# Fall hunting season?



## RockyMountainBasser (Sep 22, 2014)

Any word on if GA is considering a fall turkey hunting season, or if they will stick with the March-May season?

The reason I ask is cause I know where several toms are hanging out.


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## dawg2 (Sep 22, 2014)

I can say with relative certainty; those toms will be safe this year!


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## QuackAttack101 (Sep 23, 2014)

dawg2 said:


> I can say with relative certainty; those toms will be safe this year!



Definitely so.  Kind of looking forward to watching some Toms from the deer stand this fall too.  No desire to shoot when they're not gobbling though


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## blood on the ground (Sep 23, 2014)

Turkey hunting has my heart... Not because it's turkey... Because it's so peaceful in the spring woods! Let's keep it that way!


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## kiltman (Sep 23, 2014)

Fall turkey hunting?  I can see it now, orange vest and all.  I wonder how long it would be before someone gets shot.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 23, 2014)

The days of our fall turkey season in Georgia are long gone. I doubt we ever see another one.


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## lampern (Sep 25, 2014)

Nicodemus said:


> The days of our fall turkey season in Georgia are long gone. I doubt we ever see another one.



Why?

Alabama has one


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## hawglips (Sep 29, 2014)

I'm looking forward to enjoying some turkey hunting this fall.  Nothing else I'd rather be chasing in the fall.  Takes a close second to spring gobbler in my book.


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## Turkeydoghunter (Sep 29, 2014)

*Fall*

I will be chasing some birds in New York on Wednesday October 1st


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## Timber1 (Oct 26, 2014)

I remember going on a few 'all game' hunts in the fall and winter when we would visit from the city to relatives in N. Ga. back in the mid 60's and early 70's. Mostly small game and some turkeys. Fresh rabbit and squirrel dumplings and a wild turkey were Thanksgiving Dinner almost every year at my grandparents house. 
The stories and memories of those hunts told around the table made the food taste all that much better.
Before that, even though there was no season, turkeys were fair game for the dinner table.

Tennesse has a short fall season and they harvest about 2500 birds. I think Ga. could work out something to achieve about the same harvest numbers without damaging the overall population.
Im not a big fan of either sex even though I doubt it hurts numbers very much.


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## GA DAWG (Oct 26, 2014)

I wouldnt mind it as long as you had to use a bow or shotgun. Make a one gobbler limit. Then reduce spring to 2 gobbler. No hens.


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## fullstrut (Oct 26, 2014)

Yeah good luck with that passing. But if it does I will hold out till Spring. Bow or shotgun only if it does pass. We need to keep it the way it is. Deer hunting is hard enough with the liberal bag limits in place. No need to put a dent in the Turkey population.


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## KyDawg (Oct 26, 2014)

Fall season going on right now here in Kentucky. It is also either sex. We rode out to the farm this afternoon and probably saw 200 out in a cornfield. I might try a day or two next week. It is pretty much an ambush hunt here if you get one.


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## hawglips (Oct 27, 2014)

Can't think of anything better to hunt in the fall or winter than turkeys.   I believe 44 states have fall seasons.   There are just a few obstinate hold-outs, in the southeast.


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## The Crowe (Oct 27, 2014)

I ran into the dnr commissioner trout fishing this summer we talked for a few min. we started talking turkey he said there are changes comming 2015 such as split seasons and earlier opertunites fall season is still up in the air


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## Gut_Pile (Oct 27, 2014)

The Crowe said:


> I ran into the dnr commissioner trout fishing this summer we talked for a few min. we started talking turkey he said there are changes comming 2015 such as split seasons and earlier opertunites fall season is still up in the air



I find this hard to believe since the 2015 dates have already been announced. 

Maybe for 2016?


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## The Crowe (Oct 27, 2014)

its the truth but i ment 2016 sorry spilt season is comming boys and girls with earlier hunting dates


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## j_seph (Oct 27, 2014)

QuackAttack101 said:


> Definitely so.  Kind of looking forward to watching some Toms from the deer stand this fall too.  No desire to shoot when they're not gobbling though


They were gobbling like crazy opening morning of gun season


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## Gut_Pile (Oct 27, 2014)

The Crowe said:


> its the truth but i ment 2016 sorry spilt season is comming boys and girls with earlier hunting dates



I wonder what they could do earlier than they do now? We just added a youth weekend that starts the weekend before the normal opener. That started in 2014.

Can you elaborate more?

I'm intrigued.


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## Resica (Oct 27, 2014)

KyDawg said:


> Fall season going on right now here in Kentucky. It is also either sex. We rode out to the farm this afternoon and probably saw 200 out in a cornfield. I might try a day or two next week. It is pretty much an ambush hunt here if you get one.



Hoe bout bust the flock and call?


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## swampstalker24 (Oct 27, 2014)

First its a fall season, then its a fall season with rifles allowed, then they start allowing rifles in spring season, then it aint turkey hunting anymore.....


Thats how it is out here in Wyoming.....  JMO


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## KyDawg (Oct 27, 2014)

Resica said:


> Hoe bout bust the flock and call?



I have thought about that but the only woods down there are along the river and if you scare them enough to scatter them they cross the river and that land is not on my lease. Probably a way to do it, but I just usually try to pattern them. Like today where I was 80 hens an jakes came by but not one long beard. Can kill anything up here right now but waiting on a good un.


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## Jody Hawk (Oct 28, 2014)

I've always said that I was against a fall season in Georgia then the other morning I busted a flock off the roost while climbing up my deer stand. About an hour later, they were raising a ruckous trying to get the flock back together. I'm talking everything from yelps to kee kees to cutts and even some jake gobbles. I couldn't help but think how fun it would be to be sitting there calling to them.


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## kmckinnie (Oct 28, 2014)

It will  NOT be allowed on any land I hunt.


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## j_seph (Oct 28, 2014)

I called in 4 jakes yesterday. Scratched the leaves back to sit down, yelped while I was doing that and less than 5 minutes I had 4 jakes 15 yards lol


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## hawglips (Oct 28, 2014)

j_seph said:


> I called in 4 jakes yesterday. Scratched the leaves back to sit down, yelped while I was doing that and less than 5 minutes I had 4 jakes 15 yards lol



I hunted dark to dark on Saturday and never could find a turkey anywhere.


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## j_seph (Oct 28, 2014)

hawglips said:


> I hunted dark to dark on Saturday and never could find a turkey anywhere.


What ya got to barter with, we covered in turkeys


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## Resica (Oct 28, 2014)

Jody Hawk said:


> I've always said that I was against a fall season in Georgia then the other morning I busted a flock off the roost while climbing up my deer stand. About an hour later, they were raising a ruckous trying to get the flock back together. I'm talking everything from yelps to kee kees to cutts and even some jake gobbles. I couldn't help but think how fun it would be to be sitting there calling to them.


There you go. Can be very exciting.


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## Nicodemus (Oct 28, 2014)

Resica said:


> There you go. Can be very exciting.





The first hunt I can ever remember going on when I was a little bitty boy, was a fall turkey hunt. And the first thing I ever killed in my life was a turkey, on that fall hunt. 

I really wish we could have a dedicated fall season, with special rules as to weapons.


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## Turkeydoghunter (Oct 28, 2014)

*Fall 2014*

Yep It can be fun and Dogs make it Better  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





[/URL]


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## turkeykirk (Oct 29, 2014)

Turkeydoghunter said:


> Yep It can be fun and Dogs make it Better
> 
> 
> 
> ...



How's the Fall season been so far in NY?


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## Turkeycaller (Oct 29, 2014)




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## Turkeycaller (Oct 29, 2014)

I do not agree with this publication.
We are wasting a resource !!!
There is "NO" reason why we cannot have a "Quota" fall hunt on "CLOSED" WMA's.


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## hawglips (Nov 1, 2014)

Had a nice hunt this morning.  When he answered with a single note yelp about 60 yds away, it was every bit as good a rush as a spring gobble.  Can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to hunt fall turkeys.


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## turkeykirk (Nov 1, 2014)

hawglips said:


> Had a nice hunt this morning.  When he answered with a single note yelp about 60 yds away, it was every bit as good a rush as a spring gobble.  Can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to hunt fall turkeys.
> 
> Congratulations on a nice gobbler!


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## tonyrittenhouse (Nov 5, 2014)

*fall season*

I hope we never get a fall season. I love to hunt them in the spring when they are gobbling. If we get a fall season people will take advantage of it and kill to many birds. It will be just like deer hunting they made every day either sex raised the limit to 10 doe and a lot of people could not help them selves they killed everything they saw. Now a lot of areas in Georgia don't have many deer at all. We have a good turkey population right now so we don't need to go messing with a good thing.


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## Klondike (Nov 6, 2014)

tonyrittenhouse said:


> I hope we never get a fall season. I love to hunt them in the spring when they are gobbling. If we get a fall season people will take advantage of it and kill to many birds. It will be just like deer hunting they made every day either sex raised the limit to 10 doe and a lot of people could not help them selves they killed everything they saw. Now a lot of areas in Georgia don't have many deer at all. We have a good turkey population right now so we don't need to go messing with a good thing.



I agree.  Deer hunting the next 3 days but I am already thinking about turkey.  Deer is just a time to do something in the woods until turkey season arrives!


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## M Sharpe (Nov 7, 2014)

Turkeycaller said:


>



I, on the other hand, agree with this article. Especially the part about the seasons overlapping. GA is not going to shorten it's deer season to bring you a week or 2 of turkey season. That is the only way it would work. There would be numerous birds killed by deer hunters in the fall. A bored deer hunter sitting in his stand and along comes a flock of turkeys or a dog hunter that happens to bust a flock....he'd empty the gun. Not to mention if they overlapped, you'd probably have to wear an orange vest while hunting. I, for one, happen to remember when seeing a turkey in my part of the state was a rarity, and so were deer......you probably do too. I also know it doesn't take as long to tear something down as what it does to build something up. However, sometimes when a hen comes in a spoils my hunt, I get a little frustrated!

GA at one time had a fall season, many, many years ago.

 But a couple of bad hatches and you'll be wondering what happened to the turkeys.
I like it just the way it is!

Your statement about quota hunts and closed WMA might change if you were not drawn and some guy from out of state was..... just one of the problems I hear from guys from  Florida.


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## herb mcclure (Nov 9, 2014)

*Fall Hunting Season*

First, I will state: I have hunted in Georgia's fall hunting seasons; when Fall Turkey hunts were legal. I realize too, my  personal opinion here; probably don't mean much, or is not what today's run an gun style of turkey hunter cares to hear. A lot of today's modern turkey hunters, the kill is everything; no matter what. Ten, twelve, fifteen a season; what ever his wallet can afford, or is it an addiction  to kill. 
When you have hunted 59 turkey season, which I have, you may learn that slowing down and smelling-the-roses is what helps make turkey hunting what it should be. Like listening to other wildlife,(before it is scared away), taking in the Flame Azaleas in bloom, the beautiful snowy white dogwoods, the chartreuse green of the hardwood forest coming to life and then, low-in-behold, a male wild turkey shatters the stillness with his gobble. I did not see or hear any of these things described; back when I fall hunted the wild turkey.
But, if the kill is what matters most to a turkey hunter who wants to cause our turkey hunting to become like today's deer hunting has become; then I hope you will go elsewhere to do your fall turkey hunting. Real true turkey hunters that appreciate the Southern way of Spring turkey hunting know; what I am talking of.
Like someone has said, it is easy to mess-up things, but a lot's harder to fix them back, like they were.

Herb McClure


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## kiltman (Nov 9, 2014)

> Herb McClure



  The Georgia Turkey authority speaks!  I will say that if there was a fall season,  I won't enjoy Turkey hunting as much.


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## tonyrittenhouse (Nov 9, 2014)

*fall season*



herb mcclure said:


> First, I will state: I have hunted in Georgia's fall hunting seasons; when Fall Turkey hunts were legal. I realize too, my  personal opinion here; probably don't mean much, or is not what today's run an gun style of turkey hunter cares to hear. A lot of today's modern turkey hunters, the kill is everything; no matter what. Ten, twelve, fifteen a season; what ever his wallet can afford, or is it an addiction  to kill.
> When you have hunted 59 turkey season, which I have, you may learn that slowing down and smelling-the-roses is what helps make turkey hunting what it should be. Like listening to other wildlife,(before it is scared away), taking in the Flame Azaleas in bloom, the beautiful snowy white dogwoods, the chartreuse green of the hardwood forest coming to life and then, low-in-behold, a male wild turkey shatters the stillness with his gobble. I did not see or hear any of these things described; back when I fall hunted the wild turkey.
> But, if the kill is what matters most to a turkey hunter who wants to cause our turkey hunting to become like today's deer hunting has become; then I hope you will go elsewhere to do your fall turkey hunting. Real true turkey hunters that appreciate the Southern way of Spring turkey hunting know; what I am talking of.
> Like someone has said, it is easy to mess-up things, but a lot's harder to fix them back, like they were.
> ...


 I agree completely like I stated earlier I HOPE WE NEVER GET A FALL SEASON. I have not turkey hunted 59 years but I have turkey hunted 24 years. I too have come to appreciate a nice cool spring morning, hearing the whooper wills sounding off, listening to a mountain stream as day is breaking, a owl hooting off in the distance then hearing that wonderful sound of a gobbler sounding off. Setting up on him calling and having him answer, then hearing the thump , thump , thump of him drumming as he approaches. Then seeing that beautiful red, white and blue head. Even if you can't get a shot at him just enjoying the sounds and beauty of a turkey hunt. We have great turkey hunting now so I pray they never get a fall season. Why would anyone want to do something that could ruin the great turkey hunting we have now.


