Your thoughts on the 2011 turkey season

nice talkin’ with you Scott. I’ll do it, sounds like a blast! Dean Bolin

I spoke to a gentleman at work that had a conversation with a DNR officer about the harvest numbers for turkey hunting in MN and he said that the harvest numbers are down about 3,000 compared to last year I know the weather is probably the number 1 determining factor in this upset with the birds not responding well to calling and decoys, etc.
What do you guys think? What was your experience?

Its been a rough season for everyone I have talked to…bird numbers are down here in WI, and the weather was TERRIBLE!!!! I still have one left maybe I can change my outlook…we’ll find out!

I’ve hunted numerous days in both MN and WI and I’ve seen about 1/2 the number of turkeys that I usually see. Both registration stations that I spoke with (one in MN and WI) were down 1/3 to 1/2 the number of birds registered.

I’ve definitely seen less birds than usual in the fields. Most birds have been in the woods. Hunting has been a struggle as well and the weather hasn’t helped either. Looking forward to one more try this weekend and then all efforts will turn to deer. Great post!

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I spoke to a gentleman at work that had a conversation with a DNR officer about the harvest numbers for turkey hunting in MN and he said that the harvest numbers are down about 3,000 compared to last year I know the weather is probably the number 1 determining factor in this upset with the birds not responding well to calling and decoys, etc.

What do you guys think? What was your experience?

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This is a great thread, as it’s a pretty actively developing situation. Weather is getting better, and hunters are still out, perhaps more this year in MN than ever before considering the over the counter G & H season law new for 2011. I will be watching their harvest numbers accordingly.

As for my personal experiences, I’ve hunted three states and 5 distinctly different regions within these states. In all of them, bird numbers appear to be down based not simply on the number of gobbles heard, but birds sighted/busted, and general sign in the woods. Keep in mind, that with less turkeys spotted/seen, I’m covering more ground. All of which appears to be good habitat, yet still holds fewer turkeys than I’m traditionally used to seeing.

On my properties in MN where I have trail cameras, this has been the worst year ever for numbers of pictures of turkeys. That said, with better weather there have been more birds sighted, yet overall I’m 100% confident that there are fewer birds than when I hunted these similar areas last year. The question is how many fewer?

I have only anecdotal evidence, but at this point, that’s all anyone has. My concern, is that all of the commentary I’ve read, seen, or heard from the DNR and outdoors writers thus far, seems to suggest that the weather and possibly weather-alone is the cause for a declining harvest number. These statements are troubling coming on the heels of a very serious winter that saw not only exceedingly deep snow, but snow very early, that lasted longer than usual into the spring. Wild turkey mortality has very directly been linked to snow depths in the upper midwest, esp. in absence of food crops during these periods, so I don’t see why it would be a stretch to concede that there are likely fewer turkeys around.

Time will tell, but at this point I’m convinced that sightings, harvest, and overall gobbling are not solely contributed to the poor spring weather. I’m more convinced that it’s due to a combination of poor weather both spring and winter, and perhaps more attributed to the harsh winter and bird deaths.

Joel

I too have seen fewer birds than i did last year However, i have not encountered a turkey carcass while scouting this spring. Does the DNR believe that X% of the turkey population was killed this year due to the winter, or have they just relocated?

Another thought I had on the subject, is because of the weather, there are a lot less bugs, therefore the birds are staying in the woods looking for acorns and such? I talked to a guy near New Richmond and he claimed to have found around 30 dead birds this spring in the area he hunted.

Hard winter, I have heard reports of guys finding dead birds after the snows melted…

I, too, have been seeing ~50% of “normal” amount of birds this year.