Predator control for turkey conservation

[SportsmansFinest]

Hello everyone,

We've been lucky enough to partner with a hunting outfit in the hill country area of Texas that has a little over a thousand acres of land it manages for hunting deer, turkey, pheasants and quail. Recently though their turkey numbers have been falling off, even amidst efforts to provide more habitat and remove fire ants. After some head scratching and trail camera checking we're thinking that the local foxes and raccoons have also played a role in the waning numbers of turkeys on the property. We've been talking out ideas for how to combat them, and decided it would be worthwhile to get opinions from y'all about effective predator hunting/control.

What techniques have you tried and how did they work out?

 

[Jc2020]

I’ve set traps and snares and had good luck got quite few but I doubt it was enough to put that big of a dent in the predator population if your state allows I’d hunt them at night over bait with a thermal scope and set traps you could probably pick up trimmings or something from a local butcher shop I’d also check with your local usda A guy who owns a game bird farm told me he was having trouble with starlings eating his bird feed and they came out and did some sort of controlled poisoning to eliminate large numbers of them

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Raccoons wreak havoc on nesting birds like that. I know someone who at least doubled their quail population In a year by trapping those bandits.

 

[Wrench]

I'm interested to know what you find as the root cause. We are overrun with the damn things in the NW.

20 years ago it was rare to see one, now they are EVERYWHERE.

 

[SoDaky]

Yes on trapping.Easy to bait.Juice from a tuna can or similar sprinkled on and near the trap and a lil cat or dog food will work.

 

[Wapiti1]

Trapping is the only way you can really control predators. Hunting can help, but you can't usually sustain it over time. One thing that is tough is that you have to do it constantly. Once you create a predator void, it's like a magnet for predators from the surrounding area.

Hogs can also be problematic for turkey populations. They'll eat the eggs out of spite to us for making them into bacon.

Jeremy

 

[Rich M]

Don't forget to shoot skunks too.

Raccoons are easy in the dog-proof traps along creeks and culverts - fill it with dog/cat food and come back the next day. As someone said, a little tuna sauce and they'll find it quickly.

 

[HGrodner]

I think trapping is the most important means of control. I think there are some key factors to remember. You need to trap for all predators in the ecosystem and consider the trickle down effects you are going to get from it (if you put a dent in the coyotes think about their prey species that could explode. Are any of them detrimental to turkeys?). I also believe timing is a major factor. If you can run traps effectively year round that is great. But you have to be a pretty dang good trapper to be effective year round. If you can’t do that, you will want to create voids when the species you are trying to help is most vulnerable (nesting, pre flying poults, fawning for deer). As was said already, the voids you create will be filled in pretty quickly by other predators pretty quickly. One of the newest MeatEater podcasts featured mike chamberlain. He talked about snakes being a big problem with nests too (this could have been talked about in another podcast featuring biologist Brandon bobo). He mentioned that rat snakes had the ability to key in on a nest from hen movements and would remember it to come back to when it wanted more. So snakes could be something to consider as well if legal there. Armadillos are another potential nest predator if you have them. Then of course you have birds of prey which you have no legal options to control. Overall, it would be a taxing job to try to reduce the number of every animal that preys on turkeys throughout different stages. But it sure would be great if you could manage it.

 

[Hackleback]

Feeders are popular in TX. Are you providing an additional food source for raccoons that is artificially increasing densities?

 

[bjfoxhoven]

Don't forget to shoot skunks too.

Raccoons are easy in the dog-proof traps along creeks and culverts - fill it with dog/cat food and come back the next day. As someone said, a little tuna sauce and they'll find it quickly.

And opossums

 

[Walking Birds]

Delta Waterfowl has/had a large program for predator removal to increase waterfowl recruitment. Take a look at their information on the subject

 

[Yarak]

Check Into Dog Proof Coon traps
I’ve used them on my property with very good results.....meaning an increase in turkey numbers
It took about 2 seasons to see the results so if you’ll dedicate yourself into running these traps every day you’ll see for yourself
I use dry cat food for bait and when they seem to quit using that I switch over to sardines, salmon or Tuna