MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — You might have an opossum or raccoon knock over your trash can, but the critters that some call "nuisance animals" are also hurting native bird populations like wild turkeys.
State legislators made it a little easier for folks who like to take aim in the spring to cut down the population of problem possums.
13WMAZ spoke to State Wildlife biologist Emily Rushton about the decline in a Georgia game bird.
"In recent years, turkeys have become a concern," Rushton reiterated.
Bill 1147 passed both houses this legislative session.
It allows people to hunt and exterminate raccoons and opossums year round, which, in some instances, may help the turkey population, especially at this time of the year when turkeys are watching their eggs. Opossums and raccoons are egg eaters.
At the Rum Creek Wildlife Management area, they have seen their turkey numbers decline quite a bit over the last 10 or 20 years. Now, legislators that love to turkey hunt came up with this bill that's soon to become law.
"I don't think people are going to be intensively trapping these species, it's going to be more on a local property level," Rushton calculated.
Don't think so much about a homeowner getting rid of the nuisance animal that knocks over a garbage can.
Folks that have private land and hunt clubs now don't have to get a permit to get rid of the problem predators.
"If your property has really good habitat and they want to go above and beyond and go to that next step to really help the population, yes, trapping predators can have a benefit," Rushton reassured.
She admits all of this isn't going to increase the number of game birds dramatically across the state, but if it's your land and you don't live in a city neighborhood, you might get a leg up next spring.
Rushton says you cannot hunt or trap raccoons and opossums on public land or wildlife management areas year round, but they will expand the season on public lands when squirrel season begins in August.