, and 10, all of the piles tested positive with rates as high as 2,000 ppb, 10 times the rate that can harm poults.
"There is no doubt that aflatoxin can be harmful to turkey poults. We also know that aflatoxin builds up faster in warm, moist conditions, like corn placed on the ground in the summer and fall," said Dr. Michael Chamberlain, noted turkey researcher and Terrell Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia.
To make matters worse, corn sold as wildlife feed is often leftover or rejected stock that tested too high in molds or fungi to be used as human or livestock feed, so aflatoxin itself might not be the only issue causing problems. The specific corn we are putting out for deer or other wildlife could actually be more harmful. This MSU Deer Lab Chart illustrates just how quickly aflatoxin levels can build in corn piles placed directly on the ground.
Aflatoxin Aflatoxin is a naturally occurring toxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus that occurs on corn. It occurs naturally in the environment and tends to build on corn as it lays on the ground. Why does it matter to turkey hunters? Because turkeys are among the most susceptible animal species to it. Aflatoxin as low as 200 parts per billion (ppb) can harm turkey poults by causing liver dysfunction and immunosuppression.
A recent study by the MSU (Mississippi State University) Deer Lab monitored corn piles placed on the ground during the summer and fall, the very times when young turkeys are out foraging to put on weight for the upcoming winter. All the piles tested negative for aflatoxin the first three days on the ground. But by the fifth day, nearly half the piles tested positive at an average concentration of 400 ppb. By days eight, nine, and 10, all of the piles tested positive with rates as high as 2,000 ppb, 10 times the rate that can harm poults.
"There is no doubt that aflatoxin can be harmful to turkey poults. We also know that aflatoxin builds up faster in warm, moist conditions, like corn placed on the ground in the summer and fall," said Dr. Michael Chamberlain, noted turkey researcher and Terrell Professor of Wildlife Ecology and Management at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia.
To make matters worse, corn sold as wildlife feed is often leftover or rejected stock that tested too high in molds or fungi to be used as human or livestock feed, so aflatoxin itself might not be the only issue causing problems. The specific corn we are putting out for deer or other wildlife could actually be more harmful. This MSU Deer Lab Chart illustrates just how quickly aflatoxin levels can build in corn piles placed directly on the ground.
Concentrated Predators Many biologists agree that nest predation is one of the main issues facing wild turkeys today. "We are seeing nest success as low as 20% here in Alabama, and nest predators account for a large percentage of the failed nests," said Dr William Gulsby of the University of Auburn School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. Dr. Gulsby is working with the conservation group TURKEYS FOR TOMORROW on a research project designed to shed some light on why wild turkey populations are declining.
(Don't Miss: ARE TURKEY SEASONS OPENING TOO SOON?)
Anyone who has ever put out corn for deer knows that it attracts raccoons, opossums, pigs, and other nest predators. "Nobody raccoon hunts anymore, and everyone feeds deer," said George Cummins, operator of Salt River Outfitters, a deer and turkey hunting outfitter in central Kentucky. "This has caused an explosion in the raccoon numbers. I find so many nests that have been raided I can't count them all. I think there's an unbalance in predators now, and it has slowly been increasing over the last 10 years. I run 60 plus cameras on over 20,000 acres in nine different counties and I regularly get photos of 20 or more, sometimes way more, raccoons on just about every camera."
It's not just the drop in hunting and trapping that is causing the boom in the predator populations; it might be that the corn piles themselves play a hand in it. "Think about it. Baiting concentrates predators in an area, but those predators, like raccoons, don't have to work to find food while bait is out. That means they go into breeding season in extremely good health, leading to increased litter size and decreased winter mortality rates, raising the population numbers even more," Dr. Gulsby said.
Couple these hyper-inflated predator numbers with decreased nesting areas due to large-scale habitat loss, and it's not hard to see just how difficult it is for a hen to successfully hatch a clutch of eggs.
How do We Fix It? In the quest to conserve turkeys, it might be time to consider limiting or eliminating baiting for deer and hogs. Ironically, another rapidly spreading disease, Chronic Wasting Disease in whitetail deer, may make baiting issues with turkeys a moot point. At least 25 states have either changed or are considering changing baiting laws in response to spreading CWD.
