I was hoping to see you post EFH.
For those that think that 5 is too many for one person remember that Alabama has the largest turkey per square mile population of any state in the US. The estimated population is between 400k-450k. Trust me. We aren't hurting the population.
The knee jerk reaction centered around this. The state has coupled with Auburn University on a 5 year study on turkey populations. The study is only 18 months old and they already think that limits need to be reduced?
Yes I do think that hunters have as good or better grasp on populations. I am in the field every chance I get from March 15th-April 30th. I often deer hunt some of the same areas I turkey hunt. I can tell you that the last few years that birds have acted atypical. Yes I do think that the numbers are slightly down but I am positive that it is simply weather/hatch related. This year I am already hearing of more birds being seen and heard. Where do you think the DCNR gets their info from? They talk to hunters.
I think that statewide it should be either March 15th or 20th. We are really only talking about Lawrence, Colbert, and Lauderdale counties that have good populations that open April 1st. Heck I'm planning on Oakmulgee or Choccolocca on March 16th-17th. If it opened up here in my territory (NW Alabama) I'm not going south.