2,833 Wild Turkeys Reported Harvested During The 2008 Spring Season

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland’s hunters reported taking 2,833 wild turkeys during the 2008 spring turkey season, a 15 percent increase from the 2007 harvest of 2,455 turkeys. Nearly 1,200 turkeys were taken during the first week, 30 percent more than 2007’s opening week.

“Spring turkey hunters were greeted by excellent weather early in the season, providing ideal conditions to hear and call to gobblers,” stated Bob Long, DNR Upland Gamebird Biologist. Harvest throughout the remainder of season was similar to previous years.

The harvest data reflected DNR’s expectations based on brood surveys conducted over the last few summers, showing that young gobblers, called jakes, were less abundant in most regions this year.

“The number of jakes reported was below average, comprising only 22 percent of the harvest,” added Long.

Junior hunters took 134 turkeys during the one day youth hunt held on April 12, representing an increase of 24 percent over the 2007 youth day harvest.

As in the past, the western mountain counties led the state in harvest; Allegany reported 345 turkeys, followed closely by Garrett (327) and Washington (281). Dorchester (242), Worcester (206), and Charles (193) counties also reported good numbers. Large increases in counties such as Caroline, Talbot, and Queen Anne’s suggest turkey populations in portions of the Eastern Shore continue to expand and grow.

Maryland’s Reported Wild Turkey Harvest From 2002 to 2008

County	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Allegany	336	332	337	328	331	259	345
Anne Arundel	67	59	75	70	65	47	61
Baltimore	14	20	21	24	28	27	34
Calvert	94	110	64	53	59	40	53
Caroline	42	50	47	66	75	79	107
Carroll	17	13	10	28	24	15	20
Cecil	13	8	10	17	10	24	27
Charles	223	198	183	213	227	209	193
Dorchester	322	325	289	332	265	205	242
Frederick	159	171	136	163	148	115	152
Garrett	490	431	325	365	342	303	327
Harford	26	37	44	47	59	37	61
Howard	3	2	5	3	7	1	2
Kent	41	39	36	44	50	47	62
Montgomery	44	40	31	56	56	50	37
Prince George's	102	92	78	83	95	55	70
Queen Anne's	68	60	59	80	82	73	127
Somerset	201	230	169	215	204	137	132
St. Mary's	45	43	61	96	62	59	59
Talbot	46	62	42	49	80	74	102
Washington	296	325	305	340	322	269	281
Wicomico	192	169	164	180	164	134	133
Worcester	286	304	269	284	253	196	206
State Total	3127	3120	2760	3136	3008	2455	2833

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June 2, 2008

Contact: Olivia Campbell 410-260-8016 office I 410-507-7525 cell ocampbell@dnr.state.md.us

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 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 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 12 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