How will the ferel hog problem affect our turkey population?

[Gary Roberson]

Menard County claims to be the Turkey Capital of Texas and there is no doubt that there are lots of Rios here. My concern is that the rapidly growing population of feral hogs is effecting the successful hatch of ground nesting birds, especially turkeys.
This morning we hog hunted on a ranch that is a winter roosting area for turkeys. In an average year, 600-800 birds roost in about a half mile stretch of mature pecan trees along a creek. While we had a successful hatch last season I have noticed the winter population decreasing. The last couple of years, I have seen the number of birds on this roost decreasing to 300-400 while the hog population is exploding.
My concern is that the hogs prefer to feed and root in the same areas where the hens would typically nest. We have killed approximately 200 hogs on this ranch in the last 6 months and I am not sure we are making any progress. It seems that if we kill one hog, two move in from the neighbors.
What do you guys think?
Adios,
Gary

[AntlerCollector]

Hogs will absolutely affect the turkey population IMO. An area like you’re describing would be easy picking for a hog to make a meal out of a nest full of eggs.

[TX_Hoghunter]

Hogs will eat every single egg they can find. Kill all of them that you can or you will be without turkeys.

-john

[Calrob]

Hogs have made rattlesnakes stop rattling in my area, they will have awful effects on turkey, quail, snakes, turtles and anything else they can get to.

[hog_down]

I'll echo what the other 2 guys said above me. Trap/shoot/whatever you have to do, or your turkeys will be decimated.

[Dave]

There is definitely an impact. I know some of the folks that put this together, Feral Hogs Impact Ground-nesting Birds

[30-30]

Recent decades have been rough on most ground nesting birds. Surely feral hogs play a role, but so does habitat fragmentation, change in ag practices, etc.

[Gary Roberson]

There is definitely an impact. I know some of the folks that put this together, Feral Hogs Impact Ground-nesting Birds

I know some of those folks as well. What disturbs me is that we are not near carrying capacity of hogs in this mixed live oak, mesquite country so they will continue to increase and expand their range. Since the hogs are already having a significant impact, what will it be like in 5 years?
Adios,
Gary

[Hunting4fun]

Hogs have made rattlesnakes stop rattling in my area

I believe this to be a myth. Rattlesnakes have been rattling for thousands of years. No way with the "recent" invasion of hogs have they adapted.

[rjtkdplus]

At my place in Caldwell county we have plenty of Turkeys and hogs.

[brokeno]

Between hogs and fire ants I'm really surprised any turkeys survive

[Smart]

How will the ferel hog problem affect our turkey population?

I had the same exact results you did with turkeys populations this year after having some banner years and we haven’t had a hog on our place in the 30 years my landowner has owned it... and none in my 12 years I have leased it . It’s like there was a small die off on our turkeys or something ... we killed 14-15 gobblers two years ago. Left plenty for seed. Killed several the next year with less effort put into it. This year we killed 1....saw 2 in person on and on 14 cameras. Saw some jakes and hens but nothing like in the past. It was an odd year but hogs weren’t our problems.

[MooseontheLoose]

One of the places I have permission to hunt in Medina county has great habitat, abundant water, nice fields, generally very good nesting conditions with ground cover, etc., and almost no pressure. Nobody turkey hunts it but me, but the population has plummeted in the last few years.

Birds don't use the same fields they used to, as recently as 3-4 years ago. Cattle practices are the same, minimal pressure, and good habitat. The only thing that has changed is the pig population has exploded out there. I used to get the occasional pig on camera, but now it's rare for me to see a turkey and I get pig pics all day long. I'm 100% convinced on that property that the turkey decline is directly related to the pig population explosion.

[TTUgrad08]

I worry some about the overall turkey population in Texas.
Continue to hear reports of fewer birds every year.
I suppose it Could just be location specific and I don’t have any scientific data to back it up.

[Radar]

Coons will eat every turkey egg they find. Between Coyotes, hogs, fire ants and coons, turkeys have a hard time. A few years ago killing a turkey on my place was not hard to do, but the last two years are awful. I seen one Tom and two hens this year, two years ago it was a decent population.

I have coyotes hanging around now waiting for fawns to hit the ground, these coyotes have been hunted hard and will not respond to a predator call any more. I have some snares and traps but hate to use them, because I let the neighbor boys coon hunt my place.