Join MDC June 3 for wild turkey management webcast

May 21, 2020 at 5:17 pm Updated: May 27th, 2020 at 10:42 am

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Interested in turkey hunting, managing land for wild-turkey habitat, trends in Missouri turkey numbers, and what MDC is doing to improve wild turkey management? Join the upcoming MDC live webcast to learn more, and comment in June.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites the public to join its live Wild Webcast on Wild Turkeys and Turkey Management on Wednesday, June 3, at noon to 1 p.m. Register in advance for the live webcast at short.mdc.mo.gov/Zh2 and then join the webcast live on June 3 at noon.

During the webcast, MDC Turkey Biologist Reina Tyl will present and discuss information on wild turkey biology and ecology, the history of wild turkeys in Missouri, the state’s wild turkey population status, and the MDC Wild Turkey Management Plan revision process.

MDC is in the process of revising its Wild Turkey Management Plan to better guide wild turkey management in Missouri – including goals related to population management, habitat management, recreational opportunities, and public engagement.

MDC will be seeking public comment on its Wild Turkey Management Plan during June. To comment online in June, visit mdc.mo.gov/turkeyplan. Mail written comments to: Missouri Department of Conservation, Attention Michele Baumer, PO Box 180, Jefferson City MO 65102.

Wild turkeys were nearly eliminated from Missouri in the early 1900s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss. Today, wild turkeys can be found in every county thanks to decades of restoration efforts by MDC and numerous partners. Missouri now has one of the largest wild turkey populations in the nation and each year more than 100,000 hunters pursue and harvest about 40,000 wild turkeys in Missouri. Missouri’s turkey population reached its peak in the early-to-mid-2000s following extensive restoration efforts around the state and is currently experiencing declining numbers after several years of poor production driven by factors such as weather, habitat loss, and an increase in predators. Learn more about wild turkeys in Missouri at nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/wild-turkey.

Learn about managing land for wild-turkey habitat at mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/attracting-wildlife/better-turkey-habitat.

Learn more about turkey hunting in Missouri at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey.