# Telecheck Results 2021 *updated 5/17* Final Numbers



## Gut_Pile (Mar 24, 2021)

I have been doing this thread for 6 years now. You can find the results from the previous years at the threads below

2020
https://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2020-final-numbers-posted.965094/

2019
https://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2019-final-numbers-posted-page-4.941473/

2018
http://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2018-updated-5-17.917581/

2017
http://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-2017-final-results-page-5.896288/

2016
http://forum.gon.com/threads/telecheck-results-so-far-updated-4-18-page-3.869649/

So far in 2021 we are 7 days into a 59 day season (youth weekend included). As of 3/24/21 at 11:27 AM there have been 2613 turkeys killed. This is a average of 373 per day and puts us on pace for 22,023 turkeys killed in 2021.

So far we are off to a much slower start than the 2020 (3,990 checked in on this day in 2020) and we had the worst opening day numbers since telecheck started in 2016.

We will see how everything plays out the remainder of the year.


Opening day results from 16-21:

2016: 1,535
2017: 1,725
2018: 1,748
2019: 1,477
2020: 1,777
2021: 1,410


----------



## Gut_Pile (Mar 24, 2021)

https://gadnrwrd.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/6b454d3ca57044848222998c06412b9b

link to telecheck numbers


----------



## Timber1 (Mar 24, 2021)

Probably another 1000 that were not reported.


----------



## turkeykirk (Mar 24, 2021)

Thanks ?


----------



## Gut_Pile (Mar 24, 2021)

Just to dive a little more into the numbers and what the opening day numbers mean to overall harvest trends.

2016: 11,216 checked turkeys. 1535 opening day turkeys made up 13.7% of total harvest

2017: 11,465 checked turkeys. 1725 opening day turkeys made up 15% of total harvest

2018: 11,674 checked turkeys. 1748 opening day turkeys made up 14.9% of total harvest

2019: 11,521 checked turkeys. 1477 opening day turkeys made up 12.8% of total harvest

2020: 14,412 checked turkeys. 1777 opening day turkeys made up for 12.3% of total harvest

2021: we don't know total harvest yet, but with the opening day number averaging 13.7% of total harvest, we can guestimate that the 2021 total number of checked turkeys will be 10,292.

It will be interesting to see how this trend plays out.


----------



## hrstille (Mar 24, 2021)

1400 birds is impressive considering how terrible the weather was on opening day.


----------



## antharper (Mar 24, 2021)

hrstille said:


> 1400 birds is impressive considering how terrible the weather was on opening day.


I was gonna say the same thing , awful weather in west ga , 36* and 10-15 mph winds


----------



## Gut_Pile (Mar 29, 2021)

Monday morning 11:00 update

12 days into the 59 days season.

4,895 turkeys checked, 408 per day, on pace for 24,067 total

Nice uptick this past weekend with some better weather throughout the state.


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 5, 2021)

Monday morning 10:10 update

19 days into the 59 day season

6,625 turkeys checked, 348 per day, on pace for 20,572

Back to regular scheduled programming after a big second week of the season.


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 12, 2021)

Monday morning 10:45 update

26 days into the 59 day season

8,246 turkeys checked, 317 per day, on pace for 18,712

As more and more hunters get their limit or decide to hang it up for the year we'll continue to see the "per day" and "on time" number drop. The first week the state averaged 373 turkeys per day. Last week that number was down to 231 and will drop into the low 100's in the next two weeks if history repeats itself.


----------



## KentuckyHeadhunter (Apr 12, 2021)

Thank you for doing this Will.


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 15, 2021)

April 15 Update by year

2016 - 7761    69.2% of total harvest
2017 - 8929    77.8% of total harvest
2018 - 8326    71.3% of total harvest
2019 - 8099    70.3% of total harvest
2020 - 10512  72.9% of total harvest

2021 - 8670   using the 5 year average of 72.3% of total harvest killed by April 15, we statistically should end up with a total harvest of 11,992


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 15, 2021)

Public numbers by full season

2016 - 1197
2017 - 1520
2018 - 1370
2019 - 1338
2020 - 1866
2021 - currently at 1124. On pace for 1555


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 15, 2021)

And finally, lets look at the future 

Jake harvest by year 
2016 - 1261
2017 - 1569
2018 - 1270
2019 - 1526
2020 - 1555
2021 - 902 currently. On pace for 1250

Jake harvest by year, on public
2016 - 160
2017 - 225
2018 - 219
2019 - 265
2020 - 280
2021 - 143 currently. On pace for 198

So, with jake numbers being down statewide and on public ground, what does that mean for the future? Typically, high jake harvest leads to high gobbler harvest the next year. More jakes = more 2 year olds the following year. If we go with that logic, then next year will not be a good season. 

Or, are less people shooting jakes?


----------



## common man (Apr 15, 2021)

Interesting the spike in harvest numbers for 2020, assuming more pressure from people being home from Covid work related stuff


----------



## Dupree (Apr 15, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> And finally, lets look at the future
> 
> Jake harvest by year
> 2016 - 1261
> ...



