These concerns are not new. Predators, such as hawks, owls, bobcats, coyotes, raccoons and foxes have been viewed in very different lights by sportsmen and wildlife managers over the years. Human nature is such that often we take extreme stances and such is the case with predators. In some instances reducing populations of predators may benefit selected wildlife populations and, in other instances, it may be a waste of time. It is easy to blame predators if turkey populations aren t as high as we would like but, in reality, there are many other factors that need to be considered as possible explanations for low turkey numbers.
All animals have basic requirements of food, water, shelter, and space.
Of course, this food, water, shelter, and space must be in the proper amount and distribution for a particular species. If we don t have the proper habitat in the proper amount and distribution, then we will not have the populations of a desired species and predator control will have little, if any, benefit for a long-term increase in the numbers of adult turkeys. Related to this is carrying capacity. Basically, carrying capacity is the maximum number of individuals of a particular species that a piece of habitat can support indefinitely. If an area supports 25 turkeys in the spring, summer, and fall and only 15 in the winter, then the carrying capacity of that tract of land is 15 because that is all the turkeys that will be around to produce offspring.