The fact that we passed last year’s totals may make it seem like the later start didn’t have an impact but it did……Without the later start we would have likely been closer to the numbers posted two years ago and possibly even higher……This basic graph represents what I believe has happened…..We’re still following the same annual up and down fluctuations we always have but we’ve dropped the base line turkey populations down to a lower level with all the corn baiting that has likely increased coon populations……Add that on top of the previous effect decoys likely had on the quality of gobbler age structure and overall hunting experience along with a couple more minor factors and you get the perception of the Alabama turkey decline…..which isn’t completely untrue…..