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## hawglips (Nov 10, 2014)

herb mcclure said:


> ...you may learn that slowing down and smelling-the-roses is what helps make turkey hunting what it should be. Like listening to other wildlife,(before it is scared away), taking in the Flame Azaleas in bloom, the beautiful snowy white dogwoods, the chartreuse green of the hardwood forest coming to life and then, low-in-behold, a male wild turkey shatters the stillness with his gobble. I did not see or hear any of these things described; back when I fall hunted the wild turkey.



But you did see the morning sunlight angling through the multi-colored fall woods illuminating the world with that warm glow that happens only in the fall woods.  And you watched bucks with nose to the ground trailing through the woods, and listened to the sound of wood ducks and squirrels and a multitude of God's other lovely creatures scurrying around. 



herb mcclure said:


> But, if the kill is what matters most to a turkey hunter who wants to cause our turkey hunting to become like today's deer hunting has become; then I hope you will go elsewhere to do your fall turkey hunting. Real true turkey hunters that appreciate the Southern way of Spring turkey hunting know; what I am talking of.



Fall turkey hunting is nothing like this a'tall in my experience.   Fall turkey hunting is about as far away from deer hunting as China is to Athens.  And it's surely got nothing to do with the kill - because fall hunting (without a dog) is a lot harder to get the kill done than spring gobbler hunting, in my experience.  

It seems to me that like real true turkey hunters would prefer more turkey hunting, rather than less.   6 or 7 months out of the year ought to suit him better than just 2 or 3.

Seems to me that thumbing the nose at fall turkey hunting is like thumbing the nose at blondes and redheads because only brunettes will do.  That poor guy don't know what he's missing! 

Georgia won't have a fall season anytime soon.  But here's my .02 on fall turkey hunting.

In my limited experience, fall turkey hunting is harder to be successful at than spring gobbler - if you hunt with a shotgun and without a dog - and even if one includes hens as targets. It's tougher by a pretty fair margin IMO. But like anything else, I reckon it all boils down to how you do it. 

I typically comb an area like I'd do in the spring, prospecting till I get a response or bump a flock. Since it's always an out of state hunt, I never get the chance to scout and don't know if any birds are using the area before I arrive in the dark on the morning of the hunt. 

It's harder to find birds in the fall, generally speaking, because they aren't spread out everywhere like they are in the spring. And they don't typically answer from long distances like a spring gobbler will. So you've got to get close to find them. 

In the spring, birds are spread over a larger area, and you can course a gobble from a long ways and get set up on him when his mind and judgment is clouded by desire. In the fall, they don't seem to care much about getting together with you for the most part - unless you get a good scatter, then the likelihood of calling one in goes way up. But finding and scattering them is a lot easier said than done - unless you hunt with a dog. And unless you find and scatter them, they don't come in near as easy as spring gobblers, in my experience. And then there's the issue of differentiating hen vs gobbler calls, and using the right one on the right birds. So you need to be proficient at more types of calls on fall birds. 

My experience is mostly public land birds in the fall - and last Saturday's bird was found on a place I'd never set foot on before. So that certainly affects perspective, and the degree of difficulty of calling one in, I'd assume. But again, that's drawing from a limited bag of experience. 

My perspective is totally based only on my own personal experience only; and if someone is hunting a familiar flock and land and knows where they are coming by to feed every day - well, I have no frame of reference on that sort of situation and don't think I'd have any interest in doing that. I guess one could wait around and deer hunt them like that, which I have no interest in doing.

As for gobbling, I get a heart thumping reaction with any sort of turkey vocalization in response to my calling, since, whether spring or fall, the whole point is to talk back and forth and trick one into thinking you're a bird he wants the company of. I love to hear them gobble, but I love to hear them yelp or cluck at me almost just as much. I get about the same rush when they answer no matter what the vocalization they used was. But that's me, and is a bias based on my own experience only, like anyone else. But it wasn't always like that. As I've hunted more in the fall in recent years, my appreciation for all their calls and the way the sport is played has gone up significantly.

The game is played slightly differently in the fall, and it gets a very close second to spring gobbler, in my book. This last hunt was as satisfying as any spring gobbler hunt I can recall. But of course, since it's freshest in my mind, that colors things at the moment. 

I'm hoping to get out at least one more time before the season is out! I can't think of anything better to be doing in the woods this time of year.


