MDC Invites Comments on Wild Turkey Management Plan

Dear Missouri Turkey Hunter –

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is in the process of revising our Wild Turkey Management Plan to better guide wild turkey management in Missouri. The new Plan includes goals related to population management, habitat management, recreational opportunities, and public engagement. We will be seeking public comment on the revised Wild Turkey Management Plan during the month of June, and we would like to invite you to provide feedback on the Plan.

Starting June 1, you will be able to visit mdc.mo.gov/turkeyplan to read the Plan and provide feedback through an online survey. You and others can also mail written comments to: Missouri Department of Conservation, Attention Michele Baumer, PO Box 180, Jefferson City MO 65102.

I also invite you to join our 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, I 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.

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.

I appreciate your interest in wild turkeys and turkey hunting here in Missouri, and I am looking forward to receiving your input on the revised Wild Turkey Management Plan.

Sincerely,

Reina Tyl
MDC Wild Turkey Biologist