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Hunting

Fall Turkey Season

Uploaded on October 04, 2009

The state of Arkansas has decided to cancel the fall turkey hunting season here due to "faulty" info. They are now being sued by some hunters for this.
Do you think "we" should get some money refunded by them due to the fact they waited till 2 days before season to anounce this ?

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All Replies
from Elmer Fudd wrote 2 years 18 weeks ago

>cancel the fall turkey hunting season

what is going on?? I had heard Arkansas is only behind Alabama and Georgia on total number of turkeys

hell yeah demand your money back!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

Got "filed in wrong court" for now, begin moved to Pulaski Co./Little Rock as I write this. We'll see what happens.
LOTS of P!$$ed off hunters this year !

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from jktaylor11 wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

Hatches have been down the past few years here in Arkansas. The fall archery season allowed hunters to take hens, which led to the decline of hatchlings in the spring. I don't see eye to eye with the AGFC on a few things, but despite irritating many hunters, they did the right thing by closing fall turkey season. My dad and I have been turkey hunting since I was old enough to shoot, and we, along with many other hunters, have seen a decline in turkey over the past few seasons. Even spring harvest reports have shown a decline. We hunt in Fulton and Cleburne counties, which if you know anything about Arkansas turkey hunting are traditionally known to be high concentrated turkey areas. People just aren't seeing as many birds now as they were 5-10 years. Granted the bad weather (flooding, storms, etc.) contributes to bad hatches, but canceling fall turkey season will strengthen the hen count, resulting in more hens to breed, leading to better hatches. Personally, I think a two year fall turkey season hiatus is needed to restore the population.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Beekeeper wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

I am afraid we will run into more and more of these decisions as we move forward. The anti/green/hairyleged/hugger crowd will continue to foster challenges to our laws and rules and planning processes. One of the big issues is the trend of such "wildlife defenders" to challenge the method of data analysis and/or capture used to set seasons and bag limits. These legal challenges can tie the hands of our DNR agencies. My state has gone to an every other year process in setting seasons so that they have an open year to answer such challenges and not impact season starts and bag limits.

As far a turkey season goes, I feel one of the main reasons Georgia's turkey flock remains high is that we have no fall season and hens are not allowed in any harvest, including bearded hens. As dumb as fall turkeys are I'd hate to think what kind of damage could be done by deer hunters sitting on deer stands with a rifle or shotgun.

We have fallen on hard times due to drought and excessive spring rains and our flocks have diminished also. This year it appears we have had a decent hatch. Turkey are managed as small game and are cyclical in population trends as other small game animals are we will all experience ups and downs.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Elmer Fudd wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

>we will all experience ups and downs.

Clearly Arkansas is experiencing a "down" period but this has to be over-reacting. If there is a concern, it can be handled in these ways:

*no archery season, or a very short one.
*shorter fall season
*no overlap between deer and turkey seasons [this is possible in Virginia anyway]... many a deer hunter only shoots turkeys in the fall while deer hunting as an unexpected opportunity thing.

*if you shoot a hen in the fall, you may shoot no more turkeys including in the upcoming Spring season. YES it is possible to identify sexes by sight in the fall, takes experience.

more extreme:

*very short fall gun season

even more extreme:

*allow no dogs

almost unthinkable:

*closed fall season in a state that actually still has plenty of turkeys. We aren't talking about endgangered or even threatened species here!!!

ultimate solution:

*bum out all the hunters, we are a bunch of old graybeards for the most part and the younger generation seeing all the closed seasons will just give up hunting. Of course eventually there will be no wildlife areas and the turkeys will then become threatened sure enough.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Elmer Fudd wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

>hairyleged

you might want to explain that one, Beekeeper!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

If I may beekeeper,
Hairylegged- Mostly women of european origin, but has moved to the "hippy"/"tree-hugger"/"enviro-freak", movement who say how it's "natural".
Where I'm at (Garland Co)/(hunt south of here, Pike Co.) we have been seeing MORE turkeys this year.
I liked Mr. Fudd's idea's, and would like to add , how about closing some "zones" instead of the whole state.
By the way just had to get a plate for my "new" truck and spent the extra $35.00 dollars to do that(elk tag).
So I DO support the AGaF, just think that the timing was wrong for the closure. 2 days before season ! Come on now.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 14 weeks ago

It's "OFFICAL" Fall turkey season is OVER/OFF for the state of Arkansas !

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sandman4182 wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Yeah they should give you money back and then some I would say..

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Taylor Kash wrote 1 year 6 weeks ago

I was driving around in the Mount Magazine WMA when I stumbled upon a drove of jakes, nothing but jakes. There were at least 50. I didn't see any hens or gobblers, just jakes. It was very weird, but good to see the population is on the rise again.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sarge01 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

In WV we have a fall season of either sex of 4 weeks. It is not in with deer season, it is a season of its own. We have had a fall season for as long as I can remember and I'm 64. We are allowed 1 gobbler in the spring and 1 either sex bird in the fall or 2 gobblers in the spring and no birds in the fall. Our turkey numbers seem to stay about the same from year to year. Sometimes they will fluctuate some because of wet springs but not much.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from 007 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

Sarge, looks like it might be a good spring, we've got a good flock hanging around home, if the weather and coyotes cooperate.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sarge01 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

We saw several gobblers around the property during deer season. My total knee replacement surgery is scheduled for Jan. 10. One of your local boys, Dr. Hahn, is doing the surgery here at Grant Memorial. I should be ready to go by the time spring gobbler comes in. Last spring I called a coyote up and killed her and I would like to do the same this year, besides calling up a gobbler.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from 007 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

Take care of that knee, hope your world is settling back down. I hear Doc Hahn is pretty good. Hope to catch up with you one day soon, owe you a phone call at least.

