Originally Posted by
Ridge Runner
well a decline of the deer population, from a high of 80 PER SQUARE MILE moron, to approx 40 PER SQUARE MILE would tend to cut the harvest numbers don't ya think?
as far as gobbler harvests declines, it ain't cause of the population decreasing, its mainly from the fact that there are many more hens then we had 15 years ago, they don't gobble like they use to but there are more of them.
When I was a child in the 70's, nobody bowhunted, and everyone fall turkey hunted, they took out alot of hens, there was competition for the right to breed and the turkeys gobbled alot more, now they can see hens on the ground from flydown till they go back to roost so they don't gotta gobble.
instead of reading this doctored data the DNR puts out ya oughta keep the yap shut and experience what goes on in the woods, don't put others down cause they have a grasp on things, numbers may not lie, but they don't tell the hows and whys of the totals.
RR
you are wrong all all accounts, pal.. show me( or anyone) statistical data that supports your 40 per sq mile, and show me a scientific record saying there's more Gobblers than even 5 years ago, and I'll digress. but I'm bettin' you can't on either, because you're wrong,plain and simple. Gopbblers have been grwoing silent( less Gobbling) over a 20 yr stretch, and not just in this state. I participated in MANY Spring Gobbler surveys put on by Jim Pack of the WVDNR. His charts will PROVE they don't gobble as much, even in areas like Hardy Co that's LOST turkey numbers. I've hunted in over half of the counties in this state for sprinbg toms, and the counties east of I-79 have taken a huge drop in numbers, same for deer too. Predation/loss of habitat/poor reproductions due to weather have cuased much of it. Gobblers aren't Gobbling, because of survival. I remember talking to 2 hunters from Georgia in a reataurant in Moorefield 3 years ago, after a morning hunt. They also told me that Gobblers from ALL the southern states have quieted down, due to rising #s of predators. Noone traps anymore, so it only stands to reason, plus coyotes have re-appeared in this state over the past 20 years to an alarming number. the lack of Gobbling has NOTHING to do with numbers of hens. That's a wives tale without scientific proof. Sounds good, but it's not true. What I do see, is a drop off of hunters in the spring as compared to 20+ years ago, but thats' because the hunters no longer drive to the Eastern counties to hunt, and most out/staters go to where the GOOD hunting is, and thats' along teh Ohio River valley, where you can see more turkeys than you can count in open fields. The DNR doesn't fake or manipulate the numbers...they are what they are. Here ya go..2010 West Virginia Spring Gobbler Harvest Tops 10,000
Preliminary figures indicate West Virginia hunters harvested 10,006 bearded turkeys statewide during the recently completed 2010 spring gobbler season. This year’s spring harvest is approximately two percent above the 9,787 birds taken in 2009. It is the first time the spring harvest exceeded 10,000 since 2006.
The top five counties in 2010 were Mason (536), Marshall (316), Putnam (315), Lincoln (278), and Harrison (269). Four of the state’s districts had slight declines; however, two districts showed an increase in harvest from last year. Harvests in the western and southwestern portions of the state were higher in 2010. District 5 showed the greatest percentage increase (35),
while District 2 had the largest decrease at 12 percent.
“Our biologists predicted a very similar kill in 2010 based on brood reports,” said Curtis I. Taylor, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. “Normal weather conditions across much of the spring season enabled hunters to have plenty of time afield. In addition, a good carryover of mature toms provided many mornings of recreation for Mountain State hunters.”
Biologists had forecast a spring harvest of approximately 10,000 gobblers for 2010 based on past data. The lack of available mast during fall 2009 may have affected gobbling in some regions but the overall population survived the winter in good shape.
With more favorable winter weather conditions and sufficient fall foods, there should be an abundance of gobblers for the 2011 spring season, Taylor predicted.
**DNR**
West Virginia Spring Wild Turkey Harvest , 2006-2010
County 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Barbour 176 177 224 209 157
Brooke 121 101 79 86 91
Han**** 137 117 71 98 109
Harrison 254 237 291 310 269
Marion 190 201 178 175 178
Marshall 306 279 222 214 316
Monongalia 310 260 247 215 256
Ohio 137 77 53 64 94
Preston 400 330 371 378 226
Taylor 101 84 115 101 86
Tucker 98 83 85 68 63
Wetzel 200 204 253 213 199
Dist. I Subtotal 2,430 2,150 2,189 2,131
2,044
Berkeley 107 71 70 83 89
Grant 130 144 115 121 107
Hampshire 220 163 165 194 149
Hardy 226 156 141 172 158
Jefferson 51 46 34 44 27
Mineral 135 114 107 135 116
Morgan 116 87 88 63 69
Pendleton 136 140 101 114 100
Dist. II Subtotal 1,121 921 821 926
815
Braxton 282 211 199 226 197
Clay 82 80 77 89 66
Lewis 258 245 243 241 236
Nicholas 226 188 210 157 157
Pocahontas 128 127 102 117 107
Randolph 176 170 163 198 180
Upshur 258 212 288 298 256
Webster 108 98 98 113 104
Dist. III Subtotal 1,518 1,331 1,380 1,439
1,303
Fayette 261 231 279 255 215
Greenbrier 298 264 292 266 219
McDowell 270 214 250 181 267
Mercer 311 269 253 215 177
Monroe 200 170 142 178 143
Raleigh 264 282 221 227 180
Summers 287 284 258 219 220
Wyoming 243 197 209 227 256
Dist. IV Subtotal 2,134 1,911 1,904 1,768
1,677
Boone 159 132 118 111 185
Cabell 146 125 138 157 250
Kanawha 263 254 247 219 262
Lincoln 223 172 188 183 278
Logan 169 112 157 160 194
Mason 493 407 394 419 536
Mingo 100 80 82 95 107
Putnam 246 178 232 256 315
Wayne 207 164 145 146 239
Dist. V Subtotal 2,006 1,624 1,701 1,746
2,366
Calhoun 193 150 141 129 120
Doddridge 199 117 144 135 150
Gilmer 195 150 139 147 142
Jackson 353 332 310 257 268
Pleasants 97 59 89 63 73
Ritchie 317 244 208 206 232
Roane 293 268 229 219 206
Tyler 198 155 174 167 196
Wirt 272 216 185 175 165
Wood 409 337 315 279 249
Dist. VI Subtotal 2,526 2,028 1,934 1,777
1,801
State Total 11,735 9,965 9,929 9,787 10,006
8 counties in our district...9 counties in district 5: we killed 815, they killed 2366.....that's nearly 3 times the gobblers taken. THREE TIMES !! ..and from the hunters I know in thsoe areas, they gobbled good... Now, before you lower yourself to name-calling again, support your point with FACTS,ok??? it's un-becoming of you...don't look for me to retun that pathetic action.
also, read thsi :
http://wvdnr.gov/Hunting/PDFFiles/BGB_2009.pdf
..read the boittom of pg 27... "4 bucks /sq mile ave"... FOUR, so if you see twice that number( figuring a 50% kill) you're either in a paradise spot, or your near a bait pile, which is a BIG problem in Hardy county...and they DON"T have 40 deer per sq mi., as evidenced by harvest numbers...believe what you want.