Less Gobbling?

[simpzenith]

I used to live in S.C. and have noticed a sharp decline in the gobbling activity there in the past decade. I figure it is due to an increase in coyote populations or increase in the hen population by the elimination of the fall season. Is this something anyone else has noticed?

[Dave S]

I have noticed a decline in the bird population where I've normally hunted. Luckily, I have another area where there's a good population of birds. I have my suspicions on the decline in numbers and it's not just the coyotes. There's far too many other/easier food sources for the coyotes to prey on in this area.

I will have to do more scouting in the area to be confident of the quantity of birds before I consider this area a viable location for this springs hunt.

As far as the gobbling goes, there's never a shortage of first light gobbling activity. But in the valley where I hunt, 8 birds can make it sound like a circus. This compared to flocks of 50-75 mature birds in recent years.

Overall, I attribute the decline to not only coyotes, but barred owls, poaching, predation, and natural mortality and little reproduction. We've had a couple bad springs in the past 4-5 years that has played a significant role in pre-hatch mortality.

[DonBo]

Agreed on the bad springs we've had, but I think poaching is a huge problem in most of the turkey range in these parts.

I couldn't tell you how many times I've heard "We feed 'em all year. If we want a turkey dinner, we just go shoot one." A wise tom only needs to get harassed a couple times to realize that his gobbling brings unwanted guests. Add that to the normal hunting pressure and you're going to get a new breed of quieter toms.

[Dave S]

As da_chise31 and I were out coyote hunting yesterday, we drove by a place with several birds under a bird feeder. A place that's been long suspected of benefitting of this "year-round" feeding program.

[Borch]

Plenty of gobbling around these parts pasty few spring. Although bird populations really seem to fluctuate as well as the the age profiles of gobblers. Seems that when we have a lot of 2 year old birds we hear a lot of gobbling activity.