Turkey Management

The DNR is looking for impute on revisions to the turkey management plan. Please put in your 2 cents! http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/turkeymanagement.html My thoughts are that turkey hunting in wisconsin is way over priced. A little comparison: archery Deer license $24.00 and you receives a buck and 2 doe tags Gun Deer license $24.00 and your receive a buck and a doe tag Estimated deer population across the state 0.8-1.1 million animals That is 5 potential deer to be harvest in one year at a cost of $48.00 and you can hunt anywhere in the state. Spring turkey application, permit and stamp cost $23.25 and you get 1 tag Fall turkey application, permit cost $18.00 and you get one tag. Over the counter tags cost $10.00 per tag. Estimated turkey population across the state to be 1 million birds. (and that is said to be down because of a couple hard winters) So for 5 potential turkeys in one year that would cost you $71.25 and your are restricted to one of 7 zones. I don't feel that $24.00 would be out of line for two tags wether you fill both in the spring, one in the spring and one in the fall or 2 in the fall.

I couldnt agree with it more. I spend so much money just on extra tags! and ive even gotten charged an extra five dollar fee for over the counter making it 15 dollars.

many people that buy more than one tag hunt more than one property. personally i can hunt one spot that has about 200 acres and another spot that has 160. no one else hunts the 200 acre spot and the 160 spot isn't turkey hunted much at all. i also see no issue with the extra tags in the spring...i could understand doing away with extras in the fall cause you can hunt hens then.

Great comments guys! Make sure you tell the DNR. You have until May 31st to fill out the online survey and put in your two cents! http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/WildlifeHabitat/turkeymanagement.html I agree with self regulation. That is why I personal only by one tag in the spring and one in the fall. But with turkeys I dont think that the over the counter sales are as much of a problem as you guys make it out to be. I know I dont hunt your areas but I hunt Shawano, Brown, Outagaime, and Oconto counties and they have a lot of birds. I hunt in a group of guys and gals that include 10 people. In the last 5 years not one of our spring tags have not been filled, with only a hand full of those hunts lasting more than a half day of hunting and none being jakes. Think about this, on a good year is it possible to double the popualation. That would mean only 3-4 chick per brude would have to survive until the following spring. Thats not unheard of.

I say eliminate the extra tags,too many hunter getting , for lack of a better word, greedy, and shooting multiple Toms.Then down the road will complain they don't see any more, don't hear them, and the dnr mismanaged them. The dnr gives us the rope we end up hanging ourselves.Same as with the deer, so many last fall on the big game forum complaining of not seeing anything either bow or gun, yet they will shoot anything that is brown.Just saying they put it out there, we need to self regulate , they won't they just want to sell tickets to the show. I 'm sure this isnt a way all of you think, but I'M just giving my opinion ....just like the spring hearings..

i say leave it alone. if the bird numbers get down eliminate fall hen hunting. taking a few tom's out in the spring really doesn't do that much to the flock size.

New Idea I just thought of: Seeing as most of the tags applied for are weeks 1-4, if you are not successful with your first tag in one of these seasons, you should be able to use it for weeks 5 and 6. Each hunter only gets one tag for the spring, but the chance for 3 weeks of hunting if needed. No more selling extra tags over the counter, any extra tags should be given out lottery style like they used to be.

I agree with you. I do like having the seperate weeks tho. gives everyone a chance to get on private lands. hard enough to get on for the week that you have as it is. Also its easyer for land owners to know who is hunting at the time.

I agree with you 100%. If the cost wasn't included in the patrons and Jr. Patrons license I doubt that my 3 kids and myself would do it every year. The addition of the 2 extra days helps, but it doesn't go far enough in my opinion. Also consider the cost of a fishing ($20 I think) license and what you can get for that verses the spring and/or fall turkey hunt.