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## herb mcclure (Nov 12, 2014)

*Fall Hunting Season*

Mr. Hawglips, thanks for pointing out some of the enjoyment  and difficulties associated with fall turkey hunting. I would like to congratulate you on taking your fall gobbler. You are truly a great turkey man who knows the ropes of turkey hunting and a good woodsman.   
Yes, I too have seen numerous fall sun-rises; enjoying turkeys flying from their roost, or watching them feed in the hardwoods where I hunt on National Forest.
Years ago I learn from the late Leon Johenning of Lexington, Virginia that by using a camera I could extend my turkey time in the woods; all year; Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.
Mr. Hawglips, our back and forth rebuttal of spring-time and fall-time turkey hunting are mutual reciprocal interchanges, no doubt. But I do have concerns of Georgia having a fall turkey season.
I not only hunt turkeys, but study what makes them tick, as well as their well-being. It is the well-being that concerns me. Like Mr. Haven Barnhill, (THE GAME BIOLOGIST), quoted in the posted report of Georgia's wild turkey and fall hunting season: With Georgia's vast number of deer hunters and either sex turkey killing; Georgia's turkey population can be hurt. Turkeys numbers in most areas have already peaked and in many areas are on the decline.  
Other concerns are the huge stacks of corn and tri-pod feeders at Wal-Mart's stores, which are being used today on deer hunts to lure in game; just like in the old days when ditches were dug and filled with corn and a blind made in shotgun range.
Yes, I am a peculiar turkey hunter who does not want to hunt 4, 5, 6, or 7 mouths; just to kill more turkeys. Georgia's two mouth turkey season in the spring is to long also. In the high mountains March is to early,( gobblers are flocked-up; that don't mean you can't call them). May is to late to hunt in the southern part of Georgia; (because hens are already with poults).
Again, I don't fault anyone for fall turkey hunting; it's just that I don't think Georgia needs it on top of our spring-time long season.
Mr. Hawglips, if you would be interested in calling my cell-phone number: 706-892-6772, I would be glad to send you a DVD, which I made a few years ago titled " WILD TURKEY MEMORIES OF HERB MCCLURE" it want cost you anything. Then you can see what this poor guy has been missing that he don't know about. 
Herb McClure


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## Turkeydoghunter (Nov 12, 2014)

*Hawglips*

Hawglips thank you but most springer's will never get it , the beauty of fall and winter seasons and the challenge of it all I prefer dogs to break the flock and then calling   the birds into gun range , a true turkey hunter hunts all year round !


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## hawglips (Nov 13, 2014)

herb mcclure said:


> I not only hunt turkeys, but study what makes them tick, as well as their well-being. It is the well-being that concerns me. Like Mr. Haven Barnhill, (THE GAME BIOLOGIST), quoted in the posted report of Georgia's wild turkey and fall hunting season: With Georgia's vast number of deer hunters and either sex turkey killing; Georgia's turkey population can be hurt. Turkeys numbers in most areas have already peaked and in many areas are on the decline.
> Other concerns are the huge stacks of corn and tri-pod feeders at Wal-Mart's stores, which are being used today on deer hunts to lure in game; just like in the old days when ditches were dug and filled with corn and a blind made in shotgun range.



I share all those concerns about a fall season in GA.  It would be a mistake to allow turkey hunting while deer hunting is allowed over bait.    The turkey resource should indeed be the top priority.  




herb mcclure said:


> Yes, I am a peculiar turkey hunter who does not want to hunt 4, 5, 6, or 7 mouths; just to kill more turkeys. Georgia's two mouth turkey season in the spring is to long also. In the high mountains March is to early,( gobblers are flocked-up; that don't mean you can't call them). May is to late to hunt in the southern part of Georgia; (because hens are already with poults).
> Again, I don't fault anyone for fall turkey hunting; it's just that I don't think Georgia needs it on top of our spring-time long season.



I agree - GA's spring season is too long.    And I do understand that GA has decided to manage the turkey flock to allow such a long spring season with a generous limit.   I've got no problem with any of that.  

But I like brunettes, as well as blondes and redheads... 

And I'd love to take you up on that generous DVD offer.


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## davisd9 (Nov 13, 2014)

Turkeydoghunter said:


> a true turkey hunter hunts all year round !


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## Timber1 (Nov 13, 2014)

Turkeydoghunter said:


> a true turkey hunter hunts all year round !



Totally agree. You can hunt turkeys even if your not allowed to carry a gun. Feeding areas change. Storms blow thru the woods creating blow downs that make once prime turkey areas desolate of birds. You can learn a lot from trailing a flock thru the woods for a day. Most importantly your out there keeping your skills sharp.
Of course you can always throw up a feeder or sow a foodplot. 
Want to see a turkey population explosion....close spring season and open up a fall season.
What would all you turkey hunters do that dont hunt or shoot non-gobbling birds?


