Nick Oakley, the Turkey program leader for the Missouri Department of Conservation, delivered a webinar covering various aspects of turkey conservation and hunting in Missouri. He discussed the history and biology of turkeys in the state, noting their successful conservation efforts. The turkey population grew significantly over the years, but there have been recent declines in harvest numbers.
Oakley explained that turkey population management involves considering factors like harvest rates, hen survival, and habitat quality. He emphasized the importance of habitat improvement to increase turkey numbers. He also mentioned a decline in hunter participation and youth engagement, highlighting the need for more opportunities and mentorship in hunting.
The presentation touched upon potential regulatory changes for both spring and fall turkey hunting seasons, including the possibility of extending shooting hours in spring and reducing the bag limit in the fall. Public input is being sought before any changes are proposed.
In summary, the webinar discussed turkey conservation, hunting trends, and potential regulatory adjustments to balance conservation efforts with hunting opportunities in Missouri.
1. The speaker, Nick Oakley, is the Turkey program leader for the Missouri Department of Conservation.
2. He aims to protect and manage wild turkeys and provide opportunities for people to use, enjoy, and learn about them.
3. The Missouri Department of Conservation's mission statement serves as his guiding principle.
4. The turkey population in Missouri was only a few thousand birds at the turn of the 20th century, but it has since grown significantly.
5. The first spring hunting season took place in 1959, with a total of 94 turkeys harvested.
6. The turkey population experienced a period of tremendous growth after the first hunting season, and then some contraction.
7. The harvest increased from 94 birds in 1959 to over 60,000 birds in 2004, and then declined to around 34,500 birds in 2021.
8. The harvest serves as a good indicator of the turkey population's health.
9. The production, or the number of poults each hen has on average in Missouri, has shown a decline.
10. The production has gone through three primary phases: the restoration phase, the exponential growth phase, and the maintenance phase.
11. Carrying capacity is a term biologists use to describe the point at which a population can sustain itself long term. This varies across the landscape.
12. The decline in production seems problematic, but it is expected and a sign that the population may be at or near current capacity.
13. To increase the population, research has shown that we first need to figure out what is behind the low production seen in recent years.
14. Wild turkeys employ a lek mating system, where gobblers perform displays for females, and females then choose the best male to mate with.
15. The majority of non-dominant gobblers do have the ability to breed should they get that opportunity.
16. The season structure and harvest in Missouri are sustainable.
17. Hunter participation has been on the decline for several years, especially among youth hunters.
18. Common barriers to entry for new hunters include the lack of mentors, lack of time to hunt, and lack of opportunity to hunt.
19. Hunting and hunters form a powerful advocacy base that we all benefit from.
20. The most straightforward way to increase opportunity would be to extend shooting hours.
21. Missouri is one of only a few States in the region that does not allow all-day hunting during the Spring.
22. The fall season in Missouri is generally more liberal than the spring season, with a longer season length and a larger bag limit.
23. Hunter participation in fall hunting has declined significantly since its peak in the late 1980s.
24. The majority of regulatory changes being considered for the fall season deal with ways to reduce the bag limit from four to two.
25. A decrease in fall harvest will not have a significant impact on the turkey population moving forward.
26. The Missouri Department of Conservation is seeking public input on a suite of possible regulatory considerations for the spring and fall seasons.