A Few More East Texas Turkey!

[jay07ag]

Keep supporting our state NWTF Chapters, that money is being used directly for habitat improvement (burning in the national forests) and restocking costs for TPWD superstockings across the state. I too am a committee member of the Montgomery Co. NWTF, our banquet is the 24th of August in Conroe. If you like guns, you will want to be there, we will have a TON of them given away/raffled/auctioned off this year. I will also be attending several other NWTF Banquets this year across the state, they're all fun and family friendly!

If anyone in the Conroe, Woodlands, Montgomery, Willis area is interested in joining our committee let me know (shoot me a PM). We are a brand new chapter and still have plenty of room for more committee members!

https://www.facebook.com/MontcoTxNWTF/

[Native Texan]

Made a trip to the Polk County lease on Sunday. One of the other members saw a flock of 7 Turkeys that morning while driving around. I didn't see any but found a freshly dropped feather.
Habitat conditions are looking great with consistent rains this Spring, and lots of grasses growing in the recently logged areas. Hoping they got off a good hatch.

[Anvilheadtexas]

Made a trip to the Polk County lease on Sunday. One of the other members saw a flock of 7 Turkeys that morning while driving around. I didn't see any but found a freshly dropped feather.
Habitat conditions are looking great with consistent rains this Spring, and lots of grasses growing in the recently logged areas. Hoping they got off a good hatch.

Very cool. There seems to be some consistent turkey sightings in that part of Polk. Spoke to my contact today about monitored nestlings of the birds released in Angelina Forest. Nesting success has been very limited the year. Most of the released birds settled in to private tracts so burning is not cause of failures.... evidence suggests everything else in the woods will mess up a good turkey nest.

[Native Texan]

Very cool. There seems to be some consistent turkey sightings in that part of Polk. Spoke to my contact today about monitored nestlings of the birds released in Angelina Forest. Nesting success has been very limited the year. Most of the released birds settled in to private tracts so burning is not cause of failures.... evidence suggests everything else in the woods will mess up a good turkey nest.

I'm sure that coons and hogs are a big factor in nest failures. Too bad they won't nest in boxes like we successfully set up for Woodducks. I'm going to try setting up some log/brush piles in ideal locations this Winter to see if they will use them to nest in...may give them some protection from the hogs at least.

I seem to recall a study of logs being stacked to make nest enclosures a few years ago, but can't find anything on it now.

[Anvilheadtexas]

This may be a dumb question. But is there a way for an individual to buy and release wild birds in an area to help the population? Or is this strictly a state or NWTF thing?

Unfortunately it's heavily regulated and actually illegal to do it yourself. Support the NWTF and the projects they support in east Texas is a better route to take.

[Anvilheadtexas]

I'm sure that coons and hogs are a big factor in nest failures. Too bad they won't nest in boxes like we successfully set up for Woodducks. I'm going to try setting up some log/brush piles in ideal locations this Winter to see if they will use them to nest in...may give them some protection from the hogs at least.

I seem to recall a study of logs being stacked to make nest enclosures a few years ago, but can't find anything on it now.

Next predatation is a major issue linked to poor habitat that the hens next in (unburned wild east Tix thicket). Coons and snakes are the biggest suspects. Hogs ironically are not the major issue that are taking out nests.

[backwoods]

I agree...mid April is pretty late to be burning especially considering that's when newborn wildlife is most vulnerable. I know that rainfall, wind, and humidity are important considerations when burning and timing those uncontrollable factors is not easy, but key for a successful burn. Getting it done through a bureaucracy like the USFWS has got to be frustrating too

I border Angelina NF and actively burn on my property. From the research that I have found, the benefits of late spring / early summer burns far outweigh the consequences. If you really want to improve habitat and fight off woody encroachment, you need to burn a little hotter then February and March will allow. If you really want to replicate a natural fire regime, then you may need to occasionally burn into the summer. The benefit to warmer burns is hardwood kill and opening of the understory.

[Silverstang]

Saw one cross the highway in front of me on the Moore just a few weeks ago. First one I've seen in that area in probably 10 years.

[Bumpy]

I wish someone would burn on my place.

[GraceNmercy]

Parks & Wildlife offer assistance with burns free of charge...

I wish someone would burn on my place.

[GraceNmercy]

I agree that the more things have greened up the more woody vegetation you can kill, but I also know that most turkeys start nesting around the second week of April and even though they will attempt to nest again, the second and third attempts are usually not as successful as the first. If trying to get the numbers up I think this is something that really needs to be considered. I believe there is currently a study of the affects of prescribed burns on nesting turkeys if I'm not mistaken. Be interesting to see what the study reveals...

I border Angelina NF and actively burn on my property. From the research that I have found, the benefits of late spring / early summer burns far outweigh the consequences. If you really want to improve habitat and fight off woody encroachment, you need to burn a little hotter then February and March will allow. If you really want to replicate a natural fire regime, then you may need to occasionally burn into the summer. The benefit to warmer burns is hardwood kill and opening of the understory.

[Mexico]

Hope they help make an awesome come back!

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

[GraceNmercy]

Our RD mentioned at our last committee meeting that recent studies revealed large owls as some of the main culprits reeking havoc on nesting hens. I need to check with Jason Hardin to confirm this. I was aware that owls take a few hens and young poults, but was surprised to hear that it was common enough to consider them a real major threat...

Next predatation is a major issue linked to poor habitat that the hens next in (unburned wild east Tix thicket). Coons and snakes are the biggest suspects. Hogs ironically are not the major issue that are taking out nests.

[backwoods]

If trying to get the numbers up I think this is something that really needs to be considered. I believe there is currently a study of the affects of prescribed burns on nesting turkeys if I'm not mistaken. Be interesting to see what the study reveals...

There has been some research on the matter.
Here are a couple good articles.

http://www.gon.com/hunting/shedding-some-light-on-growing-season-burns

http://www.dnr.sc.gov/news/2016/mar/mar22_growingseasonburn.html

We should focus on the habitat and not the bird. The birds will come if the habitat is right. Turkeys are fairly resilient. Im pretty optimistic that we will succeed in East TX with turkey populations.

[GraceNmercy]

Anderson county has the highest population of turkeys in the state. Most people think Red River because they've always had a decent population and the highest harvest rate, but Anderson county just doesnt yet have an open season.

There's been several super stockings in that county in recent years where the birds have done fairly well. When super stocking was first tested in east Texas, one of those initial sites was also in Anderson county in 2007 -2008, and today the population has exploded in that particular area.

That area has one of the highest population of Easterns in the state...they just don't like you.