I had a trail cam picture the first week of season that had 8 jakes in it. A few days before season I saw 4 on public land. I have not seen or heard any jakes while hunting this year, and I’ve hunted 4-5 mornings a week. I’ve also not seen many 2yr olds killed this year from the people I talk to and hunt with.


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 15, 2021)

common man said:


> Interesting the spike in harvest numbers for 2020, assuming more pressure from people being home from Covid work related stuff



Correct. There was a 35% increase in telecheck harvest in 2020. 50% increase in participation on public land.


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 19, 2021)

Monday morning 9:15 update

33 days down, 26 to go

9,403 turkeys killed, 284 per day. On pace for 16,811

Since last Monday, the state averaged 153 turkeys per day. Look for that number to get down to 100-125 over the next month. I'm thinking 11,750-12,000 is where we will end up. Good weather on the weekends will play a roll in those numbers.


----------



## antharper (Apr 19, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> Monday morning 9:15 update
> 
> 33 days down, 26 to go
> 
> ...


So basically about the same as the past 5 years !


----------



## mallardsx2 (Apr 20, 2021)

The harvest potentially is. The amount of effort is not.


----------



## Gut_Pile (Apr 26, 2021)

40 days in

10,217 reported, 255 per day, on pace for 15,070

Best day last week was Sunday 4/25 with 155 kills


----------



## Gut_Pile (May 4, 2021)

11 days to go

11,108 reported, 231 per day, on pace for 13,653

May 1 was the best day since mid April with 212 turkeys killed. Looks like we are going to end up just over 12,000


----------



## Dupree (May 4, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> 11 days to go
> 
> 11,108 reported, 231 per day, on pace for 13,653
> 
> May 1 was the best day since mid April with 212 turkeys killed. Looks like we are going to end up just over 12,000


Have you compared it to any other states this year?


----------



## Gut_Pile (May 4, 2021)

Dupree said:


> Have you compared it to any other states this year?



Kentucky - 25,791
Bama - 14,870
SC - 9,263 as of 4/30. no live reporting
Tennessee - 28,202
Missouri - 30,069
Mississippi - 9,178
North Carolina - 19,728


----------



## Dupree (May 4, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> Kentucky - 25,791
> SC - close to 10,000 as the weekend was approaching. no live reporting
> Tennessee - 28,202
> Missouri - 30,069
> ...


Wow. Didn’t realize other states had so many more than us getting tagged.


----------



## Gut_Pile (May 4, 2021)

Dupree said:


> Wow. Didn’t realize other states had so many more than us getting tagged.



KY and Tennessee have always had 3x the number of GA. Kentucky will typically pass GA on the first weekend of the season


----------



## Jack Flynn (May 4, 2021)

Ya know, DNR says our turkey kill numbers are way down after the game check was put into place. No I think their estimating the kill was way flawed.


----------



## common man (May 4, 2021)

So how much is an out of state turkey license for Tennessee?


----------



## goshenmountainman (May 4, 2021)

common man said:


> So how much is an out of state turkey license for Tennessee?





common man said:


> So how much is an out of state turkey license for Tennessee?


I went on a utv ride this past weekend in Tennessee, saw a good number of toms on public land and heard three different birds, made me think the exact same thought as you.


----------



## Timber1 (May 5, 2021)

common man said:


> So how much is an out of state turkey license for Tennessee?


I think I paid around 300$+25$ wma stamp.


----------



## sea trout (May 5, 2021)

common man said:


> So how much is an out of state turkey license for Tennessee?





Timber1 said:


> I think I paid around 300$+25$ wma stamp.


Tenn Has been like 230ish for 4 or 5 day. 290ish for the year.
I've been huntin north Tenn for many years... it has been awesome for many years. I told my friends keep quiet about this or it will turn into turkey huntin in Georgia.
Well for the past couple years it's been steadily DRAMATICALY gettin more and more crowded and last year was just too much for me. Public land corps property had multiple people driving around owl hootin from trucks. Box callin from atv's. Folks sneakin on private farms without permission and runnin away when we holler for them to stop for a talk.
I didn't even go this year and I LOVE to go.
I went to Texas instead.


----------



## C.Killmaster (May 7, 2021)

Jack Flynn said:


> Ya know, DNR says our turkey kill numbers are way down after the game check was put into place. No I think their estimating the kill was way flawed.



The telephone survey that was used before Game Check is still conducted every year and it showed the same decrease in harvest.  I think a lot of people would agree that the turkey population isn't near what it was 10 years ago.


----------



## Smallwood (May 10, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> Kentucky - 25,791
> Bama - 14,870
> SC - 9,263 as of 4/30. no live reporting
> Tennessee - 28,202
> ...



Stop


----------



## Resica (May 10, 2021)

Here are our estimates for the last several springs(Pennsylvania). The *2020 spring gobbler* season *harvest* dropped by 8% from last year, but it wasn't from lack of effort by hunters. The *2020 gobbler harvest* was 34,500, continuing a downward trend from 37,300 in 2019 and 40,300 in 2018.


