No Fall Turkey season in Kansas

[Wawyasto]

And I was looking forward to getting back out after a 12 year absence using my trade gun.

KDWP says the turkey number have declined too low for a season, but someone forgot to tell the turkeys in my area they don't exist.

 

[Hermit Tim]

And I was looking forward to getting back out after a 12 year absence using my trade gun.

KDWP says the turkey number have declined too low for a season, but someone forgot to tell the turkeys in my area they don't exist.

Same deal in my part of Tennessee. We used to have a fall season but they took it away several years ago. Really sucks because that is when we should be hunting turkeys.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Next, they'll be telling you there are no and never has been any Turkeys in either of your areas.

 

[ETipp]

Declining turkey numbers, eh?

That may be correct but if so, what are the reasons?

 

[Kansas Jake]

Turkeys had been previously eliminated in Kansas until re introduced in the 1960.

 

[ETipp]

Turkeys had been previously eliminated in Kansas until re introduced in the 1960.

Seems to have been that way in a few states.

I will add that for here locally in KY, I've seen more turkeys this year than I have in a long time.

During fall time they sure tear up the ground in the hardwoods. So much so in many areas its difficult to tell if a deer has been in there.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I’ve been seeing more turkeys here in Florida lately. I’ve always lived here, in rural areas, and I’ve always liked being outdoors, even as a child. Turkeys were a “rare bird,” indeed, when I was growing up. The human population of Florida has increased roughly eleven-fold since the early sixties, and I don’t know if increased turkey sightings are a result of human pressure, pushing them out in the open, or a real increase in the turkey population. Likely both.

in any event, we saw a hen with five bantam-sized young’uns walk across our front yard while we were eating supper a few weeks ago, and I saw a flock of 14-15 of them on a neighbor’s property just last week, when I was out walking my dog. Lots of other sightings recently, also.

I love to see them. They are a lot smarter than people think they are, and the wild ones are very graceful in their movements.

Notchy Bob

 

[Old Grunt]

It was last half of 80's when I first started seeing Turkeys around here in north east KS,by mid 90's wasn't unusual to see 40-50 in a flock in places and quail and pheasant have pretty much disappeared, I have noticed a few less Turkeys this summer,and I have seen a few more quail and pheasant, I'd much rather see hunt and eat the quail then the turkeys.

 

[10 Ga.]

I have seen quite a drop off in population in my hunting grounds in NE Kansas. It’s even noticeable over the last 3 years. I’m not sure why though as the management of the property hasn’t changed in a long time. I just figure KDWPT is trying to figure out what’s happening to them.

-10 Ga

 

[10 Ga.]

I have seen quite a drop off in population in my hunting grounds in NE Kansas. It’s even noticeable over the last 3 years. I’m not sure why though as the management of the property hasn’t changed in a long time. I just figure KDWPT is trying to figure out what’s happening to them.

-10 Ga

Same story for some of my hunting areas in central Kansas by the way.

-10 Ga

 

[Old Grunt]

If I was going to guess,they probably got to stinking thick and spread some disease to themselves,I haven't seen any more coyotes then normal so don't think that's it.
Most years I run across 2 or 3 nests when I'm haying,I just seen one this year and it looked destroyed not hatched out.

 

[Kansas Jake]

A combination of greater weather extremes and loss of habitat due to intensive farming practices may be a factor. A lot of timber, brushy bottoms, CRP land etc. have been broken up and farmed leaving much less nesting areas.

 

[user 31257]

I think turkeys are declining in a lot of places and a number of states have tightened up regulations. I don’t think it’s any one thing, habitat loss, changes in ag practices, a general increase in predators because of less trapping and probably many more. There was talk about West Nile virus a few years ago but I don’t know if that was fact or just a theory.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I haven’t researched it, but I think here in Florida and the Deep South, populations of ground-nesting birds have been affected by fire ants. We sure do have a lot of them. I used to see plovers frequently, and an occasional quail, right here on our property, but I haven’t seen either now for a number of years.

Bummer…

Notchy Bob

 

[Hermit Tim]

I haven’t researched it, but I think here in Florida and the Deep South, populations of ground-nesting birds have been affected by fire ants. We sure do have a lot of them. I used to see plovers frequently, and an occasional quail, right here on our property, but I haven’t seen either now for a number of years.

Bummer…

Notchy Bob

I haven't heard about the fire ants being a cause but, if FL is covered up with them now like we are, i guess that makes since. On Tennessee Crossroads the other night they were talking about the decline in ground nesting birds here but I didn't catch their supposed reasons. Either way I find it disturbing.

 

[Wawyasto]

I have seen quite a drop off in population in my hunting grounds in NE Kansas. It’s even noticeable over the last 3 years. I’m not sure why though as the management of the property hasn’t changed in a long time. I just figure KDWPT is trying to figure out what’s happening to them.

-10 Ga

I'm not seeing any decreases here on my daily commutes from Osage City to Emporia. In fact one Winter wheat field last spring North of Lebo had to have close to 200-300 birds on it and that wasn't the first time I'd seen that many birds in one place South of Melvern lake.

 

[Sam squanch]

Get rid of the raccoons and opossums and armadillos if you want to see more turkey and quail. They eat all the eggs they can get to. Gone wild stray cats get the chicks.

 

[Wawyasto]

Get rid of the raccoons and opossums and armadillos if you want to see more turkey and quail. They eat all the eggs they can get to. Gone wild stray cats get the chicks.

We definitely got armadillos, I think that's what's digging holes in my garden. Need to put up a trail cam out there to confirm.

 

[Wawyasto]

Next, they'll be telling you there are no and never has been any Turkeys in either of your areas.

KDWP tried that with Mountain Lion here in KS for decades, gaslighting folks into thinking they were seeing bobcats and Yellow Labs, no joke. They played this charade even until the advent of smart phones and game cams proved them to be liars.

 

[Hermit Tim]

KDWP tried that with Mountain Lion here in KS for decades, gaslighting folks into thinking they were seeing bobcats and Yellow Labs, no joke. They played this charade even until the advent of smart phones and game cams proved them to be liars.

I'm beginning to think folks in that business are not our friends.