Ontario Turkey Hunters, Evening hunting Good or Bad?

[Turk_man]

I just want to feel everyone out on this. Do you think it`s a good idea or a bad one? I have strong feeling about how this will change public land roost sites. I know that the majority of turkey hunting takes place on private land and I hunt 90% on private land but for some the only hunting they can find is public land and I can tell you I know the public land well enough around here to be able to set up under the roost sites of a number of different gobblers. I also know that to do that will push the remaining birds to roost on land that does not allow hunting. We have always went out of our way not to disturb the birds roost and have found that they will use the same place day after day and year after year. Hell, if we can hunt all day when am I supposed to nap. Just found out the proposal is for hunting from a half an hour before sunrise til 7:00pm, not the normal half hour after sunset.(sounds better to me)

[Dan O.]

I'd rather have a fall hunt than extend the hours. Even that may not be a good idea as we're losing a lot of birds to poachers and it may apply too much pressure. I guess the farm lobby is having some effect as there are complaints about crop damage.

Dan O.

[Turk_man]

Where`s the crop damage? " One turkey hunter willing to travel " Man, if they have that many turkeys then tell then to give me a call, I`d call birds on their property for them too. I think if 50 000 birds is causing damage than the farmers in Missouri must be losing their shirts(they have 400 000 to deal with)

[Norfolk_Hunter]

I think that things should stay the way they are. There is plenty of time to get two birds in the spring under the current time frame. Also a fall hunt will mess up bowhunters for deer. When your sneaking in to hunt deer you don't want to have to worry about people turkey hunting.
I'm a farmer and turkeys can do substantial damage to certain crops. After tobacco plants are planted turkeys will nip at the bottom of the plant killing it. If the pop in certain areas is large enough soybeans can be hit hard as well.

[Goodguy]

I'm inclined to say leave it as it is. Although the option of an afternoon hunt sounds OK on one front, I don't know if the additional hunting pressure is to our advantage in the long run. The bird population is fairly good and seems to be growing and expanding its range but I don't think it's so high yet that it requires reduction which no doubt additional hunting pressure will result in. When I have a full day I'm happy to do turkeys in the morning and coyotes in the afternoon. gg.