MO 2013 spring harvest

[grizz1]

Hunters shot 42,220 turkey during Missouri's regular spring turkey season. That is an increase of 1,773, or 4%, from 2012. Top counties were Franklin with 996, Texas with 879, and Callaway  with 710. I'm taking this information from the " Missouri Conservationist" magazine. My county of Adair was not mentioned, sadly, as back in the 1980's and 90's we were normally number one in numbers taken by any method or time of year. The number of birds in my area was up this year but is still far, far below what it used to be. Now with another wet, cold spring it doesn't look in favor of a good hatch once again. Predators are thick and our upland birds are hurting with so many things stacked against them.

[Kt29]

Thanks for the update Steve.  Hopefully you will have a turnaround soon on your turkey populations.  Seems like it is always a hopeless feeling when game populations take a nose dive like that.  Is encouraging though that the populations in some areas have rebounded somewhat.  It does leave hope.

[LongSpur39]

Yeah nesting weather hasn't been all that great here lately either. Colder and more rain than we had in may? The nearby nesting hens come by but are very brief. Those are some good harvest records you had. Thanks for sharing those stats.