[Hawk]

Youth permits fell to a low of 13879 this year from a high of 20957 in 2013. Thats a 34% decrease. Adult permits were down just 16% over the same period.

Success rates for youth in 2019 was 18.3% up from 12.4% last year and 2.4% points below the 5 yr average.

Success rates for adult permit holders was 30% in 2019 up from 26.4% in 2018 and .8% points below the 5 year average (30.8% vs. 30%)

Total permits last year was down 5867 from last year (135218 vs 129351)

Permits SALES were down 4% vs 2018 (97049 vs 93472)

Total harvest was up 7.7% in 2019 vs 2018 (38787 vs 35801)

 

[Hooks]

Youth permits fell to a low of 13879 this year from a high of 20957 in 2013. Thats a 34% decrease. Adult permits were down just 16% over the same period.

Success rates for youth in 2019 was 18.3% up from 12.4% last year and 2.4% points below the 5 yr average.

Success rates for adult permit holders was 30% in 2019 up from 26.4% in 2018 and .8% points below the 5 year average (30.8% vs. 30%)

Total permits last year was down 5867 from last year (135218 vs 129351)

Permits SALES were down 4% vs 2018 (97049 vs 93472)

Total harvest was up 7.7% in 2019 vs 2018 (38787 vs 35801)

Sounds to me like opponents of ADH are getting just what they want.....fewer of "their" turkeys getting killed.
Now did I understand correctly that fewer hunters had higher success rates?

Edit: I looked again and saw success rates were still below the long term average.

 

[Hooks]

It would be interesting to know how many more tags would be sold if we went to ADH.

 

[swampchicken]

Less turkeys = less hunters interested in hunting them.

 

[Dafish]

Less places for the kids to hunt unless you have a lease or own land.

It looks like 4,000 less hunters in the field contributed to a higher success in killing turkeys.
Even though people say there are less turkey then there have been in the last 15 years, less hunters shot more?
Maybe the hunters who are still buying permits are better hunters then previously.

 

[Hawk]

Less turkeys = less hunters interested in hunting them.

So hunters decide before even going out there are less turkeys?? Most guys dont even go to their spot before opening day Id bet...

 

[Hawk]

Less places for the kids to hunt unless you have a lease or own land.

It looks like 4,000 less hunters in the field contributed to a higher success in killing turkeys.
Even though people say there are less turkey then there have been in the last 15 years, less hunters shot more?
Maybe the hunters who are still buying permits are better hunters then previously.

I think thats probably true.

Plus, there are TONS of farms that never see a spring turkey hunter on them in many areas. If a guy tries he can find birds. You cant just sit in the same spot for 20 years and expect birds to be there every year.

 

[justindh1]

So hunters decide before even going out there are less turkeys?? Most guys dont even go to their spot before opening day Id bet...

My guess is that most turkey hunters are more connected to the habitat than you give credit. Most hunters pay attention to wildlife whether they are in the woods or not. It's pretty obvious that numbers are low even if your half observant. But you know, there are only a few smart hunters. Most of them are probably ignorant backwoods idiots who knows nottin' right!?!? They just like to choot and kill. It takes a smarty to be observant. I don't trust a whole lot of people who like the sound of their own voice and can't quit yappin'

 

[justindh1]

Less places for the kids to hunt unless you have a lease or own land.

It looks like 4,000 less hunters in the field contributed to a higher success in killing turkeys.
Even though people say there are less turkey then there have been in the last 15 years, less hunters shot more?
Maybe the hunters who are still buying permits are better hunters then previously.

Anyone who hunts knows that seasonal weather can affect success every year. From what I know and have observed, last year was terrible weather vs this year. Success cannot be accounted for just by looking at those numbers. Trends are more accurate and a 1 year difference isn't something to brag about without looking at the whole picture. Weather is the biggest factor here imho.

 

[coyotehunter]

Lets see dad, goes out , see no sign of turkeys , they know it wont hold the kids interest, why bother buying a tag.
Same as adults I know several that did just like I did this year, why spend the money on something that's not there . These were all experienced hunters so don't give me no crap that theyre novices that didn't know what they were doing .
Bottom line less turkeys less hunters.

 

[rcg]

Bottom line less turkeys less hunters.

And right there is also why MDC tries to put such a rosy outlook on the turkey population. And they will continue to do that as long as there is enough of them to be "huntable". And more and more I am believing their "huntable" number is damn low.