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## davisd9 (Nov 13, 2014)

Timber1 said:


> Totally agree. You can hunt turkeys even if your not allowed to carry a gun. Feeding areas change. Storms blow thru the woods creating blow downs that make once prime turkey areas desolate of birds. You can learn a lot from trailing a flock thru the woods for a day. Most importantly your out there keeping your skills sharp.
> Of course you can always throw up a feeder or sow a foodplot.
> Want to see a turkey population explosion....close spring season and open up a fall season.
> What would all you turkey hunters do that dont hunt or shoot non-gobbling birds?



If you are not toting a weapon, wouldn't that be observing and learning but not hunting?


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## hawglips (Nov 13, 2014)

I think hunting fall turkeys will definitely make one a better spring gobbler hunter.  Skills developed in the fall dealing with more reluctant birds which are harder to locate; and learning how they act when they aren't in heat of the rut; and using more types of calls; will definitely come in handy in the spring.  It adds another dimension to your turkey hunting know-how and rounds out your repertoire nicely.  I know my approach has changed some and my percentage of spring birds killed per hunt has gone up significantly since I've been dealing with fall birds.


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## Timber1 (Nov 13, 2014)

davisd9 said:


> If you are not toting a weapon, wouldn't that be observing and learning but not hunting?


Do your kids carry a weapon when they hunt easter eggs?


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## davisd9 (Nov 14, 2014)

Timber1 said:


> Do your kids carry a weapon when they hunt easter eggs?



Yes, but the eggs actually come home with them and they are not just standing in the distance watching the eggs.


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## Timber1 (Nov 14, 2014)

The final successful act of hunting is the harvest ,or the kill, I agree.
Maybe I should have said, hunt for, as in locating sign or birds.  
Some individuals who dont believe in killing, but still admire wild animals in their natural state capture their kills on camera. They are using hunting skills to locate and get the quarry in range. 
I know sometimes there are days when I am hunting it seems I would have been just as well off to leave my shotgun at home.


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## davisd9 (Nov 17, 2014)

Timber1 said:


> The final successful act of hunting is the harvest ,or the kill, I agree.
> Maybe I should have said, hunt for, as in locating sign or birds.
> Some individuals who dont believe in killing, but still admire wild animals in their natural state capture their kills on camera. They are using hunting skills to locate and get the quarry in range.
> I know sometimes there are days when I am hunting it seems I would have been just as well off to leave my shotgun at home.



Agree 100%.


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## Turkeydoghunter (Nov 20, 2014)

*Have fun waiting*

Y'all stick to spring an leave them fall and winter birds to us Real Turkey Hunters !


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## Mudfeather (Nov 24, 2014)

Im glad that science and facts have had the upper hand over emotion so far in this state....

Someone who disagrees with Herb and the article give us facts as to why the bird would be better off....not a bunch of "This is better because I enjoy .........

Or the fact that real turkey hunters hunt all year....What a crop of mess that is....

facts outweigh emotion in my book....


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## 01Foreman400 (Nov 24, 2014)

I wouldn't be for a fall turkey season but I don't turkey hunt anyway.


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## Turkeydoghunter (Nov 24, 2014)

*I don't care*



Mudfeather said:


> Im glad that science and facts have had the upper hand over emotion so far in this state....
> 
> Someone who disagrees with Herb and the article give us facts as to why the bird would be better off....not a bunch of "This is better because I enjoy .........
> 
> ...



I don't Care if GA ever has a fall season ! but if a feller wants to hunt Turkey year around there's plenty of states that do allow Fall and winter hunting ! The Fact is when regulated with it's own season fall and winter hunting has little impact on populations, and  Fall and winter hunting  abounds across the nation ! most people really don't hunt in the fall or winter because it's at times its  allot more difficult to kill a fall turkey VS a Spring love sick tom when all you have to do is scratch out a few yelps and he comes in running !


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## Timber1 (Nov 25, 2014)

Mudfeather said:


> Im glad that science and facts have had the upper hand over emotion so far in this state....
> 
> Someone who disagrees with Herb and the article give us facts as to why the bird would be better off....not a bunch of "This is better because I enjoy .........
> 
> ...



Obviously the bird would be better off if there were no season at all.
If you look at neighboring states with fall seasons it shows that you can have a fall season and still have a long spring season with liberal bag limits.
A 2 week season with a 1 gobbler with visible beard limit would not impact our turkey population in the least.
I think Georgia not going to a 1 gobbler per day limit in the spring does more harm than a fall season ever could.


