# DNR turkey harvest



## mailman6 (Jun 9, 2016)

See where DNR has released official harvest report of 11,240 something.  Then says only 40 to 45% of kills were reported. I think this is very low estimate,  probably 70 to 75% reported.  If that lot of dishonest or uneducated hunters.  So I guess they will jack up the kill to25,000 or so.  So what was the purpose of harvest report.  Turkey population rapidly declining and some of them jackals DNR folks better figure that out before there are not enough turkeys to hunt.


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## sman (Jun 9, 2016)

So 60% of turkey hunters are outlaws and the population is fine. 

Can't wait for the Feb deer spin.

Bunch of honkey.


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## sman (Jun 9, 2016)

Am I the only one insulted by this email?

I know some game wardens and am friends with 2.  They wouldn't have made this statement. This came from a higher up, no doubt.


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## Gaswamp (Jun 9, 2016)

hunters are the ones that asked for a game check system


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## Timber1 (Jun 10, 2016)

I dont understand why they didnt leave the kill sheets on wma birds along with the game check system. That would have given them some indication of how many hunters were unaware of the new system. They say they are always wanting better, more scientific, ways to check numbers and this would have been a great tool. Ive always heard there is a big difference between education and intelligence.


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## turkeykirk (Jun 10, 2016)

sman said:


> Am I the only one insulted by this email?
> 
> I know some game wardens and am friends with 2.  They wouldn't have made this statement. This came from a higher up, no doubt.



Email?


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## fountain (Jun 10, 2016)

I was looking back at a 2014 March issue yesterday with the kill totals for 3 years past and they were very high then too.  If you double the 11,000, you get 22,000...that's a far cry for the 33,000 they predicted for last spring.  That alone should at least say something, although neither is correct, but it's still a good bit lower


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## M Sharpe (Jun 10, 2016)

sman said:


> Am I the only one insulted by this email?
> 
> I know some game wardens and am friends with 2.  They wouldn't have made this statement. This came from a higher up, no doubt.



Scott, a GW buddy of mine says that the paths seldom cross. That the LE dept has very little contact with the biology side. This is plumb crazy!! Who is in the woods more than these guys??? Probably 300 days a year! So, why not take advantage of their resources? These are the guys that you and I complain to about these problems. The biology dept should be all over these guys!!


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## PappyHoel (Jun 10, 2016)

You hunters wanted the check system.  The government employees didnt.  The results didn't turn out how they wanted, therefore they call 45% of turkey hunters ignorant of the law.


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## humdandy (Jun 10, 2016)

Ii is impossible to admit they were wrong, they are in fact insinuating that 60% of turkey hunters are as you guys would call them "poachers".  I bet these same poachers hunt turkeys over bait plots too.

100% of the hunters I know reported their kill this past turkey season.


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## mossyoakpro (Jun 10, 2016)

This was the worst season I have ever been involved in myself...I find it hard to believe that they think that that many folks did not check in a turkey....I know there are some but 60%?  I'm throwing the flag on that.

I sent my kill card back with a lengthy letter attached letting them know that I will most likely NOT be hunting in Georgia next season that I will be spending time on the road traveling to other states who seem to have a handle on their turkey population....
I invited them to call me, to date no contact which should be no surprise I guess.

That's okay....we can always go up to Edgefield and shoot clays with that bunch of morons from the NWTF....that it where the money is headed obviously.

Rant over....carry on


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## Bucky T (Jun 10, 2016)

I find it hard to believe that 60% plus of the turkey hunters are outlaws, don't have a smartphone, or don't know how to use a telephone in this day and age.

With deer....  The number of scumbag poachers far exceeds turkey scumbag poachers imo.  I know, just another opinion...  But turkey hunters seem to be more classy as a whole.


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 10, 2016)

Here is the press release



> Results of Georgia Game Check: Turkey Season 2016
> 
> SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (6/9/2016)
> 
> ...


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 10, 2016)

> Based on previous year harvest estimates, it appears that approximately 40-45% of the actual statewide harvest was reported via the Georgia Game Check system.



Not to side with DNR, because I do think they have been wrong on estimated harvest the past years, but they did not say 60% of the numbers were not reported. They said that based on previous years, it APPEARS that 40-45% of the turkeys were reported. 

