Wild Turkey killed during Spring hunting season. Photo courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation
It could be the weather or it could be that people are tired of turkey, but either way, fewer turkeys are being hunted every year. Conservation Department Wild Turkey project leader Jason Isabelle says the Fall turkey season is neglected because there are so many other options, so hopefully the Spring harvest will be better than last year.
He says that same trend is occurring in nearby states like Kentucky and Virginia. He says this year’s hatch was better than last years, so its possible the turkey harvest this spring will be larger than in previous years.
He says the hunting population is aging, so the Conservation Department is trying to encourage more young people to put down video games and get outside.
He says it’s not only that fewer people are hunting, but that fewer people are wanting to come in from out-of-state to hunt because gas prices are so high. He says the majority of people who come to Missouri to hunt turkey are from Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama.
He says right now only about 1 to 2 percent of the turkey population is killed every year in hunting, when about ten percent could be harvested without harming the population. Turkey hunting season in the Spring starts on April 16.
AUDIO Allison Blood reports. Mp3 [1:03]