# 2018 Poult Report



## Gut_Pile (May 29, 2018)

Post what you are seeing


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## turkeykirk (May 29, 2018)

Have seen 5 different hens in the last week. No poults yet. Wonder what effect all this rain (6 inches in the last week ) is gonna have on the hatch. Can’t be good.


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## fountain (May 29, 2018)

Got a pic on 5/4 of a hen with some poults, but nothing since.  Had several hen pics, but none with little ones visable.  Pulled the camera this past weekend, so none visable with multiple hens after the one pic on 5/4


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## Hawken2222 (May 29, 2018)

Pulled my camera Saturday and had video of  two hens with three poults. There could have been more poults  but due to the taller grass I could of only see three.  The date was 5-20 on the video.


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## XIronheadX (May 29, 2018)

Poult survey
https://georgiawildlife.com/sites/d...ies/turkey/TurkeyProductionSurveyForm2015.pdf


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## bangbird (May 30, 2018)

The news reported last night we've had the wettest May since 1976 and that's been surpassed since this morning’s rain (Charleston).  Good thing it has not been all at once but somewhat spread out over the past 3 weeks.  There's three hens with 6-7 poults each on a small farm my buddy lives on we are watching closely, but have not seen them in a few days.  Last year they were all wiped out by heavy rain.  These tremendous down pours we now get in May where it can rain 4-5 inches in a few hours just aren't normal.  I believe the wet Mays we've had 4-5 years in a row is the number 1 contributor to our turkey population decline.

I saw a hen in my neighborhood last week which is very rare.  She got hit by a car Monday.  Turkeys are having a run of very bad luck.


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## jfarrell30339 (May 30, 2018)

Saw several poults on side of I-16 on the way home from beach yesterday.  They were poking around in the pines.


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## ryanwhit (May 30, 2018)

bangbird said:


> I believe the wet Mays we've had 4-5 years in a row is the number 1 contributor to our turkey population decline.




Yes, yes, yes.

It is not predators, hunters, blackhead, chicken litter, or any of the other things that hunters like to mention.

The sky is not falling, but the rain is.


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## chrislibby88 (May 30, 2018)

Spooked two hens with 10-12 poults between them about two weeks ago at Oaky Woods WMA. Poults scattered and fly in every direction.


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## goblr77 (May 30, 2018)

Saw a hen with five poults in Early County last week.


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## Ricochet (May 30, 2018)

Saw a hen with several poults last week near the Boeing entrance (N. Charleston, SC). Haven't seen her since and we did get a fair about of rain since then...I hope the poults survived.



ryanwhit said:


> Yes, yes, yes.
> 
> It is not predators, hunters, blackhead, chicken litter, or any of the other things that hunters like to mention.
> 
> The sky is not falling, but the rain is.



Agreed. Poults dying of exposure (rainy weather) is the #1 factor in the declining turkey population. Killing predators is helpful but Mother Nature is the #1 turkey killer.


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## XIronheadX (May 30, 2018)

Ricochet said:


> Saw a hen with several poults last week near the Boeing entrance. Haven't seen her since and we did get a fair about of rain since then...I hope the poults survived.
> 
> 
> 
> Agreed. Poults dying of exposure (rainy weather) is the #1 factor in the declining turkey population. Killing predators is helpful but Mother Nature is the #1 turkey killer.



It's been a terrible 2 weeks for poults no doubt.


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## Ricochet (May 30, 2018)

XIronheadX said:


> It's been a terrible 2 weeks for poults no doubt.


Yes sir it sure has.


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## DRBugman85 (May 30, 2018)

Ricochet said:


> Saw a hen with several poults last week near the Boeing entrance (N. Charleston, SC). Haven't seen her since and we did get a fair about of rain since then...I hope the poults survived.
> 
> 
> 
> Agreed. Poults dying of exposure (rainy weather) is the #1 factor in the declining turkey population. Killing predators is helpful but Mother Nature is the #1 turkey killer.


THIS.☝ .After watching turkeys (50+ years)and the population go + are - is WEATHER + predators and progress of mankind . IMHO


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## turkeykirk (May 30, 2018)

XIronheadX said:


> It's been a terrible 2 weeks for poults no doubt.



