http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-MR_1050_Fall_2012_Wild_Turkey_Harvest.pdf

As noted in the link above, the 2012 Fall Wild Turkey Harvest Results report is now available online. (I also saw some info about it in a recent newspaper article, but I did not see it on the list of News Releases on DNR’s web site as of a few minutes ago.) The report contains some interesting info and data. The 2012 fall harvest was a pretty paltry poultry total of 610.

It'd be nice if they'd scrap the fall season and make it a 2 bird limit in the spring in the counties that can sustain it.

A BIG NO on two spring birds

A fall season is for the purpose of additional opportunity only. Obviously.

There will never be a two bird spring season as long as Steve Backs is around. It's probably safe to say there will never be an earlier season for the same reason.

Any reason so strongly opposed to two birds in spring, just curious. Don't wanna debate honestly interested. I'd like to see it but make em on separate days. Not being able to take two in the same day. Isn't the spring success only about 30% across the state?

The second Bird If you need to kill something to be successful your in it for the wrong reasons. If you still want to hunt. What an opportunity to help a friend or introduce some one to the sport of turkey hunting

I'm going with THRO on this one. At least at my age, the enjoyment isn't in the shooting but simply being out there. Plenty of opportunity to call for others and in doing so extend the season. I also wouldn't want to give up the fall season for more opportunity in the spring. Fall turkey hunting can be pretty darn interesting if you try to call them instead of simply waiting along a field edge.

I agree with you on that, in fact opening day this season Im taking a newbie to hopefully put him on a bird. Actually in the last 4 years Ive helped 3 people to take their first bird. Talked wife into going once she lasted about 3 hrs hasnt been since, we never saw a bird. My 5 yr old was w me last year when I shot my bird, cant wait to take him if hed grow wed have a shot next year. I have more fun watching someone take a bird or just watch the birds react to calls/decoys than shooting them. Same with waterfowl, better watching birds work than shooting em.

Guess I was looking at it during the years your tagged out 5 min into season and no one else wants to go. Never heard an elk bugle in the wild, but I have a feelings its the only thing that can sound better than a spring bird all fired up.

I never understood the, "if you need to kill more than one bird, then...." logic.

How many people go rabbit hunting, shoot one rabbit and say "man that was a great season!"? Never heard anyone talking about the great dove season they had where they killed one dove and started taking other people. Squirrels, same thing.

Not real sure why a lot of older Indiana hunters are so against a two bird limit. I'd say it has a lot to do with the fact that most of them remember when you either didn't have turkeys at all or you didn't have a season. I remember when they opened half our county for the first time.

My reasons for wanting a one bird limit are mostly selfish reasons. A lot of the state would not be included and living where it would be included, I don't want to deal with the additional hunters.

If someone tags out on an early bird and needs someone to call for I'd gladly be that guy.

I would have to say I am only for one bird because I have never gotten one and I have been hunting turkeys (or trying to) for 12 years now...

It may be because I am not the best caller ( I only use pot calls) even though I have called in quite a few hens over the years and have had lots of toms gobble back....

I guess it's fine to have multi-bird limits when populations and habitat allows. We could probably shoot 10 a year off my place and never notice much difference in the flocks. No idea what we'd do with that much turkey meat though. And before long I'd be burned out on turkey hunting.

I know in Tennessee you can shoot 4 in the spring, and up to 6 in the fall, depending on the county.

It's real easy to over call, less is more in my opinion. Ever made turkey and noodles with the legs and thighs?? Hard to beat right there. I always fry the breasts up after breaking them.

Huntn, I think there are a lot of guys who can have a great season whether they have one bird or even no birds. Now, it's probably the older guys instead of the younger guys. And yep, if guys measure "great" by numbers, they might not appreciate the woods more than the shot. My greatest morning turkey hunting was in Fort Knox when an entire hillside across from me opened up with gobbling from more birds then I could count. It was amazing and while I thought there was no way I wouldn't kill a bird that day, I didn't. I'd take that morning again over any morning that I've shot a turkey.

+1 on the turkey thighs and noodles!!!!

I do think they are going to expand the fall seaon for this year. I THINK maybe to run concurrent all the way through with archery season maybe......

delaney, I know what you mean. A couple of years ago I was sitting on the Niobrara River at daylight and it sounded like every bird in the world opened up at the coyotes. I will never forget that hunt. It also helps that we had 17 longbeards in the middle of the decoys before camera light and we also called the same bird in three times before we got a shot at him. All in the same morning.

I'd hate to think how many birds gobbled that morning. After we got to the truck we saw 50+ gobblers out in the prairie.