# Turkey numbers



## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

Can any of you Turkey experts explain why the turkey numbers in the western UP are soaring. Big broods of 10-20 polts everywhere I drive. Back home our numbers shrink every year and the hens have hardly any polts. Very confusing considering length of winter and predator numbers.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Tagged because i'm interested as well


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Do you have a fall season up there? How about the taking hen turkeys ?


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## Macs13 (Apr 24, 2019)

I've seen more turkeys this year, including the large flocks of poults in my neighborhood that I've shared photos of on here many times, in Jackson County. Maybe they're hiding from you? I'm just being sarcastic. Maybe I'm just in the right area. I stopped this morning for a bachelor group of about 10 jakes. 

Sent from my SM-S908U using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## Chasin Tales (Jan 20, 2006)

Is there more trapping of ***** and other egg stealers in the UP?


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

MrFysch said:


> Can any of you Turkey experts explain why the turkey numbers in the western UP are soaring. Big broods of 10-20 polts everywhere I drive. Back home our numbers shrink every year and the hens have hardly any polts. Very confusing considering length of winter and predator numbers.


Does the western UP have many raccoons ? I'm not putting all the blame on them, but they will eat every egg in a nest that they find. 

L & O


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

Thirty pointer said:


> Do you have a fall season up there? How about the taking hen turkeys ?


We do have a fall season...runs 9 15 to 11 14..


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## MrFysch (Feb 9, 2008)

There seems to be a lot of raccoons but I haven't seen many possums.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

MrFysch said:


> There seems to be a lot of raccoons but I haven't seen many possums.


As someone who has plugged almost 30 racoons over this last summer our critter population in SE MI is out of hand. Almost nobody traps them anymore, and a lot of nature loving hippies actively encourage their growth by letting them graze at their bird feeders and whatnot. We have a neighbor a few houses down that leaves out feed year round for all the stray animals... ***** and possums included. Not uncommon to see a few ***** on their front stoop just hanging out.. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! So yeah if you are concerned with dropping turkey numbers in the LP I would point to a few obvious culprits... predation from other critters and also loss of habitat.


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## jrose (Aug 17, 2011)

There are a tone of koons on or near my property. The dog proof kune traps are gonna work some overtime this fall! I like the "Live " traps for cunes, but they tend to catch more unintended species, and the kuehns s*** all over the traps! Makes a mess to clean up.


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## yooperkenny (Jul 13, 2004)

MrFysch said:


> Can any of you Turkey experts explain why the turkey numbers in the western UP are soaring. Big broods of 10-20 polts everywhere I drive. Back home our numbers shrink every year and the hens have hardly any polts. Very confusing considering length of winter and predator numbers.


I don't know the answer and definitely not a turkey expert but agree with your observations at least in my stomping grounds of southern Marquette County and up in The Copper Country. Turkeys in The Keweenaw! Who would have imagined that a few years ago?

Maybe the wolves and big cats are eating all of the racoons lol


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

IMO turkeys are cyclical.... The peaks and valleys are the variables that determine how high or how low they go

Here's a newer organization to check out.... Unlike the NWTF their doing studies to actually learn more about nesting in relationship to habitat

There garnering a big following in the turkey world as more people leave the NWTF








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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

DEDGOOSE said:


> *IMO turkeys are cyclical..*.. The peaks and valleys are the variables that determine how high or how low they go
> 
> Here's a newer organization to check out.... Unlike the NWTF their doing studies to actually learn more about nesting in relationship to habitat
> 
> ...



I agree


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

d_rek said:


> As someone who has plugged almost 30 racoons over this last summer our critter population in SE MI is out of hand. Almost nobody traps them anymore, and a lot of nature loving hippies actively encourage their growth by letting them graze at their bird feeders and whatnot. We have a neighbor a few houses down that leaves out feed year round for all the stray animals... *** and possums included. Not uncommon to see a few *** on their front stoop just hanging out.. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! So yeah if you are concerned with dropping turkey numbers in the LP I would point to a few obvious culprits... predation from other critters and also loss of habitat.


They certainly are out of control and have been for many years .It’s not just turkeys but reptiles and any bird that nest on the ground .Time for our DNR to step up and find a solution be it a bounty or subsidizing raccoon fur prices . Too many species are at record lows now and some day we will be spending millions like we did with the Kirkland warbler to save some of the wildlife .


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## hmrx (May 4, 2012)

*****, possums and skunks or turkeys, grouse and ducks. That's the simple choice we face. It'll be an uphill battle. New turkey groups or the old one is not going to solve this problem.

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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Down Hera in casco I’ve seen more turkeys including toms and more plots than any year but not in last couple months mainly because crops are big and hard to see them


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

d_rek said:


> As someone who has plugged almost 30 racoons over this last summer our critter population in SE MI is out of hand. Almost nobody traps them anymore, and a lot of nature loving hippies actively encourage their growth by letting them graze at their bird feeders and whatnot. We have a neighbor a few houses down that leaves out feed year round for all the stray animals... *** and possums included. Not uncommon to see a few *** on their front stoop just hanging out.. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! So yeah if you are concerned with dropping turkey numbers in the LP I would point to a few obvious culprits... predation from other critters and also loss of habitat.


Yep if there wasn’t for raccoons and possums we never have to worry about turkey population.I think the reason I’ve seen lot more turkeys and more plots this year than ever is for some reason **** population has been way down in my area I got cameras out all year and last couple years not many pics use to get so many sometimes up to 20 by wild apple and paar trees


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## Lumberman (Sep 27, 2010)

DEDGOOSE said:


> IMO turkeys are cyclical.... The peaks and valleys are the variables that determine how high or how low they go
> 
> Here's a newer organization to check out.... Unlike the NWTF their doing studies to actually learn more about nesting in relationship to habitat
> 
> ...


I think maybe you are correct. They are seeing significant declines in world class habitat as well. That’s very hard to explain.


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## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

I have been working in the woods in the west U.P. for a little over a week now. I have only seen turkeys twice in my travels. But, that is 2 more times than I can remember from any other trip up here. I have never seen a raccoon in the west U.P., ever. Grouse #s seem good too. 

Meanwhile down at home, Turkey #s look great around Manistee & Wexford counties.


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