They will not know the estimate of what number was reported until the phone survey for the 2016 season is completed.


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## Hooty Hoot (Jun 10, 2016)

They will not know the estimate of what number was reported until the phone survey for the 2016 season is completed.[/QUOTE]

Yepper!


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## C.Killmaster (Jun 10, 2016)

The telephone surveys show a harvest around 30,000 birds a year.  That works out to 0.77 birds per 640 acres across the state, does that really sound unreasonably high?  We typically kill 2 to 4 off 700 acres each year in Jasper Co.

GON forum members are not an accurate representation of the average hunter; I would argue that forum members, and their peers, are much more informed on new regulations.

Similarly low reporting rates at the start up of a new reporting system have certainly been observed in other states.  For years all turkey hunters had to worry about was the start date and the end date of the season, it will take a little time to get everyone on board.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Jun 10, 2016)

C.Killmaster said:


> GON forum members are not an accurate representation of the average hunter; I would argue that forum members, and their peers, are much more informed on new regulations.
> 
> Similarly low reporting rates at the start up of a new reporting system have certainly been observed in other states.  For years all turkey hunters had to worry about was the start date and the end date of the season, it will take a little time to get everyone on board.



^^^This

I know of MANY hunters who had no idea about the new system, therefore MANY turkey kills that went unreported.


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## spurrs and racks (Jun 10, 2016)

*who..........*

has their head in the sand now?

s&r


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## JBowers (Jun 10, 2016)

From the press release, 





> According to the Georgia Game Check System, the number of turkeys reported during the 2016 Georgia turkey season is 11,224.



The number of turkeys reported is not the statewide harvest and never will represent the statewide harvest unless there is 100% compliance. Not sure of anything that has 100% compliance, except maybe death and some folks try to opt of it as well!

A related topic was discussed (and maybe disgust) thoroughly in this thread for some who may have missed it: http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=870155&page=2

The annual turkey hunter harvest & effort telephone survey si scheduled to be initiated this weekend.  Once it is concluded, we will be reporting the 2016 estimate of statewide harvest. (for discussion on "estimate" see the thread referenced herein).


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## Twiggbuster (Jun 10, 2016)

I'd quess 3 out of 4 kills reported .
Maybe 5 out of 7.
45%?
Gov't hogwash


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## M Sharpe (Jun 10, 2016)

mossyoakpro said:


> This was the worst season I have ever been involved in myself...I find it hard to believe that they think that that many folks did not check in a turkey....I know there are some but 60%?  I'm throwing the flag on that.
> 
> I sent my kill card back with a lengthy letter attached letting them know that I will most likely NOT be hunting in Georgia next season that I will be spending time on the road traveling to other states who seem to have a handle on their turkey population....
> I invited them to call me, to date no contact which should be no surprise I guess.
> ...



No you can't go to Edgefield and shoot sporting clays!!! That was not built with you in mind!!


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## M Sharpe (Jun 10, 2016)

Gut_Pile said:


> Not to side with DNR, because I do think they have been wrong on estimated harvest the past years, but they did not say 60% of the numbers were not reported. They said that based on previous years, it APPEARS that 40-45% of the turkeys were reported.
> 
> They will not know the estimate of what number was reported until the phone survey for the 2016 season is completed.



So everybody got those places to fill out on their hunting licenses and they are waiting on a phone survey of what...1%.... That's what the license are for!! No, I think the population is that much off and now they finally realize that it is way down!!


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## M Sharpe (Jun 10, 2016)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> ^^^This
> 
> I know of MANY hunters who had no idea about the new system, therefore MANY turkey kills that went unreported.



Are they that ignorant to what that was on the bottom of their license that they didn't say "what's all this?" and read what it says. Ignorance is no excuse for the law...
I've heard the same thing!!


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## humdandy (Jun 10, 2016)

Bucky T said:


> I find it hard to believe that 60% plus of the turkey hunters are outlaws, don't have a smartphone, or don't know how to use a telephone in this day and age.
> 
> With deer....  The number of scumbag poachers far exceeds turkey scumbag poachers imo.  I know, just another opinion...  But turkey hunters seem to be more classy as a whole.



Apparently you are wrong, roughly 60% of turkey hunters are poachers.


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## turkeykirk (Jun 10, 2016)

humdandy said:


> Apparently you are wrong, roughly 60% of turkey hunters are poachers.



Looks like the potential is there to make some money turning in poachers to the Turning In Poachers hotline.


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## Echo (Jun 10, 2016)

I thought all along that a 50% hunter compliance rate with the new system would be towards the high end so I was neither surprised by the e-mail nor offended. Hopefully it increases in the coming years as more hunters become aware of and respect the new requirement.


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## Timber1 (Jun 10, 2016)

I can see a problem with wma hunters giving factual info to protect their hunting spots. Either not reporting all their kills or putting down a different county or wma. I think the dnr might want to rethink what they make available to the public if they want pertinent information.


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## mailman6 (Jun 10, 2016)

Info was in email from DNR for those requesting them.


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## Bucky T (Jun 11, 2016)

humdandy said:


> Apparently you are wrong, roughly 60% of turkey hunters are poachers.



If the "phone survey" and statistical models hold up, which apparently is guaranteed, I am very wrong.....  60% of the turkey hunters in the state broke the law this season!


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## sman (Jun 11, 2016)

I bet money the phone survey holds up.  This year's good jake numbers will boost numbers next year a little.  Enough to say told ya so.  But 3 years from now they will have nothing to lean on.


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## fountain (Jun 11, 2016)

sman said:


> I bet money the phone survey holds up.  This year's good jake numbers will boost numbers next year a little.  Enough to say told ya so.  But 3 years from now they will have nothing to lean on.




Didn't see a jake all season or get any on camera.


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## sman (Jun 11, 2016)

fountain said:


> Didn't see a jake all season or get any on camera.



I saw a few in SW GA. But saw a bunch in SE GA.


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## Bucky T (Jun 11, 2016)

Laid eyes on 3 and got another on camera in SE Ga. 

Laid eyes on 1 in the piedmont.


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## sman (Jun 11, 2016)

C.Killmaster said:


> GON forum members are not an accurate representation of the average hunter; I would argue that forum members, and their peers, are much more informed on new regulations.
> 
> Similarly low reporting rates at the start up of a new reporting system have certainly been observed in other states.  For years all turkey hunters had to worry about was the start date and the end date of the season, it will take a little time to get everyone on board.



We are not an accurate representation because we know the law. Ok. 

What about all of us on here saying the population is in trouble.  Are we an accurate representation to that?


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## C.Killmaster (Jun 11, 2016)

sman said:


> We are not an accurate representation because we know the law. Ok.
> 
> What about all of us on here saying the population is in trouble.  Are we an accurate representation to that?



No, we are experiencing some declines in productivity that is a density dependent response, but the turkey population is not crashing.  It may lead to some level of decline in harvest going forward, but the sky is not falling.


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## big lazer (Jun 12, 2016)

If they are not going to use the numbers then there is no reason for me to bother with it either.


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## Bucky T (Jun 12, 2016)

I don't think the population is crashing. My only issue is not having confidence in what the DNR is telling me. 

I'll continue to follow the law and report my kills. 

Seeing these numbers in comparison to what we have been hearing what has been killed by the DNR is well....  A little misleading. 

I'm more shocked that if the statistical models are accurate, the amount of hunters who simply don't give a you know what...

Then....  What if the statistical models are wrong and most of the hunters do care and reported their kills....

I don't know what to think right now.


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## Timber1 (Jun 12, 2016)

Just put me down for a limit each year with a margin of error of plus or minus one.


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## C.Killmaster (Jun 12, 2016)

Bucky T said:


> I don't think the population is crashing. My only issue is not having confidence in what the DNR is telling me.
> 
> I'll continue to follow the law and report my kills.
> 
> ...



Give it a couple seasons, it's taken that in most states to get everyone on board when they switch to a new system.  We fully expected the first couple of years would have low compliance.  I believe most of the non-compliance to be out of ignorance of the new law than outright refusing to follow it.


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## Timber1 (Jun 13, 2016)

How many tickets were written for non-compliance?


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## Mudfeather (Jun 13, 2016)

This aint gonna set well but facts is facts...