0 Good Comment? | | Report

Post a Reply

from Elmer Fudd wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

>we will all experience ups and downs.

Clearly Arkansas is experiencing a "down" period but this has to be over-reacting. If there is a concern, it can be handled in these ways:

*no archery season, or a very short one.
*shorter fall season
*no overlap between deer and turkey seasons [this is possible in Virginia anyway]... many a deer hunter only shoots turkeys in the fall while deer hunting as an unexpected opportunity thing.

*if you shoot a hen in the fall, you may shoot no more turkeys including in the upcoming Spring season. YES it is possible to identify sexes by sight in the fall, takes experience.

more extreme:

*very short fall gun season

even more extreme:

*allow no dogs

almost unthinkable:

*closed fall season in a state that actually still has plenty of turkeys. We aren't talking about endgangered or even threatened species here!!!

ultimate solution:

*bum out all the hunters, we are a bunch of old graybeards for the most part and the younger generation seeing all the closed seasons will just give up hunting. Of course eventually there will be no wildlife areas and the turkeys will then become threatened sure enough.

+3 Good Comment? | | Report
from Elmer Fudd wrote 2 years 18 weeks ago

>cancel the fall turkey hunting season

what is going on?? I had heard Arkansas is only behind Alabama and Georgia on total number of turkeys

hell yeah demand your money back!

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

Got "filed in wrong court" for now, begin moved to Pulaski Co./Little Rock as I write this. We'll see what happens.
LOTS of P!$$ed off hunters this year !

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Beekeeper wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

I am afraid we will run into more and more of these decisions as we move forward. The anti/green/hairyleged/hugger crowd will continue to foster challenges to our laws and rules and planning processes. One of the big issues is the trend of such "wildlife defenders" to challenge the method of data analysis and/or capture used to set seasons and bag limits. These legal challenges can tie the hands of our DNR agencies. My state has gone to an every other year process in setting seasons so that they have an open year to answer such challenges and not impact season starts and bag limits.

As far a turkey season goes, I feel one of the main reasons Georgia's turkey flock remains high is that we have no fall season and hens are not allowed in any harvest, including bearded hens. As dumb as fall turkeys are I'd hate to think what kind of damage could be done by deer hunters sitting on deer stands with a rifle or shotgun.

We have fallen on hard times due to drought and excessive spring rains and our flocks have diminished also. This year it appears we have had a decent hatch. Turkey are managed as small game and are cyclical in population trends as other small game animals are we will all experience ups and downs.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

If I may beekeeper,
Hairylegged- Mostly women of european origin, but has moved to the "hippy"/"tree-hugger"/"enviro-freak", movement who say how it's "natural".
Where I'm at (Garland Co)/(hunt south of here, Pike Co.) we have been seeing MORE turkeys this year.
I liked Mr. Fudd's idea's, and would like to add , how about closing some "zones" instead of the whole state.
By the way just had to get a plate for my "new" truck and spent the extra $35.00 dollars to do that(elk tag).
So I DO support the AGaF, just think that the timing was wrong for the closure. 2 days before season ! Come on now.

+2 Good Comment? | | Report
from jktaylor11 wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

Hatches have been down the past few years here in Arkansas. The fall archery season allowed hunters to take hens, which led to the decline of hatchlings in the spring. I don't see eye to eye with the AGFC on a few things, but despite irritating many hunters, they did the right thing by closing fall turkey season. My dad and I have been turkey hunting since I was old enough to shoot, and we, along with many other hunters, have seen a decline in turkey over the past few seasons. Even spring harvest reports have shown a decline. We hunt in Fulton and Cleburne counties, which if you know anything about Arkansas turkey hunting are traditionally known to be high concentrated turkey areas. People just aren't seeing as many birds now as they were 5-10 years. Granted the bad weather (flooding, storms, etc.) contributes to bad hatches, but canceling fall turkey season will strengthen the hen count, resulting in more hens to breed, leading to better hatches. Personally, I think a two year fall turkey season hiatus is needed to restore the population.

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Elmer Fudd wrote 2 years 17 weeks ago

>hairyleged

you might want to explain that one, Beekeeper!

+1 Good Comment? | | Report
from Big O wrote 2 years 14 weeks ago

It's "OFFICAL" Fall turkey season is OVER/OFF for the state of Arkansas !

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sandman4182 wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Yeah they should give you money back and then some I would say..

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Taylor Kash wrote 1 year 6 weeks ago

I was driving around in the Mount Magazine WMA when I stumbled upon a drove of jakes, nothing but jakes. There were at least 50. I didn't see any hens or gobblers, just jakes. It was very weird, but good to see the population is on the rise again.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sarge01 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

In WV we have a fall season of either sex of 4 weeks. It is not in with deer season, it is a season of its own. We have had a fall season for as long as I can remember and I'm 64. We are allowed 1 gobbler in the spring and 1 either sex bird in the fall or 2 gobblers in the spring and no birds in the fall. Our turkey numbers seem to stay about the same from year to year. Sometimes they will fluctuate some because of wet springs but not much.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from 007 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

Sarge, looks like it might be a good spring, we've got a good flock hanging around home, if the weather and coyotes cooperate.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from Sarge01 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

We saw several gobblers around the property during deer season. My total knee replacement surgery is scheduled for Jan. 10. One of your local boys, Dr. Hahn, is doing the surgery here at Grant Memorial. I should be ready to go by the time spring gobbler comes in. Last spring I called a coyote up and killed her and I would like to do the same this year, besides calling up a gobbler.

0 Good Comment? | | Report
from 007 wrote 1 year 5 weeks ago

Take care of that knee, hope your world is settling back down. I hear Doc Hahn is pretty good. Hope to catch up with you one day soon, owe you a phone call at least.

0 Good Comment? | | Report

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