May 1, 2008

Despite mostly good weather for the first week of the season, the harvest was slightly down again for the second year in row. Hunters across the state harvested 22,308 turkeys from Monday, April 21, through Sunday, April 27. This is slightly down from the 22,771 harvested during last year's first week of season, according to Conservation Agent Mark Henry. Also compared to last year, so far, there have been 560 more adult gobblers and 994 fewer juvenile gobblers harvested during this year's first week of season. This is believed to be because of the very good turkey hatch two years ago and a poor hatch last spring causing there to be more 2-year-old gobblers and fewer 1-year-old birds. During this first week of season Douglas County checked 257 birds, Ozark County checked 168, Howell had 256, Wright harvested 284, and Texas County checked in 411 turkeys. The three statewide high counties were Franklin with 459, Osage with 414, and Texas with 411. Hunters still have until Sunday, May 11, to bag their turkeys. For questions about turkey hunting or to report hunting violations contact Conservation Agent Mark Henry at 417-683-6848.