risto2351
Well-Known Member
I do not think that EHD hit Allamakee as bad as some of the southern counties.
Deer numbers are down throughout the state though some worse than others.
JJohnson came add more because he talks to a lot of hunters everyday and they would let him know about finding dead deer. Might be more than I know about.
I think this winter alone has taken quite a few deer from the herd.
Deer numbers are down throughout the state though some worse than others.
JJohnson came add more because he talks to a lot of hunters everyday and they would let him know about finding dead deer. Might be more than I know about.
I think this winter alone has taken quite a few deer from the herd.
gundog870
Premium Platinum Member
I think the decline in numbers in NE IA is a direct result of overharvesting does. I don't think we have much of a winter kill up there, but I do believe that this hard winter will eliminate some of the does that typically raise healthy twins. May be a lot of single fawn totin' ladies up there this spring. That's my 100% non professional opinion. But 5 years ago you wouldn't have walked any where up there and been worried about numbers.
jjohnson
Well-Known Member
EHD took some but it was very spotty. Clayton got hit harder. Overall numbers are down yes. I'd say 50% from the good old' days. The winters take some to but hunters have taken most. I'm starting to wonder if there hasn't been a few years where the winter was real nasty and the does absorbed their fawns. Just seems like we're missing an age class. You take hunters, EHD, and winter kill and it can take a big toll quickly.
Daver
PMA Member
I am very curious, to what would you attribute the dead turkeys to? I ask because our farm in SE Iowa has I would estimate only about 10%-15% of the turkey population we had 5 or more years ago. Although there aren't enough live ones around nowadays to produce too many dead ones, back three or four years ago we were finding dead turks with frequency.
I have been out and about in the late winter/early spring woods for over 30 years and until just a few years ago I cannot recall finding a dead adult turkey. I will also note that when we were finding them, we were finding them in the summer time too. Then we usually came across them while mowing, but we found a fair number during the typical shed hunting season. Also, neighbors were experiencing the same thing. So whatever was happening was going on "around", not just on our place.
Take a drive through the countryside now in the spring in that general area...you might see a handful of turks, where 5 or more years ago the same drive would show dozens and dozens. I am truly puzzled by this. I know we have multiple wet springs and nesting success has to be a big factor in the low numbers, but wet springs don't explain the dead adults that we were finding either.
Bowtech84
Well-Known Member
Bobcats are pry what are killing your turkeys.
Daver
PMA Member
You're killing me here Bowtech!
The reason I say that is that I have described the dead adult turk situation I wrote about above in detail to a number of people and on multiple occasions I have people very sincerely argue with me that there is no way that these dead turks are the cause of bobcats. There was a study done that showed that bobcats didn't eat turks, etc...Actually, some of the posters here on IW heard me have this same conversation at the DNR public input meeting about a month ago and the short version is that one of the DNR reps himself assured me that bobcats don't kill turkeys, at least in any measurable number. (Note - there were 5 IW'ers at the Solon meeting that I attended that night and at least 2 of them, not counting myself, were in the room when this discussion was held.)
I too suspect bobcats, but honestly, I really don't know for sure and there are multiple variables present at the same time, so it is truly hard to isolate down to one cause. I do know that the turk numbers plunged at the same time that we, and our neighbors, began to see and get trail cam pics of bobcats with frequency. So I am pretty sure they are at least a part of the dead turk issue.
At any rate, I am truly interested in trying to find a reason for this sharp decline because quite honestly I would like to once again hear a gobbler in my timber. Last spring, on the 2 or 3 days that my son and/or I were out, there was only one day that we even heard a gobbler and I don't think we even saw one. Other friends of mine did get one at a time when we were not there, but they also commented on the lack of birds and sign, where in years past it was a virtual turkey fest out there at times. Going back a few years, we would shoot 10+ birds off my farm in one year and there were still plenty. Now, I don't think there is hardly ever a day when there are 10 live birds on the whole farm...counting hens.
JOHN DEERE
Member
Witness to a murder
JOHN DEERE
Member
Took this picture two weekends ago. This shed knows what happened, but he isn't talking. There was a large beard in the pile of feathers. Found 5 puff balls of feathers on this large ridge. I gaurantee it bobcats; either that or the turkeys are extremely depressed.
ShedHunter1
Active Member
6x6
PMA Member
I think bobcats kill a lot of turkeys here. I see them sneaking around the roosts while hunting and hear turks freaking out at roosting time alot. I always have lots of feather piles under the roosts so I find it easier to believe its bobcats rather than owls or coyotes catching them on the ground.
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
You're killing me here Bowtech!
Actually, some of the posters here on IW heard me have this same conversation at the DNR public input meeting about a month ago and the short version is that one of the DNR reps himself assured me that bobcats don't kill turkeys, at least in any measurable number. (Note - there were 5 IW'ers at the Solon meeting that I attended that night and at least 2 of them, not counting myself, were in the room when this discussion was held.)
I was witness, so will TESTIFY to what Daver says being true.
The explanation was that DNR officer examination of the guts of hunter harvested and roadkilled bobcats rarely contain turkey, ergo bobcats do not eat turkeys.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
Bobcats eat turkeys
Didn't someone on here have a great game camera photo of a bobcat pouncing on a turkey?
I swear it was on here?
Didn't someone on here have a great game camera photo of a bobcat pouncing on a turkey?
I swear it was on here?
wapsi-bottom-BP
Active Member
There is a trail cam pic of a bobcat pouncing on a turkey hanging on the wall at AJ's in mt sterling!!!! I also watched coyotes try to stalk up on turkeys 2 seperate times at one farm this winter!!!
maher2215
Member
Thread is about deer numbers not whos cat is killing turkeys. Also I dont think people realize how much snow we had in northeast Iowa the deer were starving entering March and snow was 3 ft deep with a hard icy crust. Combine this winter with some ehd and major over harvesting of does, thanks to our Great dnr and farm bureau we have numbers worse than we have seen in 20 years. Who cares about turkeys living? Id rather shoot a mature buck anyday
Bowtech84
Well-Known Member
The reason this thread got off topic is because there are constantly threads being posted about deer numbers. If you don't know that deer numbers are down by now than you live under a rock. Everything on this thread has been talked about for well over a year. Same stuff over and over. So let's talk turkey.
Daver
PMA Member
Can you please be specific with what you think the DNR did that they should not have done, or did not do that they should have done, to lead to the lower deer populations in NE Iowa?