I know guys who kill over the limit...alot of them hunt land only they can hunt and so forth...I can see where they would be willing to report the first kill and no more..because if they happened to get checked and they had reported 2 they would be done...

Turkey hunting is addictive and its why folks spend a fortune going all over the place to do it...but some don't have the money to do all that so they just hunt them hard where they can..

I'm not condoning it or making excuses..just what I see and hear..


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## ryanwhit (Jun 13, 2016)

Timber1 said:


> I can see a problem with wma hunters giving factual info to protect their hunting spots. Either not reporting all their kills or putting down a different county or wma. I think the dnr might want to rethink what they make available to the public if they want pertinent information.




Agreed.


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## ryanwhit (Jun 13, 2016)

C.Killmaster said:


> No, we are experiencing some declines in productivity that is a density dependent response, but the turkey population is not crashing.  It may lead to some level of decline in harvest going forward, but the sky is not falling.




Charlie, where is this paper I've heard about pointing to density for the "population correction?"  Can you provide a link?


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## JBowers (Jun 13, 2016)

ryanwhit said:


> Charlie, where is this paper I've heard about pointing to density for the "population correction?"  Can you provide a link?



http://ncnwtf.com/myJSSImages/file/SEWTTC_HistoricalProductivityReport_Final_April 2014.pdf


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## Covehnter (Jun 13, 2016)

How are the phone surveys conducted? Is it a random sampling?


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## C.Killmaster (Jun 13, 2016)

Covehnter said:


> How are the phone surveys conducted? Is it a random sampling?



Yes

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/3335


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## turkeykirk (Jun 13, 2016)

Mudfeather said:


> This aint gonna set well but facts is facts...
> 
> I know guys who kill over the limit...alot of them hunt land only they can hunt and so forth...I can see where they would be willing to report the first kill and no more..because if they happened to get checked and they had reported 2 they would be done...
> 
> ...



Guess since they can't afford to go all over turkey hunting they might as well kill as many here as they can. Guess the 3 bird state limit is a joke for them.


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## elfiii (Jun 13, 2016)

For all you guys calling "hogwash" on WRD I'm interested in understanding your assertions. Have you done scientific population surveys that negate WRD's findings or is this something you just "know"?


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## fountain (Jun 13, 2016)

I did a lot of scientific studying on MY LAND from Feb to now, and I know the population is down.  They didn't appear to be on the neighbors place either. Running upwards of 10 cameras on a medium acreage also proved this.

I can't speak for other, but from what I've seen and heard here and in talking to other landowners, I'm not alone.


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## fountain (Jun 13, 2016)

Mudfeather said:


> This aint gonna set well but facts is facts...
> 
> I know guys who kill over the limit...alot of them hunt land only they can hunt and so forth...I can see where they would be willing to report the first kill and no more..because if they happened to get checked and they had reported 2 they would be done...
> 
> ...



This is truth too.


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## spurrs and racks (Jun 14, 2016)

*what we have here.......*

is a failure to communicate.....

along with a lot of guessing...

s&r


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## C.Killmaster (Jun 14, 2016)

spurrs and racks said:


> is a failure to communicate.....
> 
> along with a lot of guessing...
> 
> s&r



You seem to have made up your mind long ago that biologists are lying to you.  Why keep arguing and throwing rocks?

The ones posting here are just trying to disseminate information so that other folks can develop informed opinions.


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## Covehnter (Jun 14, 2016)

Any of the forum members here ever been chosen for the phone interview? 

I'm just curious because I nor any of the turkey hunters I know have ever received a phone interview concerning turkeys. I suppose 1 in 100 aren't very good odds. But I have received several phone interviews for waterfowl hunting over the past decade. Maybe they take a larger sample size, or perhaps the hunting population is smaller for Alabama waterfowlers (where I hunted).


