Missouri hunters harvest 1,857 birds during firearms portion of fall turkey season

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that hunters checked 1,857 turkeys during the firearms portion of Missouri's fall turkey season, Oct. 1-31. Top harvest counties were Gasconade with 51 birds harvested, Osage with 48, and Cedar with 46.

For current fall firearms turkey harvest results by county, go online to MDC's website at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/.

Hunters harvested 2,220 birds during the 2023 fall firearms turkey season. For more harvest results for past seasons, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey/turkey-reports/turkey-harvest-summaries.

"A very warm and dry October likely impacted turkey and hunter behavior," said MDC Turkey Biologist Nick Oakley. "When it's 80 degrees and windy, the birds may not be in their usual haunts and hunters aren't as interested in literally sweating it out to find birds."

Fall archery turkey hunting continues through Nov. 15 and resumes Nov. 27 through Jan. 15, 2025. Get more information about fall turkey hunting at mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey.

SEND FEATHERS

MDC is again asking Missouri turkey hunters to save and send feathers from the wild turkeys they harvest this fall. MDC asks hunters who harvest turkeys to mail feathers from their turkeys to MDC using a postage-paid envelope from MDC.

The feathers will help MDC scientists improve research models used to monitor turkey population trends and estimate turkey numbers across the state. MDC instructs turkey hunters to save the 9th and 10th primary wing feathers and 3-5 breast feathers from harvested turkeys after Telechecking.

For a Feather Submission Form and more information from MDC, visit mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey/fall-turkey-feather-submission.