Turkey hunting. Which state?

[bnsafe]

I think MO went to 1 bird for NR this year.

 

[dtrkyman]

I think MO went to 1 bird for NR this year.

It did and the price is the same, I have been hunting Missouri since the 90s, probably on a 15 year run currently, but I may boycott them?

 

[bnsafe]

Im hoping alot of people boycott them lol.

 

[Anything Outdoors]

Nebraska is a solid state to chase gobblers. Good numbers with decent access. Some door knocking can get you into some primo turkey ground.

 

[CMF]

finally seem to be figuring it out. MN is limited to one bird a season.

Think so? Give MS a try, you can kill 3 here, you'll find out if you've got them figured out...

 

[Kurts86]

It did and the price is the same, I have been hunting Missouri since the 90s, probably on a 15 year run currently, but I may boycott them?

How much impact does it really make? With not being able to fill the 2nd tag in the first week or fill 2 tags in a day it always makes the logistics a pain. The season is already starting so late waiting that waiting to go until the first weekend into the second week means the best days of the season are behind you. I’ve hunted MO as a nonresident for 15 years since moving away and have never taken a 2nd bird. The way the population is the resident tags need to go to 1 tag too.

Nebraska is a solid state to chase gobblers. Good numbers with decent access. Some door knocking can get you into some primo turkey ground.

Nebraska is 48/50 in public land percent (1.6%) statewide. The larger chunks of public land either aren’t really turkey habitat like McKelvie or are completely overhunted like Pine Ridge. If you have decent private access sure but Nebraska turkey hunting is a shell of what it was even a decade ago. Lots of the Wiha properties are stubble or are mowed to the ground. Regionally parts of the state have decent turkey populations but others are in terrible shape.

 

[deerhunt1988]

SD is all draw except for the black hills you can get over the counter tags. If you have some time the hills hunt is a lot of fun. Lots of land and a pretty good road system through the massive expanses of public land. Fun to drive around out there for a few days and see what you can run into. Have fun wherever you end up!

SD Black Hills is no longer OTC for non-residents. Can thank the YouTubes for that one. 2025 was the first year it was a draw tag.

 

[deerhunt1988]

Nebraska is 48/50 in public land percent (1.6%) statewide. The larger chunks of public land either aren’t really turkey habitat like McKelvie or are completely overhunted like Pine Ridge. If you have decent private access sure but Nebraska turkey hunting is a shell of what it was even a decade ago. Lots of the Wiha properties are stubble or are mowed to the ground. Regionally parts of the state have decent turkey populations but others are in terrible shape.

Correct. I've hunted Nebraska several times. Each time it seems to be worse. Most recently was this past spring and the first time i've hunted it since they limited non-resident tags. Well I can tell you they need to further limit non-resident tags. I got my birds, but heard the fewest turkey I ever have out there. Feather piles at a bunch of parking lots. I was there first few days of May and a bunch had already been whacked. Used to could go mid-May and do fine. Everyone has started going earlier and earlier. Also actually ran into multiple Nebraska residents hunting the public. In a half dozen trips there, I'd never saw that before.

 

[dtrkyman]

I hunt MO. every year for years, I almost always kill a second bird so it effects me anyway, according to the DNR a small percentage kill 2 birds so eliminating the second bird option makes no sense from a biological stand point.

Never could kill two the same day, was one a day after the first week.

I have great friends and a place to stay, I guide there as well so I was there for a couple weeks generally, but with a single bird at that price I would shorten my stay if I go, I am not boycotting due to thinking the hunting is not good, I just think they are punishing non res. for the wrong reasons!

Why not one public and one private bird? Why not make the single tag cheaper and charge a premium to hunt the second bird? Many things they could have done that would have been more aligned with everyone.

Killing gobblers has little effect on the turkey population, and I never have issues with the season being late, have killed gobbling birds the last day of season, I am in the far north so maybe the south is different?

I am sure my boycott would make little difference, however if enough guys do it they will feel it, I do not remember the numbers but non res. tags made up around 50% of their income from spring turkey tags.