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 14, 2016)

Here you go Dave...from another thread



JBowers said:


> The sample size is usually around 2,100 and has been as high as 2,700. Sampling must be random and each individual in the population must have an equal probability of being randomly sampled (typically about 1 in 100 chance) among other nuances that must be considered to ensure representative sampling is met.  This sampling size returns a standard deviation (error) of about 1.8%.  Such that, for example, if the statistical estimate of harvest is 31,568 then there is a 95% chance (Confidence Interval) the true harvest figures lies between 30,999 and 32,137.  Or, another way to state it is that there is a 5% chance the true harvest lies outside that range.
> 
> In addition to the consistent core questions included on each survey each year, we usually have a few other questions to evaluate hunter opinion/attitudes/activities that are relevant.  This year there will be such questions relating to the harvest reporting system (Game Check) and the harvest record.  Confidence intervals, standard errors, etc. also apply to the results from these questions as well.
> 
> The annual GA Spring Turkey Harvest Survey will begin shortly after the turkey season closes.


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 14, 2016)

Here is the full thread

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=870155&highlight=


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## turkeykirk (Jun 14, 2016)

From what I've read on here there's 60% of the turkey hunters they don't want to call. Won't get the truth from outlaws.


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## spurrs and racks (Jun 14, 2016)

*I never said anybody was lying....*

"You seem to have made up your mind long ago that biologists are lying to you. Why keep arguing and throwing rocks?

The ones posting here are just trying to disseminate information so that other folks can develop informed opinions. "

What we want is information based on fact and research and analysis. Try and be proactive and be ahead of the game and try not to be an "after the fact organization such as your law enforcement brothers".  You are suppose to be gamekeepers at the highest level. I am tired of our game laws contrived from somebody's guess.

In short know what you are talking about ahead of time not after the fact and then put out statements like we the hunters did not participate. If you people were doing you job you would know these things ahead of time and the hunter surveys would confirm what your research and fact gathering had already showed you.

s&r


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## Gaswamp (Jun 14, 2016)

spurrs and racks said:


> "You seem to have made up your mind long ago that biologists are lying to you. Why keep arguing and throwing rocks?
> 
> The ones posting here are just trying to disseminate information so that other folks can develop informed opinions. "
> 
> ...



example please


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## sman (Jun 14, 2016)

Just so I am reading this right. The study says there is a dip but there isn't a dip really.

Populations have reached a saturation point and hens that either don't breed or breed and have their nest destroyed have a high survival rate. Since areas can't hold any more turkeys, we are basically left with a bunch of hens.

More or less?


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## spurrs and racks (Jun 15, 2016)

*example please....*

look no further than your deer either sex laws.

s&r


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## Gaswamp (Jun 15, 2016)

spurrs and racks said:


> look no further than your deer either sex laws.
> 
> s&r



still confused...be more specific please


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 15, 2016)

Wasting your time Joe.


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## gatorhawk (Jun 15, 2016)

*landowners*

will all yall be so kind as to share with me how many of you own land and are able to see on a daily basis what goes on with our turkeys I can tell you on a personal basis that these reports are CensoredCensored. when sd population equals our kill no something is wrong when you drive down the road and see gobblers every 4 to five miles and don"t come back with the open country cop out


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## gatorhawk (Jun 15, 2016)

I guess I'll                                              

 keep on till the powers to be kick me of but the old saying  the truth hurts


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## gatorhawk (Jun 15, 2016)

while I'm on it  to the guy that said landowners don't have to abide by rules we conserve more than anyone else and by the way if it wasn't for us you would probably not have a place to hunt


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## Gaswamp (Jun 15, 2016)

Gut_Pile said:


> Wasting your time Joe.



true


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## sman (Jun 15, 2016)

My reports 12,000 acres 5 birds.
400 acres 1 bird.
500 acres 1 bird.

Toms that is. Average all my buds in 1 per 500 acres.  But since we don't count hens, we don't really have a population total.


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## cowhornedspike (Jun 15, 2016)

sman said:


> My reports 12,000 acres 5 birds.
> 400 acres 1 bird.
> 500 acres 1 bird.
> 
> Toms that is. Average all my buds in 1 per 500 acres.  But since we don't count hens, we don't really have a population total.



Scott, on our 600 ac lease we killed 7 mature gobblers and still were seeing multiple gobblers together up to the end of the season...so whatever the problem is it certainly doesn't apply to everyone and every part of the state.
Also in the last couple of weeks I've seen several different hens with broods from 5 to 11 poults.


