I know over here to your west our population is down. I would be all for a two bird limit if they could enforce it. With you guys having a 5 bird limit, do u think that's to many or is the flock in outstanding shape? Would you oppose lower limits in Bama?

Around where I'm at the population seems to hold it's own. There are better years than others but I contribute that to the previous hatches. As far as reducing the bag limit I really don't think it would have much effect, especially with our tagging system. Plus I think the majority of the hunters fall short of the five anyway. And the ones who do kill 5+ will continue to do so. If they did reduce the limit they would need to go to four first, if they went to two or three there would be a lot of resistance.

I would oppose lower limits. You want to positively impact the population? get on a statewide predator control program. Most experts agree, that it is about impossible to hurt a population by shooting mature gobblers.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

I bet habitat is more of an issue than varmints. If big timber companies and large landowners would spray/burn on a 2 or 3 year rotation, the population would be fine. Not that predator control wouldn't help, and probably tremendously, but pine stands filled w nothing but pine straw and gum trees isn't the best turkey habitat.
I say fix that, not the limit of gobblers which has been known not to affect the population.

Please, let's don't start this thread again.

If there really are places in AL where there aren't enough gobblers to breed the hens, then the only practical way to protect the flock is to shorten the season in those areas.

Reducing the statewide limit is all about somebody's idea of "fairness " and nothing else. It won't help the turkeys a bit.

No comment

Yes, reduce Mississippi's limit to 2!

wouldn't bother me, I've held myself and wife to a three bird limit for over 15 years now....

I could understand that if that's what your property calls for, but certainly don't agree if you have multiple places to hunt where the population could handle the killin.

I carry a lot of folks, get to see multiple birds killed over my calling, three is enough for me to pull the trigger on, counting multiple properties. The last year I killed five I called up 32 birds that got killed, shooter sitting touching close to me, multiple properties, three states.

I would like to see Alabama go to a 10 bird limit.

LOL! You tell 'em ChiliBowl. I like PCP's proposed bag limit of 1 gobbler per day myself

that was just his evil avatar talking......

I can tell ya right now.... If things stay the course at my camp..... We gonna have to self impose our own limits.... Or get rid of a few.....

I would like to see this happen, and tags! We have lost 40% of our flock. Ks and Mo have two bird limits and there flock seems to be in pretty good shape. I know a few greedy hunters here that shoot over the limit every year and just don't get it.

Tru-talker ole buddy ole pal. How you been??

You should be able to kill your limit in one day, instead of one bird per day.

Both KS and MO claim to have fewer turkeys, though I think it's limited to the SE part in KS. And that's happened with a 2 gobbler limit in the spring.

One gobbler can breed 20 hens in a day, and that's all they need to be fertile. Then his job is finished in the reproduction process - kill him and eat him.

These ain't quail where the male helps in nesting; the gobbler does his business and then goes off to hang out with the guys while the hens do all the work in raising the young. The males of no species should be able to have that much fun, so that's the reason God made a Spring gobbler season with generous limits in AL.

If you want more turkeys, give the hens full protection and do all you can to improve their nesting success. Provide them with nesting cover and a safe place to live thru the winter. That will give you more turkeys. Cutting the spring limit on males will only make some people feel better. It's a lot like gun control laws - they do zilch in fighting crime, but some people feel happier when they pass them.

If you want more turkeys, do your part in improving habitat. Don't just talk about it, do something! I'm off to burn the woods this afternoon. There's a Red Flag Warning; that means it's a good day to burn.

Lets take kansas for example. I'd be willing to bet they actually have less turkeys than mississippi, I know they have less birds than alabama. They are just more visible.

Now they only have 2 gobblers in the spring season? Why do you think that is? I'd be willing to bet its because you can kill 3 in the fall..... Almost all the states with low limits during the spring, allow you to shoot more during the fall. Almost all of them will let you shoot hens in the fall as well.