Texas Hunters to Hear Fewer Gobbles During Spring Turkey Hunt

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

South Texas and the Hill Country hold the largest numbers of turkeys in Texas, but this year hunters may need to curb their expectations due to back-to-back years of drought.

On the positive side, The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reports that 2007 produced a good crop of birds and that carryover of mature toms combined with excellent nesting habitat conditions this year could result in above-normal breeding activity.

"I expect there will be enough older birds to keep the season interesting," predicts Texas Parks and Wildlife Department turkey program leader Jason Hardin. "All of the moisture we have had this winter is setting the stage for an early hatch. If the moisture continues I expect the population to boom in these areas and get us back on track."

TPWD estimates about 72,000 hunters take part in Texas’ spring turkey season and take about 25,000 gobblers. Rio Grande spring turkey hunting season opens in the North Zone April 3 and runs through May 16. Special youth-only weekends are set for March 27-28 and May 22-23. The South Zone opens March 20 and runs through May 2, with youth-only weekends set for March 13-14 and May 8-9.

A special one-gobbler-only Rio Grande spring season is set for April 1-30 in 8 counties, including: Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee and Milam counties.

East Texas is moving along at a usual pace, according to TPWD district biologist Gary Calkins in Jasper, who predicts a normal year. He is expecting nesting to get somewhat of a late start due to the fact East Texas actually got some winter weather this year. "We did see a fair amount of production in 2009," Calkins notes. "I think hunters will see a fair number of jakes this season."

The spring gobbler-only eastern turkey season is open in 43 East Texas counties from April 1-30 with a 1 bird bag. Eastern turkey hunting is limited to shotgun, lawful archery equipment or crossbow, with a one-gobbler bag limit. All harvested eastern turkeys must be taken to a check station within 24 hours.

Posted in: Hill Country, Miscellaneous, South Texas
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