Letters To The Editor – July 2021

Wild Hogs Should Be Public Enemy No. 1 On Wild Turkeys

Dear GON,

I think there are many reasons why the turkey population is on the decline. I’m sure habitat reduction has something to do with it, but certainly not the only thing. I’m for a two-gobbler limit and maybe a shorter season, but is that the answer? There are plenty of opinions on what needs to be done to help remedy the problem. I just pray it’s not too late.

A couple of years ago a friend and myself were driving through some farm land in southwest Georgia. I mentioned that we haven’t been seeing turkeys in the fields like we used to. My friend said, “What do you think the problem may be?” I told him I didn’t have a clue, but I hoped it was just a cycle. About that time we rode by a peanut field, and it was full of wild hogs. We looked at each other and said maybe the problem is the wild hog explosion!

We’re not wildilfe biologists, but that made really good sense to us. I don’t see how a bird that nests on the ground has a fighting chance because there are so many predators—snakes, varmints and now wild hogs around.

Everyone knows that wild hogs will eat and destroy about everything in their path. In no time a group of hogs can thoroughly cover a block of woods or plot of land. I believe if there was a turkey or quail nest in that area, it probably didn’t survive. Down here we used to see turkey hens with several poults everywhere, but not since wild hogs came on the scene. How many nests make it where wild hog numbers are crazy high? In my opinion not many!

My buddy and I are convinced that in our area there is a direct correlation in the coming of the hogs and the steady decline in turkey numbers. Wild hogs should be public enemy No. 1, put on Georgia’s most wanted list, and an old-school bounty placed on their heads.

Fred Cleveland, Fort Gaines

GON Social

GON Instagram: Allen Tetley said he was blessed to shoot this Greene County buck on Dec. 6. The 11-pointer grossed 151 inches.

GON Facebook: Buddy Cox, of Hampton, took a nice 8 and a 10-pointer on a midday hunt in Henry County.

GON Twitter: Some say coyotes don’t really impact turkeys. Well, this Georgia gobbler may think a little different. He got eaten by a coyote. Coyote then came to decoy. Coyote not longer with us, thanks to @collision_edge.