The rain has been pretty much state wide. Good for the farmers but not so good for the poults.


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## jlyoung3 (May 31, 2018)

Group of 3 hens and 11 poults in Early County last weekend


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## DRBugman85 (May 31, 2018)

Seen 7 hens on 2 leases this afternoon more poults than I could count not enough fingers. A few bitty size most could fly. Looking pretty good for next year.


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## chrislibby88 (Jun 1, 2018)

Was out hog hunting on the 16th and accidentally bumped two hens with a doze or so poults between them. They all scattered and the poults flew in every direction. Kinda cool to see, just hope they all found each other.


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## DRBugman85 (Jun 1, 2018)

chrislibby88 said:


> Was out hog hunting on the 16th and accidentally bumped two hens with a doze or so poults between them. They all scattered and the poults flew in every direction. Kinda cool to see, just hope they all found each other.


Just sit down and listen turkeys talk,It great to hear them.They find the rest no problem,and so do predators.


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## ucfireman (Jun 1, 2018)

Saw a hen in the road the other day, had something with it. I originally thought it was a buzzard eating roadkill but was a hen with something in tow. Nothing I can confirm in person or camera.


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## Stonewall 2 (Jun 1, 2018)

ryanwhit said:


> Yes, yes, yes.
> 
> It is not predators, hunters, blackhead, chicken litter, or any of the other things that hunters like to mention.
> 
> The sky is not falling, but the rain is.



I know the rain is a problem but chicken litter is a problem as well. Our turkeys are rebounding after we quit fertilizing with litter 4 years ago. We started using litter when the price jumped on fertilizer and after a couple of years we started noticing a decline in our turkey population. I didn’t know what was going on until I read an article on blackhead disease. 
I have a friend that hunts a farm in the same county as us and they have had the same problem unfortunately they didn’t figure it out until a couple of years ago and aren’t having the rebound in populations we have had yet.


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## doenightmare (Jun 4, 2018)

Saw one poult by itself Sat - purdy sure mama was close by. Had a hen come through camp yelping and clucking her head off. Figured she had lost her nest to predators and was looking to have a late fling and re-nest. Got the below pic on the Covert this AM  -can you find the 2 poults?


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## antharper (Jun 4, 2018)

doenightmare said:


> Saw one poult by itself Sat - purdy sure mama was close by. Had a hen come through camp yelping and clucking her head off. Figured she had lost her nest to predators and was looking to have a late fling and re-nest. Got the below pic on the Covert this AM  -can you find the 2 poults?


Yes I see them , maybe they are several more u can’t see !


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## PulaskiHunter (Jun 9, 2018)

Decent crop


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## wvdawg (Jun 10, 2018)

Saw two hens at camp this morning.  One was crossing road with 4 poults in tow.  The second appeared alone - hope she had some poults out of sight, but watched her for a few minutes and didn't see any.


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## 1982ace (Jun 12, 2018)

Have a hen close to the house that has 4 or 5 with her. Good to see


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## bangbird (Jun 12, 2018)

I saw a hen with 8 big poults Saturday.  My buddy saw a group of hens with 20-25 poults on one farm I hunt.  Then another hen with 4 and one with 5.  Looks to be the best hatch we've had around here in 4 years.


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## goblr77 (Jun 12, 2018)

Saw a hen with 9 poults last week in Early County.


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## Arrow3 (Jun 12, 2018)

Saw a hen in Lincoln County Sunday that had 8 with her.


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## Mark K (Jun 12, 2018)

Worth Co...I’ve seen poults as big as a small chicken and just yesterday the manager where I hunt and trap saw a hen with 8 “chicks” about the size of your fist. He took a video and all you can see is the weeds moving, lol. Of course the hen was close by and clucking like crazy. Finding quail chicks as well. Seen some that could fly already and some the size of a chicken egg. Seems like a real good year so far. 
Just a FYI...trapping works!! If everyone would by a dozen dog proof traps and come Dec.1 set them out even if just on the weekends you could really help your population. Take out 20-30 coons and there’s a great start. If you’re ever bored one weekend and just want to shoot something buy a crow call and take them out as well. If you want mote turkeys then give them some help!!


