Spring Turkey Hunters Harvest 2,826 Wild Turkeys

Annapolis, Md. (June 2, 2011) — Hunters reported taking a total of 2,826 wild turkeys during the 2011 spring turkey season, nearly unchanged from the 2010 harvest of 2,847.

The 2011 harvest is similar to the 10-year average of 2,902 birds, indicating Maryland’s turkey population remains healthy. Some counties noticed slight declines in harvest while others observed increases — these normal variations are likely due to local differences in reproductive success rates. Young gobblers, called jakes, comprised 29 percent of the harvest this spring. This is very close to the long-term average and in agreement with data from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) turkey brood surveys conducted last summer.

Two notable regulation changes took effect this spring. Hunting was permitted until sunset during the last two weeks of the season to increase hunter opportunity and minimize the potential impacts of additional hunting pressure. Hunting was also allowed on one Sunday in May in Alleghany and Garrett counties only, which resulted in a harvest of 16 turkeys.

“The addition of all-day turkey hunting seems to have met our expectations,” said Bob Long, DNR’s Upland Game Bird Biologist. “Some hunters took advantage of the extended hours and were successful, but all-day hunting did not result in a significantly higher harvest.”

Reports indicate that 24 percent of the harvest occurred during the period in which all-day hunting was permitted. This is nearly identical to the percentage of turkeys (23 percent) taken during the last two weeks of the season over the past five years when shooting hours ended at noon. Additional surveys will be conducted in the future to improve estimates of hunter participation and success in the afternoon.

The highest harvest once again came from Western Maryland. Garrett County reported 339 turkeys, followed by Allegany (287) and Washington (285). In the remainder of the State, Charles (222), Dorchester (210) and Worcester (191) also reported good harvests.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly a half-million 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 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