----------



## bfriendly (May 10, 2021)

My public land has gotten hit hard and I personally have seen a dramatic decline. I’m just trying to believe that all those lanes cut everywhere the turkeys  and I used to roam will be beneficial. I haven’t seen a single lone hen on them dove fields this year. And I keep going back since I used to see soooo many birds there.......pigs too


----------



## Gut_Pile (May 17, 2021)

5/17 update

12,112 turkeys checked in. Big uptick on the very last day of the season which happens each year. I would like to think that is due to a great last day of the season, but I do think a lot of folks hold a bird or two until  the last day to check them in.

Overall, a good GA season. 2nd best telecheck results in GA history


----------



## DRBugman85 (May 17, 2021)

But there are no turkeys left in GEORGIA.


----------



## kmckinnie (May 18, 2021)

DRBugman85 said:


> But there are no turkeys left in GEORGIA.


There’s plenty of hunters from what I hear.


----------



## DRBugman85 (May 18, 2021)

kmckinnie said:


> There’s plenty of hunters from what I hear.


Yes sir,I hunted 3 WMA'S with a buddy and his son for the last 3 weekends and seen all 3 of us ?


----------



## goblr77 (May 18, 2021)

That indicates an overall turkey population of roughly 120,000. Not the 300,000 - 400,000 number that is being thrown around. Kentucky reports 300,000 - 400,000 birds and the total harvest is just shy of 30,000. Tennessee reports 300,000 and has a total harvest of over 30,000. Both of those states have shorter turkey seasons as well. It just shows how mismanaged the turkey population in our state has been.


----------



## DRBugman85 (May 18, 2021)

goblr77 said:


> That indicates an overall turkey population of roughly 120,000. Not the 300,000 - 400,000 number that is being thrown around. Kentucky reports 300,000 - 400,000 birds and the total harvest is just shy of 30,000. Tennessee reports 300,000 and has a total harvest of over 30,000. Both of those states have shorter turkey seasons as well. It just shows how mismanaged the turkey population in our state has been.


That is if (ALL TURKEYS HARVESTED) GOT checked in.... And I will bet 1/2 that many more  gobblers were NOT reported.....


----------



## Gut_Pile (May 18, 2021)

DRBugman85 said:


> That is if (ALL TURKEYS HARVESTED) GOT checked in.... And I will bet 1/2 that many more  gobblers were NOT reported.....



So do you believe that ALL TURKEYS HARVESTED in Kentucky and Tennessee get reported?


----------



## DRBugman85 (May 18, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> So do you believe that ALL TURKEYS HARVESTED in Kentucky and Tennessee get reported?


Probably not as well.


----------



## Gut_Pile (May 18, 2021)

DRBugman85 said:


> Probably not as well.



Then theoretically those states should have 2x the population that GA has, just like goblr77 said.


----------



## DRBugman85 (May 18, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> Then theoretically those states should have 2x the population that GA has, just like goblr77 said.


Well I'm not a Turkey biologists and I live in GEORGIA so if they say so I guess it's so. I just KNOW that a LOT of gobblers do NOT get checked in GEORGIA.


----------



## Timber1 (May 23, 2021)

So next year when hunters go 0 for 2 instead of 0 for 3 and do it in a shorter amount of time, will that make the numbers look better?


----------



## bfriendly (May 23, 2021)

Timber1 said:


> So next year when hunters go 0 for 2 instead of 0 for 3 and do it in a shorter amount of time, will that make the numbers look better?


Why yes, yes it will.......they gonna need a new algorithm


----------



## sea trout (May 23, 2021)

Gut_Pile said:


> Then theoretically those states should have 2x the population that GA has, just like goblr77 said.


I visit Tennessee, sometimes not during turkey season and I also hunt for turkey in Tennessee during spring turkey season and I will agree with the statement that they could have twice as many birds as us round about. But that would only be a guess through observation in East Tenn vs North Georgia.
I also observe resident spring turkey hunting participants taking off LIKE A ROCKET in the past couple years in East Tenn.
It will be interesting if the growth of spring hunting pressure turns East Tenn into a similar turkey situation as Ga, or if it doesn't affect their population of turkey


----------



## antharper (May 23, 2021)

sea trout said:


> I visit Tennessee, sometimes not during turkey season and I also hunt for turkey in Tennessee during spring turkey season and I will agree with the statement that they could have twice as many birds as us round about. But that would only be a guess through observation in East Tenn vs North Georgia.
> I also observe resident spring turkey hunting participants taking off LIKE A ROCKET in the past couple years in East Tenn.
> It will be interesting if the growth of spring hunting pressure turns East Tenn into a similar turkey situation as Ga, or if it doesn't affect their population of turkey


I think with a couple good hatches with the weather we are having the biologist will be geniuses and we’ll all have plenty of turkeys !


----------