 

[Str8 Killn]

Bottom line if you get off your *** knock on some doors and do a little scouting you can find plenty of turkeys in the state of Missouri. If you cannot go out and kill a bird in Missouri then you may want to stick to fishing or golf.

 

[rcg]

Bottom line if you get off your *** knock on some doors and do a little scouting you can find plenty of turkeys in the state of Missouri. If you cannot go out and kill a bird in Missouri then you may want to stick to fishing or golf.

Can't stand golf. Placed in a few low dollar bass and beer tournaments. I have killed and continue to kill a sh!t ton of turkeys.

What's your point?

This, " get off your *** and drive 4 hours to find a turkey" mentality is effing comical. Shouldn't have too. Especially true for folks that own hundreds of thousand dollars of land, spend 1000s on habits improvement, etc. in whatever county or region. Should be able to go to wherever you want in the state where decent habitat exists and have a quality hunt. PERIOD. And that is no longer the case in Missouri.

 

[coyotehunter]

Exactly Mdc still wants the money we give them, im not saying there isn't turkeys out there but there is darn few in a lot of areas. I know guys that hunted and killed one and quit this year just because it wasnt worth it and wished they had let the first one go.
I know I walked 17 different private properties and some corp ground and some conservation ground in five different counties, some of them were my favorite turkey hunting ground during turkey season while mushroom hunting

Hens kicked off nest 0
Gobblers heard 0, well maybe one but it was real close to a house, so I had my doubts.
Gobblers seen on corp ground 1
Hens seen while mushroom hunting 2
Strutters seen while driving back and forth sometimes as far as 80 miles away 0
Hens seen driving same route 3
Now most of this was after one so I am sure if I had drug my sorry butt out of bed i might have heard and seen more but it wouldn't have been much more according to the sign lol

 

[Hawk]

My guess is that most turkey hunters are more connected to the habitat than you give credit. Most hunters pay attention to wildlife whether they are in the woods or not. It's pretty obvious that numbers are low even if your half observant. But you know, there are only a few smart hunters. Most of them are probably ignorant backwoods idiots who knows nottin' right!?!? They just like to choot and kill. It takes a smarty to be observant. I don't trust a whole lot of people who like the sound of their own voice and can't quit yappin'

No, I actally think most are city type folk that only visit their areas during deer and turkey season....

 

[Dafish]

Lets see dad, goes out , see no sign of turkeys , they know it wont hold the kids interest, why bother buying a tag.
Same as adults I know several that did just like I did this year, why spend the money on something that's not there . These were all experienced hunters so don't give me no crap that theyre novices that didn't know what they were doing .
Bottom line less turkeys less hunters.

but less hunters shot MORE turkey's whether novices or on the turkey bro-staff :wave1:

 

[Dafish]

Anyone who hunts knows that seasonal weather can affect success every year. From what I know and have observed, last year was terrible weather vs this year. Success cannot be accounted for just by looking at those numbers. Weather is the biggest factor here imho.

The weather was nicer this year(2019)and there was less hunters(youth and others) who shot more turkeys, then hunters in 2018 cause the weather was worse?

so MDC should pray for bad weather so they can sell more permits, wait, no, then wait yes, that way they can sell more permits but not harvest as many turkey's.sounds like a win win..

 

[coyotehunter]

but less hunters shot MORE turkey's whether novices or on the turkey bro-staff :wave1:

how many were youths and hunters that took the birds out of blinds, not much skill set there:whip:. I remember getting all kinds of grief about taking my daughter and using a blind and being called a cheater when they first came out on how unfair it was to the turkey, now it is the normal.

 

[justindh1]

Are you telling me that it isn't easier to get a turkey killed on a sunny warm day vs cold rainy and snowing? Maybe I'm not as good as you. I'm pretty sure I remember it snowing on opening day youth season in the last year or 2. Most kids don't want to go in bad weather too.

 

[Hawk]

Are you telling me that it isn't easier to get a turkey killed on a sunny warm day vs cold rainy and snowing? Maybe I'm not as good as you. I'm pretty sure I remember it snowing on opening day youth season in the last year or 2. Most kids don't want to go in bad weather too.

My point in making these comparisons was to show how STUPUD some people are about their arguments. First they said weather wasnt an issue last year, the flock was terrible blah blah blah.... Now we kill more and its all about weather...

And then the exact same people will say that because archery buck harvest stayed the same that crossbows didnt matter....