Here's the data

Year----Total Harvests
2001----23197
2002----28292
2003----27550
2004----26405
2005----25797
2006----28797
2007----22929

Data from KDFWR website

What do you think caused the low total harvest this year. Early season cold temps, snow, rain and wind? I guess we can look at it on a positive note: there should be a ton of 2 year olds in Spring '08!!!!

If you notice the jump from 2001 to 2002, maybe there is hope for 2008!

Believe last years harvest had the greatest effect on this years available toms. Plus,.. the cold spell we had that delayed the forest turning green on time seemed to hurt my ability to get in close to the birds I could find.
Also in my area there was more hunters than average for to few birds, with them doing way to much calling that made the birds call shy.
This was the worst season I've seen here, since turkey hunting was first opened in Ky.

So weird....From the roost, all season they were gobbling...once they hit the ground...nothing. I know the first few years I did it I could usually hit a crow call and find one to answer it sometime within a 4-5 hour hunt. Not this year, I dont think I but maybe one or two turkeys this entire season gobble off the roost.

I didnt kill one...Got disgusted with it...Only hunted about 3-4 days, said to hell with it and went fishing everytime, which I had much better luck at.

We may have had a bad hatch two years ago.....who knows. I had one of my better years actually, tagging out and calling in three for friends (bagged two of the three). HOWEVER, I 'by far' heard fewer birds than I've ever heard and like BCO mentioned, once they hit the ground...it was tough.

It will be interesting to see what next year is like. As I think about it; I'm not convinced that we had fewer birds. I couldn't even begin to count the turkey I saw during grouse season. There sure didn't seem to be a shortage over here.

I doubt fewer...Im going with SMARTER.

I lost interest this year towards the end. I still went a few times...Just...no gobbles on the ground and no flat ground to see them just made me glad to quit and starting fishing again.

all the birds i seen harvested where older birds who didn't like alot of calling. i called up three but only got a good shot on one. the rest was all business, looking and leaving. scratching in the leaves was the key, thats the one sound i don't think they where shy of but the wanted to see a hen or they was gone( in seconds, look and leave).

from what i have seen and not just geussing the birds are a week or more behind. they are farther down on the mountain, hens are just now coming alive and vocal, and they are hitting strut zones hard.

tues. i called one up for my daddynlaw in meldrum in middlesboro (no shot). he wouldn't leave his flat to come for a shot. then on around the road towards the gas line i called up a hen (LOTS OF FUN) that i knew had a gobbler but he wouldn't gobble or come off his flat. finally got him to half gobble at a gobble on a tube call, but he didn't care.

bad as i hate to say it, this week should be great towards friday. except our season went out yesterday.

i learned some new things and am alittle more wiser come next year. i just wish i had some more turkey breast to fry.

jeff

On one hunt I took, I know I traveled 30 miles through the mountains in two locations only heard one tom that whole day. Setup on him and made only a few yelps ,.. that sucker ran from me around the mountain, gobbling a few times as he went.

Now I don't have to kill a turkey to have a good season,..but I do like to hear a few birds when I go out.