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## DRBugman85 (Jun 13, 2018)

Been to both leases sense Sunday and have seen 5 hens with 7-10 poults each,some chick size and some as tall as thier mom's and can fly. Found coyote tracks on 2 roads so the traper needs to get busy again. Hopefully most will make it but sure some want.?


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 13, 2018)

Overall, seems like a good hatch so far. 

This is good news!!


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## Gut_Pile (Jun 13, 2018)

Please don't forget to fill out BBond's turkey poult survey. The DNR needs information from us hunters

This can also be completed online or through Survey123 here:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/cfd7f8c1ec85492da4ebaa15b2b61b4a?open=menu


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## Nicodemus (Jun 13, 2018)

In spite of more rain that we`ve had in years around here, we have an excellent hatch of turkeys and quail. The woods and fields are full of biddies.


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## bangbird (Jun 13, 2018)

Saw more hens with poults yesterday.  It's looking real good.


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## bowhunterdavid (Jun 14, 2018)

My daughter took a video of a hen and 8 poults walking across my yard this week.


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## armyvet4583 (Jun 15, 2018)

Didn't see any of the hens . However jumped atleast a dozen chicken size poults. Thursday in Macintosh co.


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 16, 2018)

Saw a couple hens in my pasture yesterday with a good-sized swarm of poults about the size of quail.


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## Ricochet (Jun 18, 2018)

Gut_Pile said:


> Post what you are seeing


Will, it ain't looking good for us.


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## turkeykirk (Jun 20, 2018)

Have seen 4 hens this week . Only 1 had any poults and she had 1. That can’t be good.


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## antharper (Jun 21, 2018)

Seen 2 hens together today in Troup with at least 15 about a foot tall poults


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## rhbama3 (Jun 21, 2018)

Saw 8 chicken sized poults yesterday in Lee County. Didn't see mom.


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## chandlervismor (Jul 5, 2018)

Pulled cards on 6/29 had two hens with 9 poults.  Morgan County close to the Oconee line.


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## gobble79 (Jul 6, 2018)

Have seen 3 hens several times that have 6 with them. Another hen has 1 poult with her but most hens I have seen do not have any with them. Crawford county.


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## blood on the ground (Jul 6, 2018)

Same story as last year... Poults are gone and just got lonesome hens...the deck is stacked against them around here!


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## goblr77 (Jul 6, 2018)

goblr77 said:


> Saw a hen with 9 poults last week in Early County.



Several hens are now in the area without poults. I'm not sure if the hen with the poults left or just lost her poults.


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## GAGE (Jul 6, 2018)

Recent cards showed three hens with zero poults.


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## Arrow3 (Jul 8, 2018)

Saw 3 grown Hens with 6 or 7 half grown poults here at my house this morning and then a hen with a couple quail sized poults on my hunting club about lunch time. This was in Oglethorpe county.


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## DRBugman85 (Jul 9, 2018)

Went to the leases yesterday morning and had hen's and poults in every direction to and from the food plots up and down the roads,2 hens watched as we pulled up on the side of road with bitty size to flying poults (10-15) then on lease #2 we seen 5 different hens with 7-10 poults each and 3 long beards on the last food plot just feeding like no one was watching.  The rain has been heavy this year in South Georgia and we were surprised to see as many poults survived this year with all the rain. Keeping the Predators under control for 5 years and food plots sure has helped over all. Hopefully next season should be another good one as this past season was.And the deer know it been a Full moon and feeding all nights from all the tracks on the roads.


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## Fork Horn (Jul 9, 2018)

Got a few pictures recently of a hen with eight poults.  There still very small so it must have been a late nest.  Regardless, happy to see them and hope they make it.


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## Arrow3 (Jul 26, 2018)

Love having my cameras set to video


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## LowcountryBuck (Aug 22, 2018)

Poults growing up nicely on a new tract in S GA.


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## chrislibby88 (Sep 10, 2018)

Saw a hen with a 2-3 poults on the side of the road off 87 north several times over the summer. Bumped another hen with 2-3 large poults out of a tree on Ocmulger WMA two weeks ago.


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## humdandy (Oct 23, 2018)

Got a group of 17 on one tract I hunt and a flock of 25 on another tract.

Also saw a group of 10-16 gobblers and jakes.....6 were gobblers.


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