Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that young turkey hunters in Missouri harvested 2,712 birds over the past youth weekend, April 4 and 5.
Top harvest counties were Miller with 74 birds checked, Franklin with 62, and Callaway and Sainte Genevieve with 60 each. Young hunters checked 2,546 turkeys during the 2019 spring youth weekend.
The regular spring turkey season remains open as scheduled and runs April 20 through May 10.
Hunters who harvest their first turkey can have the accomplishment recognized through a special certificate from MDC, complete with a photo.
Haleigh Fike (above), age 14, of Harrisburg was among young hunters who harvested their first turkey during last weekend’s youth turkey hunting. She took the 22.1-pound adult gobbler during an MDC managed youth hunt at the Green Conservation Area in Boone County. It had a 10.5-inch beard