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## sman (Jun 15, 2016)

cowhornedspike said:


> Scott, on our 600 ac lease we killed 7 mature gobblers and still were seeing multiple gobblers together up to the end of the season...so whatever the problem is it certainly doesn't apply to everyone and every part of the state.
> Also in the last couple of weeks I've seen several different hens with broods from 5 to 11 poults.



Do you know if your broods make it? I have been watching a hen below the house she is was at 8. Now down to 1, maybe 2. This is in SE GA.


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## Timber1 (Jun 15, 2016)

gatorhawk said:


> while I'm on it  to the guy that said landowners don't have to abide by rules we conserve more than anyone else and by the way if it wasn't for us you would probably not have a place to hunt


Yep....and u dont even know it.


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## Covehnter (Jun 16, 2016)

So how many here have been a part of the phone interview?


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## sman (Jun 16, 2016)

Covehnter said:


> So how many here have been a part of the phone interview?



Not me or anyone I know.  Very low chances of getting called.

Funny though, they use that to determine harvest.

Why not ask us when we get our license?


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## spurrs and racks (Jun 16, 2016)

*I got one better than that...*

why don't we have to fill out and return a kill harvest before we can get another license each year.

just ask'n

s&r


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## rhbama3 (Jun 16, 2016)

Covehnter said:


> So how many here have been a part of the phone interview?



I have been called twice in the past years. Not yet this year. I also participate in Bobby Bonds Turkey Hunting log every year. I'm sure he'd appreciate more people filling out cards.


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## M Sharpe (Jun 16, 2016)

spurrs and racks said:


> why don't we have to fill out and return a kill harvest before we can get another license each year.
> 
> just ask'n
> 
> s&r



Bingo!!!


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## Atlanta Dawg (Jun 16, 2016)

Wow !  So many folks getting worked up over calling in a turkey-wait till deer season!


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## wvdawg (Jun 16, 2016)

I have been surveyed twice - once several years ago and again last year.  Also support Bobby Bonds with the cooperator's cards.


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## cowhornedspike (Jun 16, 2016)

spurrs and racks said:


> why don't we have to fill out and return a kill harvest before we can get another license each year.
> 
> just ask'n
> 
> s&r



Why?  
Do you think that would be better than what they currently do?  How so?
Do you understand how statistical surveys work and how accurate they actually are?  
Do you understand that an actual exact number on turkey population or kills is not as critical from a management standpoint as is tracking a trend and by consistently doing it the same way each year they get a very accurate and useful trend picture?  
OR... from reading your posts over the last season maybe you just think that everything the DNR does is wrong...just say'n.


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## M Sharpe (Jun 16, 2016)

cowhornedspike said:


> Why?
> Do you think that would be better than what they currently do?  How so?
> Do you understand how statistical surveys work and how accurate they actually are?
> Do you understand that an actual exact number on turkey population or kills is not as critical from a management standpoint as is tracking a trend and by consistently doing it the same way each year they get a very accurate and useful trend picture?
> OR... from reading your posts over the last season maybe you just think that everything the DNR does is wrong...just say'n.



I promise you, Ft. Stewart can tell you exactly how many turkeys were killed there over the years. You get turkey tags, you fill out after each kill that tells where, how big, how long a beard and spurs, attach to turkey. You get caught without a tag on a turkey, it's bad news for you!!You don't turn them in after 30 days after the season goes out, you don't hunt there next year!!! Zero problems!! It works!! Haven't heard of any complaints yet!!

You know, no one wants the government to mandate how they hunt, but they want them to fix it when there is a problem!!!


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## M Sharpe (Jun 16, 2016)

cowhornedspike said:


> Why?
> Do you think that would be better than what they currently do?  How so?
> Do you understand how statistical surveys work and how accurate they actually are?
> Do you understand that an actual exact number on turkey population or kills is not as critical from a management standpoint as is tracking a trend and by consistently doing it the same way each year they get a very accurate and useful trend picture?  OR... from reading your posts over the last season maybe you just think that everything the DNR does is wrong...just say'n.



Shouldn't they be one and the same??? Isn't that what we are after???


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## cowhornedspike (Jun 17, 2016)

M Sharpe said:


> Shouldn't they be one and the same??? Isn't that what we are after???



