Potential Changes?

[Mount Sweetness]

I see no issue with any of the changes, I'm all for it.
It'll be nice to bring home some meat while deer hunting...
I think they'll sell a lot more fall tags, atleast double their sales.

[TurkeyObsessed]

Agree with all the changes, but think it would be better if we had a bow only season in the spring as opposed to the fall.

[pbonura]

You cannot legally hunt a turkey over bait so if you are baiting deer then don't shoot a turkey or you are a poacher.

How is this opening a can of worms?

You can legally hunt turkey with a bow from Oct 11th to Oct 23rd right now if there is a fall season, you can use a shotgun or a bow, how is it any different?

I guess you are just against fall turkey hunting.

If someone wants to poach a turkey they will, I have seen many flocks in the spring and they would come to bait then too, in no way does baiting deer and shooting a turkey with a bow have any sort of connection unless you are a poacher.


To the OP, I always thought it was dumb that you could not hunt turkey before Thanksgiving, I think this is great.

I think what we need to do is allow Spring licenses to be used in the fall but then they will get less taxes so I doubt I will see that happen.

I do not hunt turkey in the fall. Opening up a turkey season all during deer season will create more turkeys going to bait. The turkey harvest numbers have been dropping like a rock. So to introduce more hens being shot is just dumb. This is just a money grab because turkey tags should be reduced not increased and if you think turkeys are not shot at baits you are naive. I do not turkey hunt in the fall or poach turkeys but baiting happens and turkeys hit the feeders hard in the fall. Keep the conversation at facts. I think the seasons should not be increased. Where are the harvest numbers that support this?.

[MikePal]

Where are the harvest numbers that support this?.

The regs list the reported harvest numbers every year...last year the fall hunt took a grand total of 262 Turkeys from across the whole province...58% of those were hens. In other words of the estimated 70,000 birds in Ontario 151 hens were harvested.

Shooting hens is a none issue and has no effect on the overall population.

[greatwhite]

I like the idea of the new rules other than I question the idea of allowing shot size 7 just seems to small. I always felt that even 6 is to small. Shouldn't really be say 2 - 5 shot size?

[pbonura]

The regs list the reported harvest numbers every year...last year the fall hunt took a grand total of 262 Turkeys from across the whole province...58% of those were hens. In other words of the estimated 70,000 birds in Ontario 151 hens were harvested.

Shooting hens is a none issue and has no effect on the overall population.

How have been the spring numbers year over year???? Spring harvest http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...tatistics-2013 the last three years??? Up or down. The trend is down not up from maybe 7 years ago. 2015 7506 and 2014 is

[skypilot]

Continued egg and poult predation will almost always be the #1 cause of turkey numbers falling significantly, short of a virus.

[GW11]

How have been the spring numbers year over year???? Spring harvest http://www.oodmag.com/community/show...tatistics-2013 the last three years??? Up or down. The trend is down not up from maybe 7 years ago. 2015 7506 and 2014 is

You have to remember that we're talking about "reported" harvest numbers.

[pbonura]

You have to remember that we're talking about "reported" harvest numbers.

What other data is there? The only data you have is reported harvest numbers to compare year over year. I report every harvest and assume most do.

[GW11]

What other data is there? The only data you have is reported harvest numbers to compare year over year. I report every harvest and assume most do.

I report every turkey as well, but I know of plenty who don't bother anymore. To me the data suggests that reporting has declined over the years more so than the turkey population.