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Moore Plantation... Turkeys, predators, and wildlife management

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    Moore Plantation... Turkeys, predators, and wildlife management

    I was curious as to whether or not anyone does any predator hunting or trapping on or around the Moore Plantation? Today I spoke with Cody Dunagan who manages Moore Plantation and I told him about some of the things that we've started at Gus Engling WMA to try and help with improving the turkey population, and wanted to see if we could get something going out at the Moore.

    Each year our NWTF chapter hosts a youth event at Gus Engling to teach the youth and their chaperones about wildlife management through predator control and why it's important for eastern wild turkey. Jason Harden and Kyle Hand teach about eastern wild turkey subspecies and their habitat, and we have Don Hightower and Kieth Jackson from the Texas Trappers and Fur Hunters Association to come out and teach about trapping, and they actually take the group out to set traps and trap a few predators. The trapping segment also includes feral hog eradication through snares, traps and shooting off baited sites.

    Don Hightower volunteered to go back and train the staff at Gus Engling in the various methods of trapping and snaring and they've been putting a hurting on the bogs and coyotes as their main focus is turkey survival. Don is supposed to go train at a few more WMA's later this year and has said that he doesn't mind training on other Wildlife management area and Co-ops, so that's why I contacted Cody to see if there was already a predator management plan in place.

    Moore plantation doesn't have the staff that Gus Engling has, but Cody is interested in getting something going. For those of you like who love turkey hunting like I do, you know predator control plays a big part in increasing those turkey numbers, and with all the great habitat work taking place on the Moore thinning out a few predators will make the turkey hunting even better.

    I'm looking to connect with any trappers, predator hunters, organizations, or people just wanting to learn how, so we can get something started annually to go into the Moore and put a hurting on the coyotes, hogs, bobcats and coons. I know we can't get ride of them all but if we can manage the population to some extent to make a difference in the turkey and even the quail population out there. I actually heard my first quail on the Sabine on last week.

    Let me know if any of you are interested or know someone who is so we can collaborate with Cody and the guys from TTFHA to get something going..

    #2
    If this was closer I'd be there! Had to look it up and get a location.

    Good luck and good job.

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      #3
      Hope to drum up a lot more interest and get a few volunteers who don't mind learning trapping methods and going out on a trapping/predator hunting excursion for a few days once or twice a year. Even if you're an experienced trapper who just wants to get out and volunteer your skills and put the smack down on some predators, we need some folks who can make themselves available to make this happen. If anyone wants more info and would like to discuss further just send me a message to my inbox and we'll swap contact info. Heck anyone who like to hunt turkeys on public land should be interested in helping to make this happen.

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        #4
        I'm all for it! I've been hunting the Moore since I was old enough to walk, the Turkey are thin but if you know where to look they are there.

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          #5
          I don't have much experience with trapping, but I can do my part to thin the coyotes with night vision and electronic predator calls. If you know of a "trouble spot" let me know and Ill hit it when the sun goes down. If we combine methods of predator elimination we might be more successful.

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            #6
            I'm in. Dont know squat about trapping but have been deer and hog hunting the moore for a few years. I love it out there.

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              #7
              Id be interested. Ive been meaning to get down to moore for a few years now. Just never have made it happen. This couls be a good reason

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                #8
                Originally posted by nokturnal85 View Post
                I don't have much experience with trapping, but I can do my part to thin the coyotes with night vision and electronic predator calls. If you know of a "trouble spot" let me know and Ill hit it when the sun goes down. If we combine methods of predator elimination we might be more successful.
                There is a good size pipeline running through there that when mowed offers good visibility. I've seen alot of yotes travel it.

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                  #9
                  are you referring to the power pole right of way that runs through the southern part of the Moore? If not where is the pipeline your referring to in regards to the roads?

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                    #10
                    Nope, not the powerline near the railroad tracks on 201. But not too far of a drive from it.

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                      #11
                      I'm interested. I haven't seen any hogs in the last 3 years I have been there though. We have seen and heard turkeys last year.

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                        #12
                        I usually hunt a little further south of the Moore, but the birds seemed to be thick in a couple of areas that they tend to thrive this year. One of the biologist out there doing gobble counts the day before the season heard over 15 different gobbles, and another hunter out preseason scouting lost count of the number of gobbles he heard and said it was the most activity he's heard in all his years of hunting there, so they seem to be doing alright out there.

                        I hope to put something together after deer season, and if I can get enough participants to commit I'll have the TTFHA guys out to help train those wanting to learn.

                        I think this along with all the habitat improvement going on will be extremely beneficial to the turkey population out that way.

                        Originally posted by Silverstang View Post
                        I'm all for it! I've been hunting the Moore since I was old enough to walk, the Turkey are thin but if you know where to look they are there.

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                          #13
                          Anything helps. I'll touch bases with the manager of the area to see if he recommends any areas. Also anyone it would help a whole lot to get feedback on predator sightings from those who regularly hunt the area.

                          Originally posted by nokturnal85 View Post
                          I don't have much experience with trapping, but I can do my part to thin the coyotes with night vision and electronic predator calls. If you know of a "trouble spot" let me know and Ill hit it when the sun goes down. If we combine methods of predator elimination we might be more successful.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I love the area myself...getting this trapping event together would be another good reason to get back out there when I'm not deer or turkey hunting...

                            Originally posted by Txfire409 View Post
                            I'm in. Dont know squat about trapping but have been deer and hog hunting the moore for a few years. I love it out there.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Well plan on it right after deer season and once we get enough folks on board we'll schedule some dates..

                              Originally posted by Brentwalkertx View Post
                              Id be interested. Ive been meaning to get down to moore for a few years now. Just never have made it happen. This couls be a good reason

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