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Turkey decline


G-man

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   Northern  New Jersey where,I also hunt Spring Gobblers has a Low Turkey Population  compared to before 2015,I would say. All across  Sussex,Passaic, and Bergen Counties. I am hoping for a Turnaround this year as far as Turkey Numbers go. I start down there on April 25th. We will see.

   My area of New York has a Fair to Strong Turkey Population.  But nothing like the years from 1995 to roughly again around 2015.  I would always take my 4 Yearly Turkeys in most of those years and more from Jersey and the 20 years,I Turkey Hunted Pennsylvania. 

    So,I see 2015 as the start of the Turkey Population Decline.

  Now 2015 as some here might remember was also the year that the DEC in Zones 3 +4 Slashed the Fall Turkey Turkey in 3 ways. 1- Cut the Bag limit from 2 Fall Turkeys to 1 Turkey. 2- Slashed the Length of the Fall Turkey Season from 6 weeks to 2 weeks. 3-Moved the Opening day of Fall Turkey from October 1st to this year October 15th.

   So 8 full years has gone by and,I don't see much of a change in the Turkey Population.  And no follow up on this from the DEC.

    Like the Deer- Turkeys in my area are doing better where no Hunting is allowed.

    I personally  think ,I will have more opportunities  on Public this year. It has been a mild Winter in Southren,NY.  I think more Turkeys will survive this Winter. 

Take The Multiple Use Area Challenge. 

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32 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

   Northern  New Jersey where,I also hunt Spring Gobblers has a Low Turkey Population  compared to before 2015,I would say. All across  Sussex,Passaic, and Bergen Counties. I am hoping for a Turnaround this year as far as Turkey Numbers go. I start down there on April 25th. We will see.

   My area of New York has a Fair to Strong Turkey Population.  But nothing like the years from 1995 to roughly again around 2015.  I would always take my 4 Yearly Turkeys in most of those years and more from Jersey and the 20 years,I Turkey Hunted Pennsylvania. 

    So,I see 2015 as the start of the Turkey Population Decline.

  Now 2015 as some here might remember was also the year that the DEC in Zones 3 +4 Slashed the Fall Turkey Turkey in 3 ways. 1- Cut the Bag limit from 2 Fall Turkeys to 1 Turkey. 2- Slashed the Length of the Fall Turkey Season from 6 weeks to 2 weeks. 3-Moved the Opening day of Fall Turkey from October 1st to this year October 15th.

   So 8 full years has gone by and,I don't see much of a change in the Turkey Population.  And no follow up on this from the DEC.

    Like the Deer- Turkeys in my area are doing better where no Hunting is allowed.

    I personally  think ,I will have more opportunities  on Public this year. It has been a mild Winter in Southren,NY.  I think more Turkeys will survive this Winter. 

We hunt not too far away in northern NJ. We had a spring 3 years ago where it dropped to 26 degrees on May 14th and we get 2”-3” of icy snow. I didn’t see a poult that I can recall that entire spring or summer. We have also had three consecutive poor to no acorn crops. This warm, low snow winter is helping get as many adults to breeding stage as possible, but it’s going to take a few good years of dry springs to get big numbers of birds again. 

"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Anonymous 

 

https://www.troutscapes.com

https://nativefishcoalition.org/national-board

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58 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

We hunt not too far away in northern NJ. We had a spring 3 years ago where it dropped to 26 degrees on May 14th and we get 2”-3” of icy snow. I didn’t see a poult that I can recall that entire spring or summer. We have also had three consecutive poor to no acorn crops. This warm, low snow winter is helping get as many adults to breeding stage as possible, but it’s going to take a few good years of dry springs to get big numbers of birds again. 

It's amazing how as few as 50 miles can affect the population.  

Our coyote population is out of control, lots of fishers, but we've got a fantastic turkey population with little agg. 

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8 hours ago, mowin said:

It's amazing how as few as 50 miles can affect the population.  

Our coyote population is out of control, lots of fishers, but we've got a fantastic turkey population with little agg. 

Less then 50 miles. I think there are Pocket Areas of Low Turkey Numbers and 20 miles away the Turkey Population  is doing fine.

   My Turkey Hunting areas are up to 25 miles South of where,I live. 15 Miles to the West of my home. And 15 miles to the North of me. Nothing to the East as The Palisades  Interstate Park Commission- ( PIPC) will not allow Hunting at 47,527 Acre/ Harriman State Park. Over the years people have told me of the Large Turkey Flocks they see while driving the Palisades  Interstate Highway  which runs through Harriman  State Park in Rockland County.

    

Take The Multiple Use Area Challenge. 

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Low to No has been the norm here in lower Ulster for going on 6yrs now, with the last two seasons being No. Not expecting much this upcoming seasons as I base my numbers on what I've seen during the previous deer season, and that was the same 4 birds all thru bow and rifle. I heard rumors they've all moved to Long Island 

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9 hours ago, Gobbler Chaser said:

Low to No has been the norm here in lower Ulster for going on 6yrs now, with the last two seasons being No. Not expecting much this upcoming seasons as I base my numbers on what I've seen during the previous deer season, and that was the same 4 birds all thru bow and rifle. I heard rumors they've all moved to Long Island 

   Hopefully  this Spring will be better for you. 

Take The Multiple Use Area Challenge. 

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