|
|
The Decline in Turkey Population
By Buckmasters
If you are an avid turkey hunter and have been chasing turkeys for a long period of time, it is no secret that the turkey population has taken a serious decline... The last 10-15 years there has been a noticeable decline in the population, and we might just have the answer to why this is…
Why?
Turkeys, without a doubt, do not have the odds of survival stacked up in their favor. Literally EVERYTHING is out to get them! There are rumors in the hunting world of diseases being the reason of the decline of turkey population and although we believe this is true, it is not the main culprit. Hunters have dramatically increased over the last years, which does not help in any way; however, it seems our wildlife and fisheries are on top of it when it comes to changing season bag limits for hunters. This really leaves only one more cause – “Predators.”
Predators such as bobcats, coyotes, racoons, and possums have been causing havoc on turkey populations ever since the existence of time. The main question that comes up within these group of predators is, (what predator is causing the most damage?) We have asked some of our closest and most knowledgeable biologist in this space and they say without a doubt, racoons and possums are the worst... The raccoon and possum population has grown significantly over the years and quite frankly the only thing putting a dent in their population is the roadways and car traffic. It is statistic that 80% of turkey nest do not survive. That is a VERY significant number!
When is it best to trap for these critters?
The answer to this is, ANYTIME! If you are following your state and local trapping guidelines, get traps in the dirt! If we had to say the best timing for this though, it would be the months prior to turkey season. If you are trapping during this time, you are hitting them at their most vulnerable time considering their feeding sources have dwindled away from the cold winter months and it is most impactful to get them out right before turkey nest starts getting made.
What traps to use?
You can not go wrong with the common duke foot trap for coyotes and bobcats. When it comes to raccoons and possums, the new dog proof traps are the way to go! They are very easy to use and easier to set up. Place them in and around your deer feeding areas, creek edges, and main trail heads. Trapping at the end of the day is a way that you can fill that gap between deer and turkey season and also add a major benefit to the wildlife on your property.