Maryland’s Hunters Harvest A Record 3,136 Wild Turkeys In Spring 2005

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ANNAPOLIS— The number of harvested turkeys during the 2005 spring hunting season set a new state record, according to data released today from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife and Heritage Service.

The reported harvest this spring was 3,136 turkeys, a 14 percent increase over the 2004 harvest of 2,760 and surpasses the previous record-high harvest of 3,127 set in 2002.

“This year’s increase in harvest was not unexpected,” Peditto said. “Turkey populations had been somewhat lower in recent years but the record harvest demonstrates that turkey numbers can rebound quickly under the right conditions.”

Annual surveys conducted by DNR indicated that 2004 was a banner year for reproduction across Maryland. “Many young turkeys were produced last year and the result was plenty of young gobblers available for hunters this spring,” said Bob Long, DNR’s Wild Turkey Biologist.

Over 47 percent of this year’s harvest was comprised of young gobblers, called jakes, confirming the theory that recent reproductive success greatly affects spring harvests. Reproductive success is determined by weather, population and predation.

In a typical year jakes only make up about 30 percent of the kill. Reports from hunters generally agree, suggesting jakes were exceptionally abundant this spring.

Wild turkeys in Maryland remain one of DNR’s conservation success stories: Although plentiful in colonial times, unrestricted hunting and land use changes in the early 1900s eliminated all but a remnant of the state’s once flourishing turkey flock, which existed only in parts of Garrett and Allegany counties. As a result of concerted efforts to protect the remaining stock of wild birds and a 20-year effort to reintroduce turkeys into suitable habitat, these magnificent birds are now established in all 23 Maryland counties; the resident flock now numbers in excess of 30,000 birds.

As in the past, nearly one-half of the harvest (47 percent) occurred during the first week. Harvests declined steadily through the remainder of the season and only 8 percent of the turkeys were taken in the fifth and final week. While most hunters took their birds on private lands, a fair number (16 percent) were fortunate enough to find success on one of Maryland’s many public hunting areas.

Maryland’s junior hunters experienced excellent weather during the youth hunt on April 16, resulting in a harvest of 157 turkeys. This one-day hunt allows hunters ages 16 and younger to hunt with an unarmed adult before the regular season opens when hunter pressure is minimal and gobbling activity is at its peak.

Garrett (365), Washington (340), Dorchester (332), and Allegany (328) counties supported the largest harvests this spring. But respectable harvests were also reported in Worcester (284), Somerset (215), and Charles (213) counties, demonstrating that high-quality turkey hunting can be found in most regions of state. Large increases in counties such as Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Cecil, and Caroline suggest that populations continue to grow and expand in some areas.

For more information on wild turkey management in Maryland, visit the DNR website at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/turkeyintro.html.

See table below for county-specific harvest totals.

Maryland’s reported wild turkey harvest, 1999-2005
County	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
Allegany	340	331	364	336	332	337	328
Anne Arundel	19	29	51	67	59	75	70
Baltimore	13	10	11	14	20	21	24
Calvert	107	105	120	94	110	64	53
Caroline	36	29	44	42	50	47	66
Carroll	9	5	19	17	13	10	28
Cecil	17	17	25	13	8	10	17
Charles	136	138	190	223	198	183	213
Dorchester	311	297	334	322	325	289	332
Frederick	129	134	156	159	171	136	163
Garrett	511	533	567	490	431	325	365
Harford	15	26	27	26	37	44	47
Howard	2	1	3	3	2	5	3
Kent	22	20	29	41	39	36	44
Montgomery	41	52	45	44	40	31	56
Prince George's	33	68	84	102	92	78	83
Queen Anne's	42	39	51	68	60	59	80
St. Mary's	16	21	36	45	43	61	96
Somerset	149	164	165	201	230	169	215
Talbot	31	38	42	46	62	42	49
Washington	263	240	278	296	325	305	340
Wicomico	186	184	168	192	169	164	180
Worcester	223	225	266	286	304	269	284
Total	2651	2706	3075	3127	3120	2760	3136

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June 15, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov