Preliminary Harvest Numbers

[Brian Lovett]

Wisconsin hunters registered a preliminary total of 42,612 turkeys in the Spring 2012 season, according to the Department of Natural Resources. That represents a slight increase from the 2011 harvest and marks the first increase in three years. Click here for the full article in the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Interesting.

[Brian Lovett]

I thought so, too, Scott. Considering the relatively good weather we had during the first two seasons, I figured the numbers might be higher.

[ticklishtompro]

I thought the numbers would be higher also. Ecspecially with the high number of birds around, large number of jakes, and the good weather.

[Gopherlongbeards]

How many fewer hunters/ tags issued compared to last year?

[ticklishtompro]

How many fewer hunters/ tags issued compared to last year?

Here is a little piece of the article

The overall hunter success rate was 21% this spring; it was 19% in 2011.

The state sold 201,984 turkey hunting permits this year, down from 210,384 in 2011. About 33,500 permits went unsold this year.

Typical for spring turkey hunts, the 2012 success rate and number of turkeys taken was highest in the first time period.

This year, 11,649 birds were registered and hunters had a 30% success rate in time period A, according to the preliminary data.

Subsequent time periods (in order from B to F) recorded 8,868 birds and 23% success; 6,755 and 17%; 5,773 and 15%; 3,980 and 14%; 2,522 and 14%.

Participants in the early April youth hunt registered 2,929 turkeys.

A few hundred birds also were taken at state parks, Learn To Hunt events and at Fort McCoy.

Although the preliminary harvest represents about a 6% increase over 2011, it is still below the 47,722 turkeys registered in 2010, 52,581 in 2009 and 52,880 (the state record)

[dewey]

Good to hear the harvest is up from 2011 just like in MN. How many years has the permits decreased and what has been the total permit loss during that time period.

Dewey

[Treerooster]

Thanks for posting this Brian, I may not have ever seen the article being way out in "west" field here.

Some quotes from the article and my thoughts and observations on them;

Hunters registered a preliminary total of 42,612 turkeys in the 2012.........the tally will top the 40,103 turkeys registered in 2011 and represent the first increase in three years

The first mild winter in 3 years also (along with a decent hatch/poult survival in 2011), No coincidence IMO. A mild winter with few if any turkey die-offs, and thus more turkeys around to hunt. I would think that would be the main reason for an increase in harvest. The article later eludes to the weather being a possible factor, but I just think that when there are significantly more turkeys to hunt you will have a significant increase in harvest.

"The wild card will be the additional hunting opportunity created this year by adding two days to each time period."

It will be interesting once the DNR crunches the numbers to see how much the added 2 days per period was an influence on total harvest. It did have a big impact on my personal harvest. Of the 5 birds I killed in Wis, 2 were on the added days, 1 on a Monday and 1 on a Tuesday.

[charlie elk]

How many fewer hunters/ tags issued compared to last year?

Preliminary license sales indicate there were around 100,000 hunters this is down from about 125,000 in 2011.

Should hunter success rate be calculated by the number of individual hunters or by the gross of tags sold?
If calculated per hunter license the success rate is then 42.6%

I buy extra tags in units that, depending, on my schedule I may or may not actually get a chance to hunt. Others probably do the same thing.

So exactly what should be considered hunter success?

Based on tags purchased my personal success rate was 92%, I think treerooster's WI success was 100%. Another one of my buddies who is a very good turkey hunter only had 40% success rate he is very pleased with his 2 turkeys and he did not fill his other 3 tags because he could not get out to hunt.
So what does all this mean? Danged if I know.

[Gopherlongbeards]

So what does all this mean? Danged if I know.

There are turkeys in WI. Some years more, some years less. Every year some of them get shot