Still, many hunters consider baiting to be an integral part of their hunting plans, so some states get extreme pushback to their plans to eliminate corn and other wildlife feed. What can we do in the near future while biologists, hunters, and politicians hash out the issue?
If you are going to feed, start by only using clean, livestock-quality corn, then use a feeder that keeps it dry and up off the ground.
For one, if you plan to feed deer or hogs, stop putting corn directly on the ground. "If you are going to feed, start by only using clean, livestock-quality corn, then use a feeder that keeps it dry and up off the ground. Set it so that only the amount of corn that will be consumed in a day or two is released, so that excess corn doesn't just lay on the ground," said Dr. Chamberlain. Next, wait as late into the summer or early fall as possible before putting out corn, so as to give poults plenty of time to feed on insects and prepare for the upcoming winter. If you hunt a large enough parcel of land, situate feeders well away from likely nesting and poult rearing cover to keep predators away.
When it comes to predators around bait sites, eliminate as many as possible during your state's legal hunting and trapping seasons. "Several studies have shown that predator control is beneficial to other ground nesting species like bobwhite quail, so it stands to reason that it should be beneficial to wild turkeys as well," Dr. Gulsby said.
Will ending baiting bring turkey populations back to where they were 10 to 15 years ago? Probably not by itself. As Dr. Chamberlain says, the turkey population decline is likely the result of a number of factors and the reasons may vary from area to area. But think of it like this: There are nearly 2.5 million turkey hunters in the U.S. What if we could all just save a poult or two per season?
Concentrated Predators Many biologists agree that nest predation is one of the main issues facing wild turkeys today. "We are seeing nest success as low as 20% here in Alabama, and nest predators account for a large percentage of the failed nests," said Dr William Gulsby of the University of Auburn School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. Dr. Gulsby is working with the conservation group TURKEYS FOR TOMORROW on a research project designed to shed some light on why wild turkey populations are declining.
(Don't Miss: ARE TURKEY SEASONS OPENING TOO SOON?)
Anyone who has ever put out corn for deer knows that it attracts raccoons, opossums, pigs, and other nest predators. "Nobody raccoon hunts anymore, and everyone feeds deer," said George Cummins, operator of Salt River Outfitters, a deer and turkey hunting outfitter in central Kentucky. "This has caused an explosion in the raccoon numbers. I find so many nests that have been raided I can't count them all. I think there's an unbalance in predators now, and it has slowly been increasing over the last 10 years. I run 60 plus cameras on over 20,000 acres in nine different counties and I regularly get photos of 20 or more, sometimes way more, raccoons on just about every camera."
It's not just the drop in hunting and trapping that is causing the boom in the predator populations; it might be that the corn piles themselves play a hand in it. "Think about it. Baiting concentrates predators in an area, but those predators, like raccoons, don't have to work to find food while bait is out. That means they go into breeding season in extremely good health, leading to increased litter size and decreased winter mortality rates, raising the population numbers even more," Dr. Gulsby said.
Couple these hyper-inflated predator numbers with decreased nesting areas due to large-scale habitat loss, and it's not hard to see just how difficult it is for a hen to successfully hatch a clutch of eggs.
How do We Fix It? In the quest to conserve turkeys, it might be time to consider limiting or eliminating baiting for deer and hogs. Ironically, another rapidly spreading disease, Chronic Wasting Disease in whitetail deer, may make baiting issues with turkeys a moot point. At least 25 states have either changed or are considering changing baiting laws in response to spreading CWD.
Still, many hunters consider baiting to be an integral part of their hunting plans, so some states get extreme pushback to their plans to eliminate corn and other wildlife feed. What can we do in the near future while biologists, hunters, and politicians hash out the issue?
If you are going to feed, start by only using clean, livestock-quality corn, then use a feeder that keeps it dry and up off the ground.
