# Turkey numbers on your property



## ezcaller (Feb 21, 2009)

It's natural for populations to shift.An area should hold a certain number according to carrying capacity.A biologist told me the center of a population will shift over the years as they expand numbers then may center back to the home zone if it continues to hold food and cover. I forget the time line but the more I think about various areas over the years I believe this to be true.


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## Frosty1223 (Nov 24, 2016)

TheLionsFan said:


> Hey guys. Just wondering, for the area you normally hunt, how have the turkey numbers been over the past few years? Reason I ask is the population of birds in my area had SIGNIFICANTLY gone down over the past 5 years, and it’s so low this year that it is very concerning - to the point where I’m almost scared to take a bird this year.
> 
> Until about 5 years ago, the population around here has consistently been great. It would be nothing to see 5 toms, several jakes, and a ton of hens. Since then, there hasn’t been more than 2 toms in the area, maybe a couple jakes, and less than 10 hens. I’ve been watching the same flock all year and there is ONE tom and a few hens. That’s it. Hardly any tracks around. The same field I’ve seen birds in for YEARS, I haven’t seen a single bird this year.
> 
> ...


I live in the bullock creek area of midland county and I’d say over the last 5 years or so we have seen the turkey numbers double if not triple.... the number of birds that I’ve seen hunting is just astonishing.


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## martini77 (Jan 13, 2009)

The numbers by me in arenac county have seem to be steady or increasing the last five years or so. I had to adjust the settings on my corn feeder during deer season as the turkeys were eating it all. I had a group of 16 jakes and Toms this winter int he yard a few times. My season isn't until the 7th but I like my chances.


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## Retiredducker (Oct 11, 2011)

TheLionsFan said:


> Hey guys. Just wondering, for the area you normally hunt, how have the turkey numbers been over the past few years? Reason I ask is the population of birds in my area had SIGNIFICANTLY gone down over the past 5 years, and it’s so low this year that it is very concerning - to the point where I’m almost scared to take a bird this year.
> 
> Until about 5 years ago, the population around here has consistently been great. It would be nothing to see 5 toms, several jakes, and a ton of hens. Since then, there hasn’t been more than 2 toms in the area, maybe a couple jakes, and less than 10 hens. I’ve been watching the same flock all year and there is ONE tom and a few hens. That’s it. Hardly any tracks around. The same field I’ve seen birds in for YEARS, I haven’t seen a single bird this year.
> 
> ...


Same in my area, crp reverted to crops , fall tillage leaves zilch for nesting and bugging fields ...


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

Number have been on the decline for at least 5 years no doubt in kent barry amd kazoo counties. Had a few winters in there with lots of crusty 2 amd 3 layer snow. Along with high predators thats hard on a flock. Still enough to play with though.


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## BucksandDucks (May 25, 2010)

Couple areas that I hunt in shiawassee are definitely declining, but then you go to other areas in the same county and there's tons 

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## bowhunter426 (Oct 20, 2010)

We thought our property had declined to nothing this year. We stopped seeing turkeys in December. This morning I heard a gobble and there were 4 toms a ton of jakes and a dozen hens in my back yard.


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## ridgewalker (Jun 24, 2008)

significantly gone up


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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

Here in the NW12, it seems to me that 2015 was the high point. Numbers are way down in Grand Traverse County, down some in Leelanau, but still a lot in Benzie. Antrim still has great numbers.


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## Ack (Oct 3, 2004)

Big numbers in some areas, low numbers in other areas......just depends what part of the county. 

I don't agree so much with coyote being the problem, or we'd be seeing carcasses all over the woods, which I rarely ever see. 

I lean more toward the nest raiders, and also early hay harvest in prime nesting fields. 

And I have to say, hunter numbers skyrocketed about 7 years ago around one of my areas.....after that the bird numbers crashed hard.......coincidence?


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

The numbers around my property are pretty stable because there is very little pressure. The area that I actually spend the most time hunting seems to be on the rise this year. Seeing several large flocks but I'm sure they're dispersing now somewhat.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

ezcaller said:


> It's natural for populations to shift.An area should hold a certain number according to carrying capacity.A biologist told me the center of a population will shift over the years as they expand numbers then may center back to the home zone if it continues to hold food and cover. I forget the time line but the more I think about various areas over the years I believe this to be true.


I could not agree more. Folks blame winter, wet springs, predators etc.

