Start Planning Spring Turkey Hunting Vacations

Interested in taking advantage of some of the best spring turkey hunting in the nation? Start planning your spring vacation. The Conservation Commission approved recommendations for the 2009 spring turkey season at their December 19th meeting.

The youth portion of the spring turkey season will be the weekend of April 4th and 5th. As in previous years, youth must be 15 years old or younger to participate. Youth will continue to have the option of hunting all day, a change that was first implemented last year. The youth spring turkey season offers a great chance to introduce youngsters to the outdoors. Missouri is a national leader in recruitment of new hunters, and opportunities for youth participation have been a key part of our success.

The regular spring turkey season begins Monday, April 20 and ends Sunday, May 10. Bag limits and hunting hours are unchanged from last year. Hunters may harvest two birds but only one turkey can be taken the first week of the season. This regulation has proven very successful in distributing first-week hunting pressure and harvest.

While turkey populations have been affected by less-than-ideal nesting conditions the past few springs, Missouri continues to offer some of the best spring turkey hunting in the nation. Review the numbers in Missouri’s 2008 Wild Turkey Status Report.

Permit prices remain unchanged. Resident spring turkey permits are $17.00 and the non-resident permit cost is $175.00.