For one, if you plan to feed deer or hogs, stop putting corn directly on the ground. "If you are going to feed, start by only using clean, livestock-quality corn, then use a feeder that keeps it dry and up off the ground. Set it so that only the amount of corn that will be consumed in a day or two is released, so that excess corn doesn't just lay on the ground," said Dr. Chamberlain. Next, wait as late into the summer or early fall as possible before putting out corn, so as to give poults plenty of time to feed on insects and prepare for the upcoming winter. If you hunt a large enough parcel of land, situate feeders well away from likely nesting and poult rearing cover to keep predators away.
When it comes to predators around bait sites, eliminate as many as possible during your state's legal hunting and trapping seasons. "Several studies have shown that predator control is beneficial to other ground nesting species like bobwhite quail, so it stands to reason that it should be beneficial to wild turkeys as well," Dr. Gulsby said.
Will ending baiting bring turkey populations back to where they were 10 to 15 years ago? Probably not by itself. As Dr. Chamberlain says, the turkey population decline is likely the result of a number of factors and the reasons may vary from area to area. But think of it like this: There are nearly 2.5 million turkey hunters in the U.S. What if we could all just save a poult or two per season?
It sounds like poults are the ones most susceptible to aflatoxin. How many poults hang out and eat corn in feedlots in the late spring once they are hatched.....and is it even that common that poults feed on corn laying on the ground rotting that time of year or are cows mostly out on the open range grazing on grass? My guess is that aflatoxin could possibly be a tiny factor in the turkey decline in localized areas across the midwest but nothing compared to ground nesting predators, poor nesting conditions, fall hen tags, and other factors.
Stating that this argument is void because "turkeys have been eating corn for years" is idiocy. It is the fact the corn heats up in the feeders from what I've read. Everything catches up sooner or later. I've treated patients in ER since 2006 and I can assure you, 100% of smokers eventually get some form of COPD and the complications of it eventually kill them, sooner or later. The alcoholics are the same. Some die in their 40's, many die in their early 60's. The point is, just because feeders don't kill them immediately, doesn't mean it isn't killing them later.
see article from the National Deer Association:
"This website is all about deer, but it’s important to note that some turkey biologists are concerned that ingestion of aflatoxin-contaminated corn may be contributing to regional declines in turkey populations. Turkeys and other birds are at higher risk from aflatoxin exposure than mammals like deer. Turkeys fed levels of aflatoxins as little as 100 to 200 parts per billion (ppb) showed liver damage and decreased immune function within two weeks. Northern bobwhites are also negatively affected at similar concentrations. Importantly, bobwhites and white-winged doves have been shown to eat aflatoxin-contaminated feed as readily as uncontaminated feed"
See Article from Realtree:
https://realtree.com/turkey-hunting/articles/is-your-deer-bait-killing-turkeys
I mentioned neonictides and Roundup because these are possibilities as well as mentioned by QDMA if you listen to their podcasts.
Birds and fish deaths are the first to go in when their environment no longer in in homeostasis. Why do you think a canary was taken down with miners? When the canary died, it was time to get outta that hole. We should not continue to practice something that harms wildlife more than it benefits just because we are lazy and want to kill something fast with as little effort as possible.
There are more hunters out hunting multiple states. Bag limits were high. Fur market dies and hunting and trapping for nest predators drops as well. Nest predators populations explode, aided by people feeding deer year round.
Sometimes the answer really is simple.
Believe it or not turkeys ate corn in bins from the year turkeys were introduced through the turkey boom years. If aflatoxin is as lethal as you say, turkey numbers would have never increased from time 0 when they were introduced. An old turkey is 4 or 5 years old so the turnover rate of turkeys is pretty darn quick. It's impossible for turkeys to pass along aflatoxin poisoning to their progeny! I have a tough time figuring out how turkey numbers boomed if corn is so lethal?
I agree that there could potentially be aflatoxin problems in localized locations if the right conditions exist at the right time of year, but it is pretty absurd to say that the sudden crash in turkey numbers across most of the Midwest is due to aflatoxin. It makes sense that it's likely a combination of a lot of factors and aflatoxin "may" be a minor localized factor.
