Missouri Celebrates 50 Years of Modern Turkey Hunting
Experience turkey hunting in Missouri's outdoors
Jefferson City, Mo. - Benjamin Franklin is said to have argued forcefully in favor of the wild turkey—rather than the bald eagle—as our nation’s official symbol. In a 1794 letter to his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Bache, Franklin famously disparaged the eagle and lauded the wild turkey:
“For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison [to the bald eagle] a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America . . . He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”
Thankfully, Franklin was overruled by his fellow founding fathers, sparing all of us the agony of having to consume eagle each Thanksgiving.
Even better, we in Missouri are able to enjoy not only the eating of turkeys, but also the challenge of wild turkey hunting, which opens its spring season April 19 and runs through May 9.
Thanks to a concerted effort by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and citizen volunteers, wild turkey are abundant in the Show-Me State, with an expected spring harvest of approximately 44,000, according to Missouri Department of Conservation Resource Scientist Tom Dailey.
The Department of Conservation will issue nearly $3 million in turkey hunting permits this spring, half of which will be purchased by out-of-state hunters, making turkey hunting a major industry in Missouri. For more information and a copy of the 2010 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations, consult the MDC’s “turkey pages” at www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/turkey/sprturk/.
Missouri’s status as one of the nation’s premier destinations for turkey hunting is the result of more than a half-century of hard work on the part of the Missouri Department of Conservation and citizen volunteers across the state.
Although turkey were abundant in Missouri throughout history, the lack of hunting regulations and a growing human population decimated their numbers. As recently as 1950, there were fewer than 2,500 wild turkeys in Missouri.
From 1954 to 1979, the Conservation Department trapped more than 2,600 turkeys and released them at 142 locations in 87 of Missouri’s 114 counties. In each area, the department enlisted help from citizens’ groups to watch over burgeoning flocks. Limited hunting began in 1960, making 2010 the 50th anniversary of modern turkey hunting in the Show-Me State.
By 1987, the turkey harvest topped 60,000. According to Dailey, wildlife populations typically experience a brief period of super-saturation when they reach the carrying capacity of new habitat before predators, parasites, diseases and food and water shortages catch up and naturally drive populations down to sustainable levels.
“Some years we have more turkeys, because of favorable conditions during the nesting season,” said Dailey. “Other years the weather isn’t so good, and the population declines because of poor nesting success.”
The surprise spring freeze of 2007 and unusually wet spring of 2008 resulted in fewer 2-year-old gobblers this year, as it typically takes two years for a turkey to reach adult size. The 2-year-olds are more vocal than their younger brothers, making them louder and easier to hunt.
“Hunters are likely to hear less gobbling than usual this year, and they will have to be more patient and skillful to bag big gobblers,” said Dailey. “It’s especially going to be a challenge in northern Missouri, where the weather tends to be rougher than in the south.”
The good news, according to Dailey, is that there will be a larger-than-usual proportion of gobblers four-and-a-half-years old and older, with long beards and spurs like scythe blades. One-year-old birds, known as “jakes” should also be abundant this year.
Dailey urges restraint when stalking the younger birds. “If you want to get back to hearing gobblers sound off from every hilltop next spring, concentrate on the mature gobblers.” Learning to fool the older birds will not only make one a better hunter, but also will allow the jakes to mature into trophy birds in the coming seasons.
In addition to the many “super-secret” hunting areas in Missouri, popular destinations for trophy birds abound, including:
The Rockbridge Rainbow Trout and Game Ranch (www.RockbridgeMo.com), in Ozark County, where you can participate in a guided hunt, and where they’ll also clean and freeze birds for hunters. The ranch also offers sporting clays, deer hunting, trout fishing, a restaurant, lodging and horseback riding.
Nevada is home to the Gobbler’s Roost Restaurant and hunting preserve, where hunters can shoot wild turkey by day and sip Wild Turkey (bourbon) and enjoy a fine steak in the evening. The Abele family, owners of the property, can accommodate a limited number of hunters each day, so call for information and reservations (417-448-4853) or visit their Web site (www.GobblersRoostRest.com).
While many hunters prefer to keep trophies from a successful hunt, others enjoy preparing and eating their birds. The Conservation Department offers tips on dressing and preparing wild turkeys at http://mdc.mo.gov/hunt/turkey/wildturk/recipes.htm.
Many Missourians have their own secrets for preparing wild turkey, including Kathleen Mayer, co-owner of The Vineyards Restaurant in Weston (www.TheVineyardsRestaurant.com), who’s almost famous for her apricot and Moroccan rubbed and baked wild turkey.
Whether you appreciate the natural beauty of the outdoors, the challenge of bagging that big gobbler, or the flavor of a well-prepared turkey dinner, Missouri is your turkey headquarters. For more information or to order a free copy of the Official 2010 Missouri Travel Guide, log on to www.VisitMO.com, or call 800-519-4800.
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Contact:
Sarah Luebbert
Missouri Division of Tourism
573-522-5501
Sarah.Luebbert@ded.mo.gov
