DNR Spring Turkey Tracks Report
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2007 turkey hunting news
- Spring turkey season forecast
- New turkey hunting territories and new youth season
- Spring and fall turkey season dates
- 2006 fall turkey season results
- 2006 spring season review
- Turkey hunting safety
- Make your own turkey tags
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2007 spring turkey season forecast
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Indiana DNR wildlife research biologist Steve Backs expects about 55,000 hunters will take to Hoosier woods and fields for the 2007 Indiana spring turkey hunting seasons, resulting in a harvest of between 12,000 to 14,000 birds.
Backs predicts last spring's record harvest, more open counties, and the new youth season will entice more hunters to try turkey hunting this year. Backs also expects the hunter success rate will dip slightly because of the influx of new and younger hunters. Low turkey brood production during the summers of 2005 and 06 could also decrease Indiana's turkey hunter success rate this spring.
Data collected by Backs indicate that hunters should hear less gobbling this spring when compared to spring 2006 because of a lower proportion of 2-year-olds in the state turkey flock. The flock has fewer 2 year olds because of lower poult survival during summer 2005.
Back's turkey brood survey data from summer 2006 indicated another poor year for turkey production. "But production values were still within the range of values observed in previous years," said Backs.
On the other hand, Backs said, "The general decreasing trend from 1993 to 2006 in the annual summer production of wild turkeys per hen is indicative of a population growth rate that is beginning to level off to a stable population level."
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2007 turkey hunting range and new youth season
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The Indiana spring hunting range has been expanded to include 91 of 92 counties. Henry is now the only county closed during the spring turkey season. The DNR released turkeys in Henry County in 2004. "The Henry County closure will allow additional time for these turkey flocks to grow," said Backs.
A new youth turkey hunting season will run April 21 and 22. The regular spring season runs from April 25 to May 13.
During the new youth wild turkey season, hunters 15 years old or younger can take a bearded or male wild turkey. The youth must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age.
The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow. The adult accompanying the youth hunter must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field, and does not need to possess a turkey hunting license. A youth hunter may take only one bearded or male wild turkey during all spring seasons. The youth must be properly licensed to take a wild turkey and comply with all tagging and check-in requirements.
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2007 turkey seasons
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Youth Wild Turkey Season
April 21-22
(Bearded or male turkey only)
Regular Spring Wild Turkey Season
April 25 - May 13
(Bearded or male turkey only)
Fall Archery Turkey Season - Oct. 1 - 21
Fall Firearm Turkey Season - Oct. 17 - 21
(One bird of either sex per hunter each fall)
Fall 2007 turkey hunt areas will be the same as fall 2006.
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2006 fall turkey season results
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Hunters harvested 646 wild turkeys in 57 of the 74 counties open to turkey hunting during Indiana's second modern-day fall wild turkey hunting season -- held from Oct. 1 to 18, 2006.
Counties harvesting at least 25 birds were Harrison, Clark, Crawford, Warrick and Pike counties
The archery-only portion of the season occurred from Oct. 1 to 18 in 74 counties. The combined firearms and archery season occurred from Oct. 18 to 22.
Firearm hunting was limited to 26 counties in south-central and southeast Indiana. About 26 percent of the turkeys were taken during the archery-only portion of the season and 74 percent were taken during the combined firearms and archery portion.
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2006 spring wild turkey harvest review
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Hoosier hunters took a record number of wild turkeys during the state's 37th annual hunt, April 26 to May 14, 2006.
According to a report by DNR wildlife research biologist Steve Backs, hunters harvested a record 13,193 wild turkeys in the 88 counties open to hunting the birds. The record number represents an 18 percent increase over the total of 11,159 wild turkeys harvested during the spring 2005 season.
Reasons for the 18 percent increase in the harvest include high brood production during summer 2004 and continued increases in both the turkey population and number of turkey hunters, according to Backs. The estimated hunter success rate was 26 percent for the 51,000 hunters Backs estimated to be afield.
Juvenile gobblers (1-year-old birds, commonly called "jakes") made up 14 percent of the harvest, considerably lower than the 25 percent average of the previous 10 years. Adults (2 years or older) made up 86 percent of this year's harvest, with the proportion of 2-year-old gobblers (67 percent), the highest in 37 years of Indiana spring wild turkey hunting.
The abnormally low juvenile and high adult proportions in the age structure of the harvest reflect the contrasting record high and low brood production during the 2004 and '05 summers. The average weight of juvenile gobblers taken was 14.5 pounds. Adult birds averaged 21.0 pounds.
Counties with the most turkeys taken overall included Switzerland (589), Dearborn (489), Perry (470), Jefferson (461), Parke (444), Orange (440) and Harrison (431).
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Safety rules for turkey hunting
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- Select a calling position where you can see for at least 50 yards in all directions and where you are protected from the backside.
- Whistle or shout to alert approaching hunters of your position. Never wave or stand up.
- Never sneak in on a turkey or use a gobbler call near other hunters. Never crowd another hunter working a bird.
- Never shoot at sound or movement.
- Use a flashlight when walking in the dark.
- Be aware of turkey "fever" and its prevention. Disregard peer pressure to bag a bird.
- Be extremely careful using turkey decoys.
- Do not wear red, white, or blue outer wear or exposed inner clothing.
- Make sure your headnet doesn't obscure your vision.
- Don't assume you are the only hunter in the area. Be certain of a companion's location.
- Know and identify your target and what is beyond.
- Discuss safety techniques with companions.
- Never assume that other hunters are responsible.
- Always keep your gun pointed in a safe direction.
- Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
- Always keep your gun unloaded until ready to use.
- Never use alcohol or drugs before or while hunting.
- Respect property rights and secure permission before hunting.
- Hunters should unload their guns when crossing fences, climbing into stands, jumping ditches or traversing steep ravines.
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Turkey tag requirements
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Because DNR Web-generated turkey licenses do not include a turkey tag, The DNR has adopted a rule allowing turkey hunters to tag wild turkeys with a piece of paper indicating the month and day of the kill and the name and address of the hunter taking the turkey.
A sample turkey leg tag is available at:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/licenses/pdf/turkeytag.pdf More Indiana turkey data:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/publications/notes/notes.htm Turkey licenses may be purchased online at:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/ DNR property information:
http://www.in.gov/dnr/destinations/list.html Wild turkey hunting regulations:
http://www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild/huntguide1/hunting1.htm ---------------------------------------
Media contacts,
Steven Backs,
State Wildlife Research Biologist,
(812) 849-4586
John Maxwell
DNR Communications
(317) 232-5648
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