JEFFERSON CITY - According to preliminary data from Missouri Department of Conservation, young turkey hunters harvested 1,723 turkeys during the 2018 spring youth season, April 7-8. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 51 turkeys harvested, Miller with 43 and Maries with 43.
Young hunters checked a little more than 4,000 turkeys during last year's youth weekend.
In Callaway County, the harvest topped out at 23 adult gobblers, eight juvenile gobblers and no bearded hens.
Total harvests in Audrain County were six birds, Boone had 27 and 13 in Montgomery. Cole County's harvest was 28 birds overall, while Moniteau was 17.
MDC's turkey biologist, Jason Isabelle, said the drop in harvest can be attributed mostly to unseasonably cold temperatures that weekend and for much of spring thus far.
"Weather was the biggest contributing factor to this year's low youth turkey season harvest," Isabelle said. "Temperatures that were well-below average probably made it difficult for young hunters to spend as much time hunting this past weekend as they would have with more seasonal temperatures."
Isabelle also noted in addition to cold temperatures, spring has been slow to get here this year causing turkeys to be a little behind schedule as far as the winter flock break-up.
"When turkeys are still flocked up as they are in much of the state right now, it can make for some very challenging hunting," he said. "With warmer temperatures in the forecast, hunting conditions should be much more favorable for the upcoming regular spring turkey season."
For county-specific information on turkey harvest, visit MDC online at extra.mdc.mo.gov/widgets/harvest_table/.
The regular spring turkey hunting season starts Monday and runs through May 6, For more information, get a copy of MDC's 2018 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold or at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/files/downloads/2018springturkey.pdf.
Hunters who harvest their first turkey can have the accomplishment recognized through a special certificate from MDC, complete with a photo. Learn more at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/trophies-certificates/certificates.