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## hawglips (Nov 25, 2014)

Timber1 said:


> Obviously the bird would be better off if there were no season at all.
> If you look at neighboring states with fall seasons it shows that you can have a fall season and still have a long spring season with liberal bag limits.
> A 2 week season with a 1 gobbler with visible beard limit would not impact our turkey population in the least.
> I think Georgia not going to a 1 gobbler per day limit in the spring does more harm than a fall season ever could.



One thing Lovett Williams used to say about it was that killing a jake in the fall was like only taking half a gobbler in the spring, because 50% of fall jakes will be dead before they become a 2 year old gobbler.  

I'm glad I get to go fall hunting a time or two each year.  It sure is nice to hunt turkeys during that long lull between May and March.  And I'm glad, in a selfish sort of way, that not many people do it.


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## Timber1 (Nov 25, 2014)

hawglips said:


> I'm glad I get to go fall hunting a time or two each year.   And I'm glad, in a selfish sort of way, that not many people do it.



We use to feel the same way about the spring season.
Hunting public land you learn to deal with other hunters and look at them as just another obstacle, such as a creek or fence, to overcome.


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## tonyrittenhouse (Nov 25, 2014)

*fall season*



Turkeydoghunter said:


> I don't Care if GA ever has a fall season ! but if a feller wants to hunt Turkey year around there's plenty of states that do allow Fall and winter hunting ! The Fact is when regulated with it's own season fall and winter hunting has little impact on populations, and  Fall and winter hunting  abounds across the nation ! most people really don't hunt in the fall or winter because it's at times its  allot more difficult to kill a fall turkey VS a Spring love sick tom when all you have to do is scratch out a few yelps and he comes in running !


 I wish spring hunting was that easy sometimes. Especially when I have been after the same bird for 2 weeks strait, sometimes it is easy but most of the time it's not easy but that is what makes it fun "the challenge". To me fall season would be to easy I can take you to my lease and set you in one hollow and say sit here and the same 6 long beards are there every morning. No calling needed just sit there and shoot one. I can take you to other spots and the same groups of turkeys are also there everyday. I just don't see a challenge to killing a turkey in the fall and with them all grouped up the way they are in the fall I think it would really hurt the population. I hope we never get a fall season.


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## 01Foreman400 (Nov 25, 2014)

hawglips said:


> One thing Lovett Williams used to say about it was that killing a jake in the fall was like only taking half a gobbler in the spring, because 50% of fall jakes will be dead before they become a 2 year old gobbler.



Is that because of humans or other predators?


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## herb mcclure (Nov 25, 2014)

*Fall Hunting Season*

Here in Georgia, things are a little different than in many Northern and Western areas where Fall turkey hunting seasons are opened. Georgia's deer season runs from September to January in a large part of the state where most of Georgia's turkeys live. Almost all of the hunting is on leased club land or private land,with food-plots and feeders to lure wildlife, or to hold it on the property. The hunter density on these deer hunting clubs is real high, this wouldn't allow for a decent Fall hunt. Fall turkey hunting requires a lot of walking area to locate turkey flocks, which need to be scattered real good; in order to stand a chance to call one back.Just random calling is mostly ignored. Therefore to stand a chance; you have to know the sex of the turkey you are attempting to call and call the same way. Calling like old mom-hen don't work either. Remember, I have said previously, " I hunted back when Georgia had Fall turkey seasons". Most of the killing in Georgia I thank; will be done from deer stands located near food-plots and feeders. I don't consider that much sport either; when it comes to turkeys. 
Spring time turkey hunting best suites Georgia's conditions of crowded areas.
Our game departments study and know what is best for Georgia's wildlife. We hunters just like to keep something going back and forth on these hunting forums; for entertainment mostly!


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## hawglips (Nov 26, 2014)

herb mcclure said:


> Here in Georgia, things are a little different than in many Northern and Western areas where Fall turkey hunting seasons are opened. Georgia's deer season runs from September to January in a large part of the state where most of Georgia's turkeys live. Almost all of the hunting is on leased club land or private land,with food-plots and feeders to lure wildlife, or to hold it on the property. The hunter density on these deer hunting clubs is real high, this wouldn't allow for a decent Fall hunt. Fall turkey hunting requires a lot of walking area to locate turkey flocks, which need to be scattered real good; in order to stand a chance to call one back.Just random calling is mostly ignored. Therefore to stand a chance; you have to know the sex of the turkey you are attempting to call and call the same way. Calling like old mom-hen don't work either. Remember, I have said previously, " I hunted back when Georgia had Fall turkey seasons".



