The Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky., Art Lander column: hunters hoping weather is jake

By Art Lander Jr.

Mar. 30, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
An earlier than normal opening of Kentucky's spring wild turkey season could benefit hunters, if the weather cooperates.

"Fewer hens will be nesting when the season opens and that could be an advantage for hunters," said Steven Dobey, wild turkey biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "If we have good weather I think we'll have a good season, but if it's a long, cold spring, turkeys may not be as active."

The spring season opens on Saturday, April 12. By regulation, hunting always begins on the Saturday closest to April 15.

With warming temperatures, the season could open as breeding gets cranked up, and gobblers are collecting hens into harems.

"Gobblers will come to calling at that time, and younger birds (2 year-old longbeards) will still be in bachelor groups," Dobey said.

Despite sub-par reproduction in recent years, wild turkey flocks appear to be doing well in most of the state. Dobey said he believes the statewide population (pre-nesting) is just over 200,000 birds.

"Flocks are still growing in some counties," he said.

Since the 2002 season, harvest totals during the spring season haven't fluctuated much. The record harvest occurred in 2006, when hunters took 28,834 birds. Last spring's kill was 25,723.

Hunters are killing a high percentage of adult gobblers. Dobey said there are two factors at work.

"Hunters are a lot more selective, and holding out for adult birds, and there are fewer jakes (juvenile gobblers) in the population," he said "Last season 16 percent of the gobblers taken were juvenile birds (with beards less than three inches in length). In 2001, juveniles made up about 30 percent of the kill."

Last April's two-day severe freeze killed a lot of turkey eggs in the nest, but most hens re-nested.

"Nesting success was lower than we'd like to see," Dobey said. "Our summer brood survey data revealed moderate nesting success, with about 1.9 poults per hen."

Turkey densities and hunter harvest are highest in west Central Kentucky. Last season, Ohio County led the state in harvest with 501. Muhlenberg was second with 457, and Butler was third with 449.

"The lower Green River region has excellent turkey populations and lots of public land," Dobey said.

North Central Kentucky counties with high harvests include: Owen, 422; Pendleton, 420, and Shelby, 309.

"Kentucky has great turkey hunting opportunities," Dobey said. "We're getting a national reputation."

Between 2000 and 2005, 75 percent of successful turkey hunters in Kentucky killed one bird, and 25 percent took two birds.

"We sell about 70,000 turkey permits and I think we have about 85,000 hunters participating in our spring season," Dobey said, "but we're not certain how many (license exempt hunters) are hunting on their own land."

Volunteer for the summer brood survey

Hunters and landowners who want to participate in the wild turkey summer brood survey should telephone the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at (800) 858-1549 and ask to be sent a survey form.

"The idea is to keep track of turkey poults and hens observed in July and August," said Steven Dobey, the department's wild turkey biologist. "Then mail in the pre-paid form."

The information from the voluntary survey helps biologists evaluate nesting success, and manage turkey populations.

"We divide the state into a west, central and east regions," Dobey said. "We'd like to get 500 to 1,000 survey reports from each region."

Dates, bag limits

Wild turkey hunters take to the woods in two weeks, on Saturday, April 12, with the opening of Kentucky's spring season, which runs through Sunday, May 4.

During the 23-day statewide season there's a two-bird bag limit, but only turkeys with visible beards may be taken.

Turkeys bagged during the two-day youth-only season, April 4-5, for hunters 15 years of age and younger, count toward the spring season bag limit.

Spring turkey permits are $20.

Youth hunters, 12 to 15 years of age, have the option of buying a youth turkey permit for $15. The license may be used for an entire license year, but is valid for only one turkey. The youth permit was first available during the fall 2005 season.

Children under 12 are not required to possess a hunting license or turkey permit. All youth hunters, hunting turkeys with firearms, must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older) while in the field.

Longbows, recurve bows, compound bows, crossbows, and shotguns (no larger then 10 gauge or smaller than 20 gauge, with shot no larger than No. 4) are legal for spring turkey hunting.

For the complete regulations on spring turkey hunting, go to www.fw.ky.gov.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0115-24117713