DNR Turkey Count

[joppaj]

I thought that was bacon...

That's a rasher. A group of turkey bacon is "a disappointment".

 

[outrider58]

That's a rasher. A group of turkey bacon is "a disappointment".

Lol! Exactly

 

[BigCountry14]

Interesting. We are seeing turkey in the Bel Air/Havre de Grace area for the first time in decades.

Some areas are up, most are down. Cicadas gave to local pop a huge bump a few years back.

 

[BigCountry14]

If I had the access or the land I would. We have a Vixen and her three kits (who are already almost as big as she is!) in our back woods. Adorable to watch, they don't bother my chickens (who are in an enclosed coop and run that even Racoons can't get in...anymore). If they did, I'd eliminate them. But they keep the mice and squirrels in check. I noticed last year we had about 3x the squirrel population with sometimes a dozen of them crawling around my backyard, deck, and around my bird feeders (that they can't get up to). This spring? Maybe 3-4 at peak squirrel time at most. Usually just 1-2. The fox are for sure berry heavy right now looking at the scat.

I get a game camera grab of a coyote about once a season on my 4.5 acres. If I saw one, I'd shoot it right away. If I had a much bigger property I probably would try some fox trapping/hunting and especially coyote hunting. Not non-existent, but not a ton of coyotes in rural Howard County till you start getting out into Frederick.

Racoons I plan to trap later this summer/early fall. They keep trying to get into my chickens. They've managed to twice taking out on bird once, and then 5 birds with one injured that later died about 6 months later almost certainly as a result of never healing right. Finally found all of the vulnerabilities in the enclosed run. So that stopped. But I have game camera pictures of 4-6 of them at a time messing with my deer feeder. I'll probably make a hat or two this fall if I am able to.

I started trapping 2 years ago. I've removed 40 raccoons. It's insane how many of them show up.

 

[outrider58]

There are huntable flocks of turkey in every county in Md.

 

[lazarus]

There are huntable flocks of turkey in every county in Md.

I had one in my side yard the other night. I see one or two a few times a year, but it was my first time seeing a flock. 5 or 6 adults. Mostly hens, at least a couple jakes or gobblers. About a dozen pullets. Just saying “hi” to my chickens. Only caught these two on my hood camera after most of the flock had disappeared in to the woods.

 

[joppaj]

DNR is conducting another count and is seeking help

Let's talk turkey! Our staff needs your help! From January-March our staff is tasked with the difficult job of trapping wild turkeys. The captured birds are outfitted with leg bands and/or GPS radio transmitters on-site. All turkeys will be released unharmed at the trap site.

Because the state is so large and our staff, while mighty, is small, your help locating flocks of turkeys is vital to our success. The more birds we can locate and potentially trap the better for data purposes. If you see any wild turkeys, please report them here https://forms.gle/Rew9tzHZL2mRr5KU8

You can read more about the project here https://dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Documents/Public-info-flyer-turkey-project-12-22.pdf

 

[remrug]

I'm seeing them more and more frequent in Carroll County.

Still seeing them around?
I live close to Pa between Melrose and Lineboro. Used to see them in the back yard once a week or so. We havent seen any in the last year or so. My neighbor mentioned that a couple of days ago.

 

[platoonDaddy]

Just received the following: no longer receiving responses

 

[BigCountry14]

Just received the following: no longer receiving responses

They only run that survey July and August. Its to gather info on how successful hatching was. There is another on going on in the winter. They are on year two of a three year trapping and tagging study. Should be a link on the dnr page.

 

[joppaj]

Just received the following: no longer receiving responses

Winter Wild Turkey Sighting Form

If you see flocks of wild turkeys in January - March, please help us by reporting them on the form below.

docs.google.com

Seems to be working.

 

[BigCountry14]

Winter Wild Turkey Sighting Form

If you see flocks of wild turkeys in January - March, please help us by reporting them on the form below.

docs.google.com

Seems to be working.

I think he clicked the summer survey

 

[madmantrapper]

Still seeing them around?
I live close to Pa between Melrose and Lineboro. Used to see them in the back yard once a week or so. We havent seen any in the last year or so. My neighbor mentioned that a couple of days ago.

Funny this should come back up now, we were just talking about this a week ago. This past summer I don't think we saw any.

 

[Archeryrob]

I hunt on a farm west of Boonsboro and turkeys are everywhere. I was enjoying watching a flock of 20, or so, while deer hunting late muzzleloader. 5 or 6 Tom's with pretty good beards. Then this 8 point walks broadside to me at 30 yards and boom. There goes the nature watching. The one time I wished I had a video running. I'm trying to see the buck run through all the smoke and there was turkeys all over the sky flying in every direction. They had no idea anyone was there until the gun went off and obviously scared the crap out of them.

My daughters used to run a feeder out here for the does. I used to have to set the morning feed to not run and afternoon for an hour or hour and a half before dark. If there was a morning run the turkeys made the spot a daily check and ate everything and then the deer stopped coming by, because the turkeys ate it all.

 

[WHBD]

Does anyone hunt fur/predators anymore? This seems to be something that should be re-emphasized as part of managing wildlife populations. On my little property I trap foxes and raccoons...it seems we have an unlimited supply of these and I'm sure they love eating turkey and duck eggs.

All the time. We're doing our part over most of the state.

 

[WHBD]

Yes,
Around my home it’s the eagles that are reducing the numbers to a certain extent.
They’re all over the place, the eagles, other birds of prey and not to mention poachers.
Too many hens killed of near bait piles during current fall season/ out of town hunters etc.

I didn't think about the eagles. There is certainly no shortage of them in this state.

 

[WHBD]

I started trapping 2 years ago. I've removed 40 raccoons. It's insane how many of them show up.

Spending time at night with a thermal shows how incredibly numerous the raccoons are. Insane amounts. Seems like pretty much every field will have 5-10 at the minimum and that's just what you see. Probably double to triple that number.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Don’t dismiss the poachers and persons who hunt over bait either.
Between the two it’s taking a toll and it’s noticeable.

I didn't think about the eagles. There is certainly no shortage of them in this state.

 

[WHBD]

Don’t dismiss the poachers and persons who hunt over bait either.
Between the two it’s taking a toll and it’s noticeable.

For sure.

 

[BigCountry14]

Don’t dismiss the poachers and persons who hunt over bait either.
Between the two it’s taking a toll and it’s noticeable.

For sure.

The bait thing has always been intriguing to me. I know people do it, but from my own experience, I've never seen them in the feeders. I have a pretty decent (albeit highly transient) population in my area, and run three feeders during deer season. In the 17 years I've been here, I have never seen them in the feeders or on camera at the feeder. Of course, I've never had luck with decoys either, so it might just be me, ha.