In a perfect world, yes.   However there is no system that is going to give us exact numbers...ever.  In reality, would it really change the way they manage the resource if they KNEW they were only +-2 or 3% off rather than +-5%? (see post by gut pile on previous page) I can't imagine it would.

The new reporting system will be giving the biologists useful details that they never got before and the survey will still give them the trend data they need.  Combined, OVER TIME, the two systems will help them manage our resource well.   

As Charlie has told us, we are all being unrealistic to have expected a high percentage of participation with the start-up of the reporting system and that will improve as time progresses... but will never be 100%.  

Only thing I'd change in the future is I'd like to see them use the new system to ask for additional details...hopefully they will do so as the system evolves.


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## M Sharpe (Jun 17, 2016)

I look for the reporting to get better, but like you said, it will never be 100%. There are not enough LE Rangers to make that happen. While he is writing 1 citation, many more are on their way home with their kill knowing that there is only 1 Ranger for several counties. The only reporting you are ever going to get is from the honest, law-abiding folks.


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## sman (Jun 17, 2016)

I still would like someone to tell me what is wrong with asking how many you killed every year when you go to get your license or deer tags or turkey tags.

I guarantee the numbers will be higher than the annual harvest but they will be closer than a tag system. Guys tend to exaggerate, part of hunting.


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## M Sharpe (Jun 17, 2016)

sman;10218 Guys tend to exaggerate said:
			
		

> I think you just answers your own question!


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## cowhornedspike (Jun 17, 2016)

sman said:


> I still would like someone to tell me what is wrong with asking how many you killed every year when you go to get your license or deer tags or turkey tags.
> 
> I guarantee the numbers will be higher than the annual harvest but they will be closer than a tag system. Guys tend to exaggerate, part of hunting.



Nothing wrong with it Scott, I just doubt there would be anything gained by it either.

It is clear from much of the discussions on here that most are expecting way more from the reporting system than I am.  I am totally satisfied with the biologists gaining data about the kills such as county, date of harvest, where my county falls in the overall scheme of it all, jake vs tom ratio, etc.  

I never expected it to be used as an enforcement tool or give us an accurate harvest number so I am not disappointed with the fact that it doesn't.  

Over time I believe the data gathered will be used to improve the state turkey management program and help our hunting opportunities and that is good enough for me.


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## sman (Jun 24, 2016)

I just read another states yearly harvest record.  They said they had a big decline as well. Their reasoning was weather.

This year was probably the worst weather I have ever hunted. Sun was void many a days.  Makes sense.


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## fountain (Jun 25, 2016)

I guess the sun not being out ran them slam off my property.

You can't kill what's not there...


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## sman (Jun 25, 2016)

fountain said:


> I guess the sun not being out ran them slam off my property.
> 
> You can't kill what's not there...



Yep.  

If I read the report right, what's there is just hens that tend to survive.


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## turkeykirk (Jun 25, 2016)

Have seen 7 hens since Wednesday with no poults. Guess they lay down like a fawn while the momma hen feeds!


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## JMB (Jun 29, 2016)

I hunt all over the state, talking to hunters in the woods and with my job. I never talked to a single person who hunted turkeys this spring that was unaware of the new reporting procedure.  Granted, it's not scientific, just sayin'.


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## Jeff Raines (Jun 30, 2016)

Why can't folks just hunt and not worry about what John Q. Hunter killed in the next county?


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 30, 2016)

Ever heard of words like conservation and preservation?


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## QuackAttack101 (Jun 30, 2016)

I can't speak for all of the turkey hunters out there, but these three articles are why most of us are concerned with what everyone else is killing



https://www.thedodo.com/turkeys-saved-from-extinction-839051692.html

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB991255044891885500 (yes, it's a Wall Street Journal article about turkeys  )

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/5-startling-stats-turkey-populations-u-s/


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## 1776Flintlock (Jul 2, 2016)

wvdawg said:


> Also support Bobby Bonds with the cooperator's cards.



X2 here. It will be nice to hear his results from all the forms sent in.


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## elfiii (Jul 5, 2016)

sman said:


> I still would like someone to tell me what is wrong with asking how many you killed every year when you go to get your license or deer tags or turkey tags.



The new reporting requirement accomplishes that.


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## sman (Jul 5, 2016)

elfiii said:


> The new reporting requirement accomplishes that.