We peaked late 90s strutter in every field. Than about 2005 we crashed, I have very good property over 3 counties, I'd go 3-4 days no gobbles hitting 20-30 properties. I'd go to Montcalm county, to hear 15 birds again.

Despite them two back horrible winter's we had 12- 13? Our birds came back, I heard 18 on may 1st on the roost.

My opion there cyclical. Think of the ruffed grouse cycle! Why would turkey be that different. It's not just here it's everywhere, I know turkey people from everywhere in every stateand alot of folks have seen the peaks and valleys.

I agree with Ack on coyotes, coyotes are lucky to have turkey dinner. Eyes are to good, eggstealers, Hawks, bobcats are more of a detriment than yotes.


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## OnHoPr (Jul 21, 2013)

If I am not mistaken or mis informed a murder of crows can play havoc on turkey chicks. A number of years ago I was hunting a select cut which had plenty of tall redwoods and big oaks in it. On the other side of the county fire trail there was a private that was cut a couple of years before hand. This was the May season. There was a roost in the select cut, but there seemed to be often constant hen talk from stationary positions on the cut private which led me to believe that a couple/few hens were nested in there. Those murders are just extremely pesky hordes. They would dive bomb me when I did a little calling within 8'. They brought back the movie, "The Birds".


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

I would be inclined to believe the cycle theory to a point but when you are on two trips in two days one too Mt pleasant and one to Manisstee during prime morning hours and see one bird where you used to see many something isn't right .It will be interesting to find out the results of this years turkey season .


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## HungryHunter (May 10, 2017)

Wow, I was just thinking the same thing as the OP. I used to hunt Gratiot Co. and saw flocks and flocks of Turkeys until it started dwindling / plateauing in the last decade. Then I started hunting in SE MI and saw the same thing.... the flocks got bigger and more frequent over the years. This year, I've been hard pressed to find them (scat / feathers / tracks / dust bowls) in the fields or in wood lots I'm accustomed to finding them. I just figure its the colder temps of this spring. Its either that or the high class subdivision they built right next to my old hunting spot within the last 2 years, more coyotes / *****, and what-nots.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Historic egg predator numbers can't be doing them any good .


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

I believe that it is small predators that are finding turkey nest that have contributed to a lot if not most of the decline. ****, possum and crows contribute more to the damage than coyotes and larger predators. The season on crows that are big nest robbers is strictly ridiculous with all of the nest robbing they do.

We saw turkey on it's nest a few years ago not far off of the road. We backed off and climbed a steep him l so we did not disturb her. I could see her from the road as I drove by. A few days later I saw egg shells all over so I stopped and found that a nest robber had totally destroyed her nest. Hopefully she renested.

The fall season is set up as population control of hens in high population areas but a lot of hunters do not take hens as the season is intended, instead of taking a hen like it is meant to do. Taking these toms in the fall cuts down own on the number of toms in the spring.

It seems to me that the falls season should be eliminated in a lot of area$.


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## HungryHunter (May 10, 2017)

This is an article that appeared by the NWTF several months back. Talks about predation on wild turkeys. Sort of goes with what some of us have been noting...

http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/article/wild-turkeys-predators-problem


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

HungryHunter said:


> This is an article that appeared by the NWTF several months back. Talks about predation on wild turkeys. Sort of goes with what some of us have been noting...
> 
> http://www.nwtf.org/conservation/article/wild-turkeys-predators-problem


Not just turkeys most of our reptiles are in trouble also as well as all ground nesting birds .Our DNR needs to come up with a solution in regards to raccoon .Right now they are only going to cost us countless millions to prop up other species in the future mark my word .


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

Thirty pointer said:


> Not just turkeys most of our reptiles are in trouble also as well as all ground nesting birds .Our DNR needs to come up with a solution in regards to raccoon .Right now they are only going to cost us countless millions to prop up other species in the future mark my word .


One word! Habitat.Non game species are in need of habitat to thrive.Reptiles are and small birds,are a key indicators of the lack of habitat.And considering how often colored come in on Turkey calls and decoys I'm positive they are successful.Three coyotes takin so far since Monday in my circle of turkeys hunters and all came in to attack decoys while calling.We see coyote skat with bird bones in it.Unlike us they hunt everyday all year long.Very opportunistic they are which is why were flooded with them.To many coyotes looking for food day after day.The skat is everywhere in my area.


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