From October 1 through October 31 Missouri’s firearm turkey season was going on. During that time, according to preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), 1,952 turkeys were harvested by hunters. [1] The counties with the most birds harvest6ed being Crawford and Greene county, which each checking in 61 turkeys.
Turkey Season
Throughout October, firearm turkey season has been in full swing, and now MDC has reported that 1,952 turkeys were checked in by hunters. A drop from 2018s turkey season, some hunters are disappointed with the lower amount of turkey harvested. During last fall’s firearm turkey season, hunters managed to harvest 2,170 birds with Henry County checking in the most birds- 48. [2] However, MDC Turkey Biologist Reina Tyl was expecting lower numbers than last year.
This years fall turkey firearm season fell a little short compared to 2018, but Missouri hunters still managed to harvest almost 2,000 turkeys. Crawford and Greene County both tied for the most turkeys harvest, each of them checked in 61, and Laclede followed close behind with 59, and Phelps with 58. Oregon County checked in a total of four turkeys, one adult hen, and three juvenile hens.
The drop in turkeys was to be expected, according to Tyl. “A wet spring and flooding during the spring and summer created challenging nesting conditions across much of the state,” Tyl said. “This contributed to below-average poult production throughout much of the state, so we have fewer young birds on the landscape this year.” [3]
MDC’s annual turkey survey for 2019 also showed that turkey production was below average across the state of Missouri. Tyl and her colleagues have been working together to learn more about turkey production. “We’re looking at our long-term turkey brood survey dataset and trying to determine how turkey numbers, weather, landscape, and their interactions affect production. This research should help explain some of the trends we’re seeing in turkey production,” she said.
Archery Season
Fall archery turkey season will continue until November 15 before resuming on November 27 and continuing through until January 15, 2020.
Notes:
- ^“Telecheck Harvest Numbers.” 4 Nov. 2019, extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table. (go back ↩)
- ^“2018 Turkey Harvest Summary.” MDC Hunting and Fishing, 4 Nov. 2019, huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey/turkey-reports/turkey-harvest-summaries-past-seasons/2018-turkey#FallFirearms. (go back ↩)
- ^“Hunters check 1,952 birds during fall firearms turkey season.” Missouri Department of Conservation, 4 Nov. 2019, mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/hunters-check-1952-birds-during-fall-firearms-turkey-season. (go back ↩)
