I didn't want to step on Swamp's TSS thread. I believe that Wanna Be brought up the concern of the overall decline in turkey numbers.

Been reading up on seeds coated in neonicotinoid insecticides. Basically any corn or soybeans with a colored coating from what I've seen. Supposedly a multitude of studies showing that these are being found in a high percentage of deer and turkey livers that have been tested. I've seen and looked at enough materials to believe that there is something to it.

Very intersting articles if you feel like doing some Google searches.

Have put A LOT of thought into this over the years. I believe it is fewer insects for chicks.

Are the studies looking at the seeds being the cause of the decline? Or just a finding in the animals?

The decline seems so widespread I believe there has to be a number of factors, but changing agricultural practices is a definite possibility in my eyes.

Numbers appear down to me even outside ag areas

Yes, there was a study on this many years ago. In fact, the NWTF was giving seeds away if you qualified. It was the same seeds you mentioned. They kicked up a little fuss about it but think they changed their ways after that.
There are umpteen factors to the declining populations. Habitat is the main concern and the one that most private landowners can remedy. The others require personal and DNR considerations.
I could write pages of my thoughts, but it steps on a lot of toes, so we’ll manage our properties how we see fit and hope others take notice. So far we haven’t seen a decline, not have the other landowners that also have the same practices.
Here’s a pic just the other day I got at a landowner that was having some hog issues since he just filled his feeders with protein. Got a couple pigs and now nothing but deer and turkeys.

Here in Georgia...it is definitely related to poult survival. Started in early 2000s and has not improved.

The study has looked at the breeding mortality rates amongst any animals that consume the seed. Research I'm seeing shows that this is one of the leading factors for game bird decline. AND, if it's in them, it's going into us. I'm always super hesitant to drink all of the cool aid, but a lot of what I've read is pretty scary.

And those numbers have to do with habitat and predator control. You know, that leaving for seed thing. Trap them predators until you can’t find a track or scat anywhere.

I agree on the predators.....

https://www.growingdeer.tv/transcripts/are-wild-turkeys-eating-toxic-seed-episode-638-transcript/

This is just a smapling of a lot of what I've been readining.

I couldn't agree more that there are a ton of factors, but the tissue samples of this stuff in the animals we harvest says a lot. Lighter egg shell densities, higher poult mortality... goes on and on.

Every year they plant the field behind the house and then come back and hit the weeds with round up or whatever weed killer they are using that Spring and every year that same evening after they are done spraying I see the turkey flock out there in the weeds eating bugs out of that field. Just an observation. It can't help. No till farming has changed everything here.

A lot of factors but our turkey numbers were growing and at their highest for a 15+ year period of very low fur prices and little trapping/predator hunting. Habitat: In a five year period a farm does not go from supreme habitat and a good turkey population to no changes have been made but the habitat is now worthless and zero turkeys. I can take you to multiple farms that had a good turkey flock and five years later zero. Not a reduction or fewer but zero. If habitat is changing and is not as useful the process is slow as will the reduction in wildlife will be slow. What we have experienced in NW MO is a virtual crash. For years I have said that there is an unknown that is affecting the population. My current thought is lack of insects. May be wrong.

A 505 acre farm down the road from me is being bulldozed to build this 1100 home subdivision.

https://locustnc.com/wp-content/upl...lter-Council-Presentation-011124-Rev.pdf

Lennar Homes built 80,000 homes across the US last year.

I think destruction of habitat is more of an issue than the type of seeds our local farmers are using

Any bird, snake, or mammal that eats eggs can find an easy meal during turkey nesting.

I went to the first meeting of a NWT chapter where I once lived. The guest speaker was a turkey biologist. The year was around 1995. At the time there was an outbreak of rabies among our raccoon population. The biologist suggested that turkeys would benefit from the death of the coons, skunks, and possums in the community.

Well certainly... You drain the pond, the fish gonna struggle. Still doesn't explain the same pattern of decline in rural areas with no significant habitat changes.

Farming practices, seed, predators, etc will have a change. All it would take for GA to get that way is a couple bad Springs in a row.

One ag practice that has for sure changed patterns, and maybe numbers, on one farm I have hunted for 25 years, is manure spreading. When I started hunting, it was a small (75 head) dairy operation, and manure was spread on a very regular basis. Turkeys were on the manure before the tractor left the field. It was not uncommon to see 50-75 bird flocks every day in the fall and winter. Springtime hunting was great.
Cousin quit dairying, and almost within one year, we saw very, very few turkeys. The ones we did see/shoot were all on the edges of the farm, close to the neighbor's fields where manure was still being spread. The last 4 years we hunted there, we heard a combined total of 5 gobbles.
More and more small farms here are going under, and the big farms are spreading liquid manure.

Theres to many of thoes birds on my land!.

In my area, I believe (but have not studied) that wild hogs are also affecting turkeys and game birds. We kill them every chance we get, but can't keep up.

Also, I can tell a difference in spring turkey numbers (again, not an official study) when I don't trap as hard the previous winter.

I think we all want to blame our favorite negative thing, or which Ox we are choosing to gore today. To me in reality it is a combination of all the above and maybe much more. To me habitat loss is a key factor and a huge double if not multiple edged sword. Decrease the area, you increase the density of the turkeys and those concentrated turkeys are more impacted by weather and disease etc. Also by concentrating the turkeys we concentrate the predators and the hunters as well. Decline in habitat area is only one aspect of the loss, there is also in many cases a decline in habitat quality as well.
Speaking for our section of WI with our diversified agriculture, more wood lots and not as much residental expansion due to slower population growth our turkey numbers are holding up very well.

Bryce