One of my pet peeves is that in a lot of states, everybody else that wants to hunt something besides deer is forced to tiptoe around deer season and deer hunters.  Hunting deer from Sep to Jan isn't long enough for them to find room to let someone else hunt a little!

But your description of fall turkey hunting is getting me excited about getting out there one more time before the VA season is out!   Maybe I can squeeze a hunt in tomorrow morning since they open back up for a one day hunt on Thanksgiving.



herb mcclure said:


> Most of the killing in Georgia I thank; will be done from deer stands located near food-plots and feeders. I don't consider that much sport either; when it comes to turkeys.
> Spring time turkey hunting best suites Georgia's conditions of crowded areas.
> Our game departments study and know what is best for Georgia's wildlife. We hunters just like to keep something going back and forth on these hunting forums; for entertainment mostly!



I'd say you're right about that for sure - deer hunting over bait piles and turkey season just don't mix.  And it would be a very bad mistake to have turkey season simultaneously with deer hunting over bait piles, IMO.

But two other viable options exist for any state that wants to consider a fall/winter turkey season: (1) make baiting for all game animals illegal, and/or (2) make a fall/winter turkey season outside of deer season.  If I was in charge of it, I'd do the 2nd option since deer hunters seem to get real upset when you talk about taking their bait piles away.   And heck, the turkeys are getting fat from eating all that deer corn half the year anyway.    But all joking aside, I would not be surprised at all if in states like GA and NC that have very long deer seasons and allow hunting over bait, that as many or more turkeys are killed illegally by deer hunters as are killed during the spring gobbler season.  So a shorter deer season is a good thing for turkeys anyway.

I think something like 44 states have fall turkey seasons.  And all but a handful arrange it like that around deer season.  If the very few states that still don't have a fall season wanted one, it would be easy to arrange something like a two or three week season in Jan after deer hunters get through staking out their bait piles.  And shortening the deer season would benefit the turkeys and allow more of them to escape the deer hunter's bullet and live till spring if you wanted to shorten deer season instead of making turkey season in Jan.

Bottom line for the way I look at it is  (1) fall turkey season is funner than anything else to hunt that time of year; (2) the 5 states that don't have a fall season could very easily have one if they wanted one; and (3) like any other hunting season, it won't hurt the game animal populations if managed.

But I am glad not that many turkeys hunters care to go in the fall, for selfish reasons.


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## turkeykirk (Nov 26, 2014)

hawglips said:


> " But all joking aside, I would not be surprised at all if in states like GA and NC that have very long deer seasons and allow hunting over bait, that as many or more turkeys are killed illegally by deer hunters than are killed during the spring gobbler season.  "
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Timber1 (Nov 26, 2014)

There are many large wmas in Ga. that are closed for deer hunting or have one or 2 quota hunts. These would be ideal for a fall turkey hunt. 
I think dnr and legislators are just lazy and dont want to fool with it.


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## hawglips (Nov 26, 2014)

01Foreman400 said:


> Is that because of humans or other predators?



That's natural death by predators or whatever else, no hunting included.


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## six (Nov 26, 2014)

I want to be able to shoot a deer in the spring if I run across one while turkey hunting.  I've seen some really fat does that time of year.  

As far as a fall turkey season goes I don't care one way or the other.  If we had one I'd go.  Since we don't I'll sleep in.


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## hawglips (Dec 1, 2014)

My brother just killed one this morning out west.  Said he had him gobbling and he came in strutting.  Hunted him just like spring except using gobbler calls.


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## GLS (Dec 1, 2014)

I'm for all states surrounding Georgia having a fall hunt.  As for Ga., no.  SCDNR has stated it's reasons for not having one after trying fall season for sometime.  SC's reasons were based on scientific management principles and a recognition that some folks would cheat or game the season if allowed to shoot turkeys during deer season.  Here's the official reasoning from SCDNR.
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/turkey/fallseason.html


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## longbearded1 (Dec 7, 2014)

SC had a fall season for three years back in the 1980s, that was it. We will not have another until our current deer/turkey biologist is gone.  SC had a dedicated turkey biologist but once he retired his position was shifted to the deer biologist, not good. 43 states have fall turkey seasons and most work just fine. Hunting with dogs that find and bust the flocks and then return to their masters is alot of fun, not trying to convince anyone but have been doing it for years. The dogs are covered up and you call the birds back somewhere close to the bust site. Three distinct groups of  birds in the fall Boss hens with young of the year, jake and a half, next springs two year olds and then longbeards that travel together. Sat for close to three hours before on a group of longbeards before shooting one. While not for everybody it is alot of fun when I get to go.


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