Pretty much empty

 

Water gap used to be loaded with birds..they are still there but way less too many coyotes. I stopped hunting there when I had too many encounters with sows with cubs

 

hunting 5 and we've seen/heard birds but not as many as past years.

 

I'm on highpoint and even on the NY side not near as many hunters or birds as past years here.

 

very few. zone 14 is the place to go

 

Gobblergetter hunts up here.:frown:

 

Zone 6....4 years ago I was able to call in 5 birds for my buddies in A week while hearing at least 10+ a day. This year none of us have a bird and have only heard 7 all season. Mind you we probably have put over 40 miles on our legs since the opener looking for them. A few rough winters will do them in for a while.

 

NJ winters have no bearing at all on turkey mortality. States that have 3 or 4 feet of snow on the ground for months at a time are affected. US having a foot for 2 weeks does not affect turkeys. Predation is our problem.

 

The state trapped them all and took them to South Jersey. The numbers have never recovered.

 

Lack of hunters three alone in this family.

 

Got a couple F-you gobbles last Sat. as the bearded bastards departed

too much pressure I guess

 

my area deer zone 3 . i don't know if its same for turkey.i drive through the newark watershed , which years ago was loaded with turkeys. this turkey season for the last 3 weeks i noticed 3 or 4 trucks thats it . years ago it would be 6 trucks parked during the first week. even deer season here their is like a quarter of the hunters of what use to be.

 

Exactly what Shaky Jake said. I know one of the biologist who work for the state.

 

I call bs on taking so many from north it put a dent in the population. Lots of factors. Hunting, predators, etc. Guys mite have to actually hunt and rely on skills. Plenty of guys killing multiple birds

 

Apparently, you weren't hunting up here the few years immediately following the trapping.

 

past few years over by zone 2 zone 3 border a guy has been shooting about 20 birds a year using everyone elses permits ...I know he wiped most of them out ..very selfish.

 

Call bs all you want, it's just another factor to the predators. When we had snow on the ground 6years ago, they took 17 birds out of Andover Twp and that was just one day.

 

If they moved those birds down south all they did was feed the coyotes

 

Killed a bird in NYS this AM north of High Point, in Waywayanda NY. Saw 8 different gobblers, in groups with hens, strutting across sod fields & fresh disced fields. Good gobbling and alotta hen talk going on. I waited till they left the fields and heading into the swamps so hens could sit their nests. Snuck in, setup at 8 AM, yelped 4 times and didn't move. 18 minutes later the 3 gobblers I saw head into the swamp walked within 35 feet of me looking for that hen and I shot one of them. Birds are out there, they're just with hens at the tail end of their breeding cycles. Nows the time of year to hunt later and setup in strut zones for the mature birds who are looking for a receptive hen. I usually kill some of my biggest birds this time of year.

 

I know of at least two that ain't in the northern woods no more

 

Ah so you did get a bird with Billy during D week!

 

The transfer of turkeys to south Jersey is one reason for left over permits and that is only because the south Jersey hunters don't have to come up here anymore.
Prior to that it was hard to get over the counter permits.
I know...I stood in line at the pequest hatchery from midnight till 9:00am in the rain to get one zone 4 tag !
I'm proud to say I took part in the trapping of turkeys with Canon nets, to Not only help establish a healthy Turkey population in south Jersey (my birds went to 14 , 20, and 21.) but to also release pressure on our turkey permits.
On another note....if you really want to help the wild turkey....become a trapper.

 

You transported turkeys to relieve pressure on the permit system?

 

Southern Sandy soils also help the population down south during wet Springs. On the other hand our northern Bobcat population has never been so good.

 

I got one in south jersey during the c period with a friend that invited me down in south jersey. I am still yet to see or hear a gobbler this spring in North jersey

 

I never hunted turkeys or scouted them in north nj. bought a sat. permitt 2 fridays ago, killed on sat. the following sat. herd one but didnt get it. both public land. both birds probably never saw a person before

 

Nice!

 

I live in the north zone. I see plenty of birds here and regularly take my gobblers. I also hunt NY and do well there too. Gobblers are here. So much so that they're roaming our suburbs in flocks of 3-8 birds at a clip. Some public areas receive a lot of pressure and yes, it'll make hunting a bit tougher but IMHO, guys have to stop going out with calls and educating birds a week or two before the season. I see and hear guys owl hooting, crow calling and clucking-cackling right after work or in the morning on weekends. I think many guys underestimate the wisdom of a gobbler. They're smart, alert and quick to peg a hunter vs a hen after a few encounters. Stop educating the birds and do your homework silently with a pair of binoculars and hiking boots. You'll see plenty of birds this way. Just my .02 cents worth

 

It's been decided!!!!! The decree is written!!! To everyone even thinking of coming to Zone 5 for any outdoor activities such as deer hunting, Turkey hunting or small game hunting. STAY HOME. It's a complete waste of time there's absolutely no game whatsoever left anywhere in the entire zone. Don't listen to anything contrary, especially that Sryker fellow he's leading you down a road towards heartbreak and misery.
Good God where do I live? It's hunting! Learn it! Guess what it aint like Sat morning TV.. That is all

 

Agreed. Just a thought: if almost all animals in a zone are killed off, why try kill off the rest so they can't reproduce? Hunting should be sustainable- it's not a sport anymore when we've killed everything off