It is supposed to accomplish that. I guarantee everyone who buys a license can answer the question at the time of purchase. I can't guarantee they will answer truthfully. However, seems like it would be better than the check system.


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## C.Killmaster (Jul 5, 2016)

sman said:


> I still would like someone to tell me what is wrong with asking how many you killed every year when you go to get your license or deer tags or turkey tags.
> 
> I guarantee the numbers will be higher than the annual harvest but they will be closer than a tag system. Guys tend to exaggerate, part of hunting.



-Lots of hunters don't buy a license and hunt every year
-Data will always be a year old since licenses are good for one year from the time of purchase.
-Folks trying to remember when/what they killed up to a year prior puts a lot of noise in the data
-Hard to know if the person skips through the questions to speed up the license purchase process or really didn't kill anything

Before anyone asks, the HIP and SIP questionnaires are only used to stratify hunters into groups by species hunted for future mail/phone surveys.  They don't use them to estimate harvest of those species, the mail/phone surveys do that.


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## QuackAttack101 (Jul 6, 2016)

C.Killmaster said:


> -Lots of hunters don't buy a license and hunt every year



Are these hunters factored into the annual harvest estimate for GA?


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## C.Killmaster (Jul 6, 2016)

QuackAttack101 said:


> Are these hunters factored into the annual harvest estimate for GA?



Yes, anyone who had an active license during a given season is in the pool for the telephone survey and may be randomly selected.  The survey is usually conducted within a couple of weeks following the season.


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## QuackAttack101 (Jul 6, 2016)

C.Killmaster said:


> Yes, anyone who had an active license during a given season is in the pool for the telephone survey and may be randomly selected.  The survey is usually conducted within a couple of weeks following the season.



Ahh.  My bad.  I misunderstood what you said above.  I thought you were talking about poachers who never buy a license but still hunt every year.  Are poachers who kill turkeys each year but have never bought a license factored into the results?


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## C.Killmaster (Jul 6, 2016)

QuackAttack101 said:


> Ahh.  My bad.  I misunderstood what you said above.  I thought you were talking about poachers who never buy a license but still hunt every year.  Are poachers who kill turkeys each year but have never bought a license factored into the results?



Not for estimates of harvest that you see published, but it is factored in when estimating populations in a category called non-harvest mortality.  This includes poaching, disease, predation, etc.  That type of information is usually in the form of a percentage loss on the population and is typically determined through radio telemetry research.


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## QuackAttack101 (Jul 6, 2016)

C.Killmaster said:


> Not for estimates of harvest that you see published, but it is factored in when estimating populations in a category called non-harvest mortality.  This includes poaching, disease, predation, etc.  That type of information is usually in the form of a percentage loss on the population and is typically determined through radio telemetry research.



Neat.  Thanks for the info!


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## M Sharpe (Jul 6, 2016)

So how many turkeys are estimated wearing a radio transmitter??


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## 1776Flintlock (Jul 9, 2016)

I have owned a LifeTime license for 20+ years. Never got a call or inquiry of any sorts to my recollection.

I did the online check in this year for the big tom i got.

I did send in paper work to Bobby Bonds.


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## M Sharpe (Jul 9, 2016)

I'm still waiting to find out how many turkeys are wearing radios!!!! 30 years of hunting and I've never seen one yet!!!


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## ryanwhit (Jul 11, 2016)

M Sharpe said:


> I'm still waiting to find out how many turkeys are wearing radios!!!!



I don't know how many turkeys are wearing radio transmitters in GA, but I've got a guess.

I would imagine that the radio telemetry research referred to was not conducted in GA.  In fact, I can't remember ever hearing about a turkey telemetry study in GA.  I'm sure there has been some, but I would speculate that it's been a while.  We would have to assume that GA poachers and poachers wherever the research was done kill turkeys at about the same rate.


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## Covehnter (Jul 11, 2016)

I know as of a couple years ago there were birds in LA with the transmitters. And if I'm not mistaken there was a study going on in South Georgia using transmitters on adult gobblers. You'd hate owls if you knew the results.


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## six (Jul 11, 2016)

Covehnter said:


> You'd hate owls if you knew the results.


Yep!


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