Turkey Season Will Change if Senate Bill Passes

[WillowRidgeCalls]

You and me both Charlie. Personally I think they could of came up with a better proposal? My own opinion I wish they would have given us a 12 day season, 2 tags, and opened up the state. That way they could still limit the number of hunters, by combining the 1st and 2nd seasons, 3rd and 4th seasons and the 5th and 6th seasons, and have just 3 seasons. Yes it would double the hunters, but if the whole state was open it would allow people to hunt a lot more area and they would spread out. Instead of the 150,000 in the woods at one time. With a 2 tag season it wouldn't scare the out of state hunters away, and it may help bring more in? With 3 seasons they can still keep an eye on the harvest in certain areas to see if the birds are taking a beating in a certain area in the state. If the harvest is way over, they could close an area, and you'd still have the rest of the state to hunt.

[charlie elk]

Well I have thought about this new season structure a lot.  After visiting with a lot of fellow hunters who no longer jump through the hoops of the drawing it is clear we are losing future turkey hunters.  The long term consequences of this could be very dire for turkey hunting.  Depending on who counts WI is #1 or 2 in the nation for turkey numbers.  Most states do not do drawings all their tags are OTC.

  WDNR actually issues shooting tags to farmers in some areas in order to control turkey numbers.  A truly sad state of affairs.

So it is time to open up the opportunity if for no other reason to attract more hunters.  None of us will ever unanimously agree on any particular season structure so this one is as good as any.  The NWTF state organization has endorsed it and the bill is gaining support with a good chance of passage. 
Those hunters who are concerned about public lands being over run should not need to worry.  Perhaps opening day it will be a little more pressure but over a 6 week period any crowding should end.  If it does not visit with your local farmers you will most likely get permission to hunt private land.  Not a single farmer has ever refused my request to hunt their land for turkey.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Your lucky then Charlie, if they let you on their land to hunt. Around here if you aren't flashing big dollars you won't set foot on their land. Most of the farmers have found out that turkeys are a big cash crop. Most guys have to pay a minimum of $500 for a 150 acare farm.

[charlie elk]

You are right Scott I am lucky is so many respects.  Some landowners who have heard about my passion for hunting and the care I take on their friend's land have called me up, introduced themselves and invited me to hunt their property.  This has not only happened in WI but also in MN, SD and NE.
That aside, for those who desire to hunt private land in WI there is still a lot of it  available free of charge.  Some hunters may need to travel a bit to where there are more turkeys. 
The secret to successful tag filling is hunting where the game is in abundance. Due to some intense  farming practices this very likely at certain times during the season will  be on public land.  I still hunt this government land when the time is right. From about May 5 on I have not encountered heavy turkey hunting pressure on government land.  If I did, that would indicate I need to find somewhere else to hunt rather than expecting a government drawing to fix the problem.
Under the current 5 day season should a hunter encounter heavy hunting pressure he loses a fifth of his season.  If the season is instead 6 weeks there is ample time to find new areas to hunt.

[WIHunter13]

Don't like it! I suppose I don't why they are even thinking about changing it. In 2009 a poll was taken that said 85% of hunters were satisfied with their turkey hunting experience. That sounds pretty good to me, why change it?  I have never been denied a turkey tag and in fact have been able to buy extras every year. However, I would be in for a 7 day period instead of the 5 that we currently have. Is that even a option?  

[tpedretti]

I have Gobbler Hunted in Wisconsin for 25 years. I strongly feal this bill is a real BAD idea.
The curent system we have in play makes less stress for the HUnter and Landowner. THe current system also has done a great job at keeping the resource top notch and the quality of the HUnt at the top.
Spring Turkey season being controlled as it is now is simply safer and is working towards keeping the great resource we have. We have such quality Hunts now and plenty of oportunity to HUnt. you can get your regular tag plus a tag for 4th,5th and 6th seasons.
this free for all Hunt there trying to pass is a step backwards.
And FYI as I hear it the WI DNR is not in support of this. Also there not going thru the conservation committe.
I say NO to this bill in the sake of preserving the future of our Spring Gobbler Hunts.

[charlie elk]

I don't why they are even thinking about changing it. In 2009 a poll was taken that said 85% of hunters were satisfied with their turkey hunting experience.

I was part of that poll last year and because of the current system I killed 6 spring gobblers and had a fabulous hunt. The poll did NOT ask me if I was satisfied with the current season structure.  The poll was not scientific it was a DNR feel good poll. 

Please read my post on WDNR issuing shooting permits in order to control the turkey population.  We can use some kind of change in the WI season.  That change is up for debate.
I am interested in your additional thoughts.
Thanks.

[charlie elk]

FYI as I hear it the WI DNR is not in support of this

Yea, that is what Scott Hull (the WDNR turkey dude) is claiming now.  However, he was consulted and asked for input every step of the way by the state NWTF who helped write it and the Senators.
 
Does this mean we are going to start fighting like the state's deer hunters are?  Sure hope not. 

I don't know how to read this situation except for one undeniable fact - the number of hunters who applied for a license in the drawing dropped significantly in 2010.  Which means the current spring season scheme is discouraging participation.  This is very bad for the long term outlook of turkey hunting in WI.
As one who has worked hard for 3 decades to encourage and recruit more hunters this very frustrating.

In the short term we will all get many extra tags to fill and from a totally selfish standpoint that is good for us diehards.

A lot us who are concerned about the long term outlook of hunting would like more suggestions.

[tpedretti]

Its not just Spring Turkey season that theirs less interest in . The number of Hunters drops every year.
We cant let convenience to Hunt over ride preserving the resource we have and preserving the resource.
People who are for this Bill are only focused on the ability to Hunt when ever the urge strikes them during the 6 weeks.
And yes i do think this will create the same problems as we run into with Gun Deer season.
Over 25 years of Spring Gobbler Hunting I have turned a lot of people onto Turkey Hunting.
This proposal will just make the first couple of weeks like the madness we see during Gun Deer and yes people will become more possessive over there land because theirs that ability to hunt anytime during that 6 weeks so why not save it for there self.
Spring Turkey season needs to be controlled to preserve the resource and the quality Hunts we now have.

[charlie elk]

Mike Rogers chairman of the Conservation Congress Turkey Committee-- "You wouldn't have the quality hunts you have now," he said. "Breaking it up by period spreads the pressure out. And now, I can get 10 tags if I want. If we can only get one tag, how is that more opportunity?"
--as quoted in Wisconsin Outdoor News opposing change in the turkey season.

This is the attitude among some WI turkey hunters that bothers me. How is one hunter getting 10 tags better for the resource than 10 new hunters getting one tag each?
In my humble opinion it is better for turkey hunting's future to have 10 additional hunters each with one tag.

Don't get me wrong my greedy side likes the current scheme which allows me 6-7 spring tags per year, I can hunt most anytime I want and usually fill all the tags. Fabulous for me. Compared to our CC Turkey Chair Mike Rogers now I feel like an under achiever.

Instead I would rather talk a newbie into giving it a try and have the freedom to take him out on a teaching hunt over a couple of weeks.