[Hawk]

I had these pics sent to me yesterday. Can someone tell me what this hen turkey was nested in??

 

[Hawk]

2 different turkeys

Pretty sure it used to be like 9 different turkeys...

 

[Hawk]

guys who count like you are why birds average age is a day

You dont think there were 8 eggs or more there?

 

[Hawk]

This bird must have been carrying her eggs with her in a basket cause everyone knows turkeys dong nest in wheat...

 

[Hawk]

Any EVERYBODY knows you can't cut any nesting habitat until June 15 at the earliest. It's in the NRCS plans. Every TRUE conservationist knows these things. Sometimes you have to makes sacrifices to put wildlife as a priority.

Evidently thats not true.

 

[Hawk]

Evidently you need to read up. I'll leave this here for you. Spoiler alert: it doesn't say anything about nest predation.
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs143_010033.pdf

Please show me where this states you cant cut til June 15.

 

[Hawk]

and clearly not many landowners, farmers, hay guys, etc. give a rip about being good stewards of their land...the almighty dollar is all most care about, IMO much of the problems these days...

Hmmmm..... did they cut hat at a different time during turkey restoration??

 

[Hawk]

I'm not going to argue with you about this, but many these days care only about what the ground can make them and little to no concern about the ecosystems or wildlife that the ground supports. Hey, and that's okay, they are focused on yields, not population of game.

Exactly the same as its always been 20. Theres nothing about today thats different other than maybe access to larger more effective equipment. Look at the loss of 98% of the wetlands in MO. That happened over 100 years ago and was done to make a dollar.

 

[Hawk]

\

cant speak for every farmer, but ya, many are trying to get an extra cut (that's the early one). I understand they want to make the extra coin, just has a cost related that they don't care about. so, ya the habitat is still there in many cases, just some practices have changed.

You got any proof of that?? Are you saying hay wasnt cut in May from 1960-1990?

 

[Hawk]

yes, I have flow charts and graphs and the foremost professionals regarding the topic on speed dial!

Then post them up. We would love to see them.

 

[Hawk]

incorrect, I said they many don't care about being good stewards of their land. Is being a good steward of the land is ripping out every fence row to increase the yield and cutting early and often to increase the bail count?

Please present your data on cutting hay early and often.

 

[Hawk]

Nobody around here has cut any hay yet.

Bit did they cut hay in May during turkey restoration?? 20 says they didnt.....

 

[Hawk]

Farmers cut hay as soon as they can.

So 20 is wrong??? Hmmm....

 

[Hawk]

Where did the dead turkey pics come from?

Ks

 

[Hawk]

For you guys that cut hay, if you hit nesting hens what are they normally in? Fescue?

 

[Hawk]

I imagine wheat in theory is great nesting habitat, but when is the majority of wheat harvested? Seriously, what is the window for the wheat harvest?

Mid June to mid July. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. KDWP has determined that the timing of wheat harvest can be a huge influence on pheasant populations. Late harvest are great, early harvests are bad.

 

[Hawk]

so, it's not always good nesting habitat

It is until it isnt. The benefit of wheat ISNT nesting, although they WILL nest in it. The big benefit is brooding habitat and ground cover that makes it more difficult for predators to find nests and poults.

 

[Hawk]

not on years they cut it early! But, I get what your are saying.

some years it's a game changers, some it is not. Just like burgeoning predators are game changers and have change the game the last 20 year, one season at a time, if we start the trapping again, we can be a game changers after a few seasons!

Its pretty much a constant for turkeys though. The vast majority of their nests are hatched by the time they start cutting wheat. This picture was from a field that they were cutting part of for hay.