# Leftover Tags



## syonker (May 7, 2004)

Wisconsin residents have the ability to buy "unlimited" leftover tags for the turkey seasons in that state as well as harvest more than 1 bird per season.

My question is this, can Michigan sustain a turkey flock under rules such as Wisconsin's?

My brother is a Wisconsin resident & he has harvested 2 birds this spring on public land (one with a leftover tag) & a 3rd bird on the Fort McCoy military reservation that has a special drawing for turkey hunting.

I'm curious as to what Michigan turkey hunters feel about the leftover tag/multiple bird bag limit.


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## tommy-n (Jan 9, 2004)

The area's of the state are broke up into dmu unit's and there are quotas for each area. If the tags are not sold out what would the problem be with selling these left over tags. Afterall the quota was not reached for those particular area's. It's pretty much a no-brainer plus it would generate more license sales.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

I have a feeling that might lead to poaching problems.

I like things just the way they are.


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## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

For a short answer; I'd be for it.


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## Ack (Oct 3, 2004)

I say no.....we don't need to put any more pressure on the birds then we already are. What about the guy who has the late season in that area and cannot get his bird...not really fair to him either when other guys are out there shooting multiple birds.


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

Well, if they are leftover tags they were expected to be utilized. So there is no difference who uses it. The turkey doesn't know if the guy that shot him has already shot one of his buddies. So, yes to an additional tag option in the southern lower anyway.


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## FixedBlade (Oct 14, 2002)

No. No need for it. Too many people would only take birds from the few properties they have. Most of us hunt with other hunters on the same property. If I had three hunters on one property with unlimited tags the birds would get decimated.


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

FixedBlade said:


> No. No need for it. Too many people would only take birds from the few properties they have. Most of us hunt with other hunters on the same property. If I had three hunters on one property with unlimited tags the birds would get decimated.


They need to be "decimated" around here. They're getting to be like pigeons, too many.


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## lking (Dec 14, 2004)

As a Wisconsin resident and avid hunter, let me try to clear things up a bit on our turkey season. I'm not sure the first poster was able to do that.

Our turkey season here in WI consist of 6 small seasons which run from Wed - Sun during the months of April and May. No hunting on Mon and Tuesdays. The state is also divided up into managed units.

Prior to the season we send in permits to draw a kill tag. You can rank the 6 weeks in priority but aren't gauranteed anything. If not granted a tag, one earns a "preference point" for the following year. 

Then, when all tags have been sent, one can order a bonus tag. Bonus tags begin in the 4th week only and extend through the 6th week, though the numbers given out are different for each unit or zone. Some zones had no extra tags to be sold. Also, once you've purchased an extra tag for that week, you're done. You can't keep purchasing tag after tag and fill them in the same season. 

So please don't think that if "Bob" is selected for a 4th week hunt in the lottery, that everyone and their brother can go out and buy tags and shoot multiple birds before "Bob" gets his chance to hunt.

Hope this helps, maybe confuses you more now???:16suspect


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## syonker (May 7, 2004)

Great summary lking of the Wisconsin rules!

My sole purpose of this post was to open up a discussion on the status of leftover tags & the possibility of harvesting more than 1 bird.

Like duxdog, I too wonder why have a harvest quota if the expectation isn't to take the maximum amount of birds? 

For the last 2 springs I've been bamboozled by the birds on my father-in-law's small woodlot during hunt ZZ. I sure would like another crack at them during the guaranteed hunt 234 & having the ability to legally buy a leftover kill tag would certainly assist in my quest to take one of these wiley birds.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I am only against it for one reason. Contrary to what it seems at some times LOL we have a pretty good gob to hen ratio. Killing more gobblers would probably have little to no effect on the actual population of turkeys but we would develop a population that is waaaaaaay skewed towards hens thus presenting the obvious challenges to hunting. 

Having hunted in states with 2 or 3 tags the effects on the balance is obvious.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

The premise, at least with the limited hunts, not ZZ or 234, is that the hunters will only take 1/3 of the birds in any area...therefore, their rationale is to issue 2/3 more tags in each area than that, on top of what is taken in the ZZ and 234 hunts, gambling that in many areas with private lands, those areas won't get hunted at all. 

Well, that's why birds on public land are becoming so rare and, when found, are so hard to take in a traditional manner. 

Because, in short, on public land, we issue too many tags now. 

Two toms per hunter would just make it twice as bad-cause the hunters would be out there twice as long. And it would have no effect on the population. You want to affect populations, take hens. And nobody seems to want to do that, judging from what happens during the fall hunts.


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## lking (Dec 14, 2004)

Not being totally familiar with MI rules and regs, this is, at times hard for me to follow...

I will say this - It is a lot of fun to shoot multiple gobblers a year, and the turkey numbers here in WI are pretty staggering, especially in my locale. Turkeys are truly a success story here and our state was rezoned this year to open up hunting all the way to the MI border due to the increase in turkeys in the northern counties.

That said, our gobbler to hen ratio (my area again, zone 3) is quite poor. Studies indicate that 4-6 hens per gobbler are ideal. However, here in zone 3, I would guess the ratio to be more similar to 10-12 hens per gobbler. Fact - very few fall hunters harvest hens, and very few hunters even hunt the fall. Dedgoose is spot on.

Great topic and good discussion. Thanks!


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## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

Then I guess some sort of "Earn a Gobbler" Tag system could be implemented. Shoot a hen or two in the Fall, and earn an extra spring tag.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

FireDoc66 said:


> Then I guess some sort of "Earn a Gobbler" Tag system could be implemented. Shoot a hen or two in the Fall, and earn an extra spring tag.


Please tell me you are joking


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

Only problem with shooting them in the fall is that they are not mountable. Lets shoot them in the spring to even it out.


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

I tell ya, the hunting in this state is pretty great for turkeys IMO. I think we ought to just leave well enough alone. Id love to take more than one bird too, but not at the price of ruining the quality of our turkey hunting.


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

I agree Adam it is great. But here in the southern zone there are getting to be too many birds and I can see it becoming a problem.


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## 4pawsup (Mar 6, 2009)

I see that it is time to start a (QTM) program so we can shoot more hen in the fall, that will produce toms with thicker beards and longer spurs and a healthier turkey herd. :corkysm55


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

duxdog said:


> I agree Adam it is great. But here in the southern zone there are getting to be too many birds and I can see it becoming a problem.


Not being a S.A but can you explain the negatives of too many birds. Only experienced this in WY this year and loved it


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