Far Removed from Nature

[BilletHead]

5 hours ago, Smithvillesteve said:

I certainly dont disagree with you boys about the population of predators increasing dramatically. But MDC will tell you that loss of habitat is number one. You just dont see any crp fields anymore and that was so beneficial to turkeys, quail and pheasants. Farmers also started tearing out ditches, fencelines, draws etc in order to get more rows of crops. There use to be quite a bit of timber here around the Smithville area and into nkc area. See a lot of deer and turkeys on my way to Walleyworld. Now they are replaced by apartment complexes and the like. Just sayin boys. 

                I agree about habitat loss also Steve. This being said I have lived in the same place for 39 years and within a five-mile radius nothing has changed much. Actually, a couple places are getting more feral. Ther was at one time lots of quail and turkey. 

[tjm]

Who here is willing to pay for predator reduction?

[Seth]

On 10/25/2022 at 12:24 PM, Smithvillesteve said:

I certainly dont disagree with you boys about the population of predators increasing dramatically. But MDC will tell you that loss of habitat is number one. You just dont see any crp fields anymore and that was so beneficial to turkeys, quail and pheasants. Farmers also started tearing out ditches, fencelines, draws etc in order to get more rows of crops. There use to be quite a bit of timber here around the Smithville area and into nkc area. See a lot of deer and turkeys on my way to Walleyworld. Now they are replaced by apartment complexes and the like. Just sayin boys. 

The southern part of the state is big timber with very little CRP or ag farming so those issues shouldn't change much down there, but they are still experiencing issues with turkey populations as well.

[Dutch]

3 hours ago, Seth said:

The southern part of the state is big timber with very little CRP or ag farming so those issues shouldn't change much down there, but they are still experiencing issues with turkey populations as well.

What kind of turkey issues are you referencing?   Too many or too few?

[Bill Babler]

At Camdenton we’re just covered up with Turkeys. Bow killed a Gobbler this evening out of a group of 7.  

I have trail pic’s. Of 23 pullets in one group and a count on the other side of the hiway of a group of 30 out in the hay field. We have a few turkeys. 

[Bill Babler]

Here is another pic. from another camera on the property. All big Gobblers

There are 11 in the group, I saw them when I went to get the camera card. All BIG. 
I froze the breast from yesterday and I’m making stock today from the thighs and legs. Going to put together a Turkey noodle soup. 

[garyw]

I read somewhere that the quail population is down/gone, because of the hawks. seems hawks are everywhere.

 

[Carl1969]

Only seen a couple turkeys here this year, but after a year & a half here, I have no idea what's normal. No rabbits this year & almost no squirrels despite our little 5.5 acre patch being covered up in oak & hickory. We have seen a lot more hawks this year though, so that's not a big surprise.

We have an armadillo that seems to stick to the creek area at the back of the property. If I see it in the backyard again, we'll find out just how hard a warmed up .41 Magnum will roll one. 

[Seth]

On 10/27/2022 at 12:10 PM, Dutch said:

What kind of turkey issues are you referencing?   Too many or too few?

Turkey numbers are down all across the midwest.

[Smithvillesteve]

MDC reports that hunters harvested 1800 turkeys during the fall season. Up a couple hundred from last year. Most of the top counties are down south. In my humble opinion i wish the MDC would get rid of the fall season. Its a fact that turkey numbers are down. A lot of the harvested numbers in the fall are hens. Why not save those hens? Just one guys opinion.