Alva Review-Courier -

This Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14, will be youth spring turkey hunting season in all of Oklahoma. Youth hunters age 17 and younger have the first chance to harvest a gobbler during these two days ahead of the regular spring turkey season, which runs from April 16 to May 16 statewide.

Wild turkey numbers held steady or improved slightly from last year, said Bill Dinkines, Chief of Wildlife for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

The Wildlife Department is engaged in a five-year, $2 million research project with Oklahoma State University to research turkey population declines and what can be done long-term to manage turkey populations. The research is focusing on demographic parameters of turkeys at sites in southeastern and southwestern Oklahoma, and genetic variation in wild turkeys across the state. Specifically, researchers are examining nesting success, nesting site characteristics, and cause-specific mortality of poults and hens. Researchers are seeking help from hunters again this year. They are in need of wild turkey tissue samples from counties across Oklahoma. For details, email [email protected].

Also, hunters are reminded that one of the most helpful things they can do to support wildlife biologists in current turkey research, along with conservation and management efforts, is to purchase a hunting license, whether they intend to hunt or not. Each hunting license sold secures federal matching funds normally at a rate many times the price of the license, giving ODWC more resources to fund wildlife conservation.

For hunters preparing to pursue a tom turkey, here are some current regional insights from an ODWC biologist in the field.

Northwest Region

(Report by Eddie Wilson, Wildlife Senior Biologist)

Current gobbler activity: Winter flocks have broken up; the toms are with hens. Toms are currently gobbling, strutting and breeding hens.

Condition of habitat: Habitat conditions are currently dry throughout most of the northwest. Native vegetation is greening up and winter wheat is in good shape. Vegetative cover is heavy due to good rainfall last summer, so there is plenty of nesting and escape cover available.

Reports from landowners or scouting hunters: Landowners are saying bird numbers are still down overall, but numbers appear to have stabilized over the past year. Winter flocks broke up earlier than normal this year. Some hunters have reported seeing hens starting to nest.

Wildlife Management Area best bets: Canton, Fort Supply, Sandhills and Cooper WMAs are all areas to consider when it comes to finding a spring gobbler. Be sure to check out all of the property enrolled in Oklahoma Land Access Program located throughout the northwest. Some of these properties offer excellent turkey hunting opportunities.

Tips for success: Pre-scout the areas you choose to hunt if you can. Hunt later in the day to catch toms after they have split up from hens in the morning.

Mistakes to avoid: Be patient when calling birds; give them plenty of time to respond to calls. Avoid calling too often.

Opening-day expectations: Bird numbers are still much lower than they were five to ten years ago. Success may take some luck; however, opening day should provide hunters plenty of opportunity to bag a bird. Be courteous to your fellow hunters and hunt safe!

Oklahoma’s spring turkey season bag limit is one bearded turkey per hunter statewide. While bearded hens are technically legal to harvest, hunters should take every effort to identify those bearded female birds and only target the males.

Hunters have access to hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands open to wild turkey hunting. In addition, the Oklahoma Land Access Program offers walk-in access to private lands leased by the Wildlife Department.

To find out about license requirements, field tagging, E-check, and other turkey hunting requirements, consult the current Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations found online at wildlifedepartment.com, on the Go Outdoors Oklahoma free mobile app for Apple or Android devices, or in print across the state wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold.