Turkeys, Deer, and Racoons

I’ve been spending the last few weeks in the woods getting ready for Turkey season and checking on the deer herd. Bucks have started dropping their antlers the last few weeks. I am also hitting the racoon population hard to try and help the turkeys nesting within the next month or so. Racoons are horrible on the turkey nest. I wish every club and turkey hunter would get involved with trying to reduce the numbers of predators. I have seen and read that most southern states have seen a drastic decline in turkey populations over the last few years. I believe and have also read the main culprit is predators. I’m using the DP coon traps. They work great, very easy to set and use. I use marshmallows for bait as a racoon can not resist a big marshmallow. I hope you enjoy the trail-cam pics. The month of March will be spent doing habitat improvements by hinge cutting and hack and squirt to unwanted tress and along the edges of my food plots. I will post pictures later on how that project is going.

Awesome pics of nice wildlife-took my game cam down guess coulda left it to monitor activity.Was hoping to get selected for Pearl River WMA Lottery but do not think I was selected.Could always try Sherburne WMA after the Adult Lottery but that place a shell of what she was not that many years ago!!

Mandevillian

You are right about the predator population on the turkeys. I think the pigs have an affect as well on the turkey nest. I started trapping a couple of years ago and have done fairly well with the coyote and bobcat population as well. You did have a couple of nice pictures of coyotes there in your last post as well.

Awesome turkey pictures. Can’t wait to head over to Texas and chase some thunder chickens. Going to go a couple weeks later than last year - a bit warmer and toms out chasing hens. Have done better in April than in March.