DEC forecast on spring wild turkey hunting season: Adult gobblers could be scarce
Updated Apr 29, 2021;
Posted Apr 29, 2021
Two adult gobblers (male) wild turkeys. A female turkey is called a hen, and it is quite different from its flamboyant male counterpart. Female turkeys do the majority of incubation and caring for young chicks, and their plumage is much more camouflaged to help provide them with better security while on the nest or tending youngsters.
Facebook Share
New York’s spring turkey season kicks off Saturday in all parts of Upstate New York. Hunters will likely see lots of birds, but fewer adult gobblers (mature male birds) than usual, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
DEC forecast on spring wild turkey hunting season: Adult gobblers could be scarce
Updated Apr 29, 2021;
Posted Apr 29, 2021
Two adult gobblers (male) wild turkeys. A female turkey is called a hen, and it is quite different from its flamboyant male counterpart. Female turkeys do the majority of incubation and caring for young chicks, and their plumage is much more camouflaged to help provide them with better security while on the nest or tending youngsters.
Facebook Share
New York’s spring turkey season kicks off Saturday in all parts of Upstate New York. Hunters will likely see lots of birds, but fewer adult gobblers (mature male birds) than usual, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Turkey Hunting
New York State has both spring and fall hunting seasons. The most successful turkey hunters use a variety of calls (e.g., box calls, slate calls, mouth calls) to bring a bird within gun range (usually 30 yards or less). Head-to-toe camouflage helps hunters to stay undetected prior to the shot. Movement must only occur when the bird is behind a tree or other obstacle. Few hunting experiences can rival the excitement as a turkey approaches a hunter. Turkey hunters need to be extremely careful, however, before taking a shot.
The excitement of a turkey hunt should sharpen the hunter s awareness of key safety rules: Always identify the target before shooting, and be sure that no other person is in harm s way. Some people are tempted to try to stalk a wild turkey. Forget it! First, it is extremely difficult to approach a turkey undetected. You will be much more successful calling the bird to you. Second, stalking turkeys puts both you and other hunters at risk. Let the bir
Kalispell hunter Josh Clark set out this spring to take a Merriamâs turkey. Little did he know he would not only meet his goal, but pull off a truly unique double harvest on the same day.
Montanaâs two sub-species of turkeys are largely separated by geography, with the Eastern variety concentrated in the northwest and Merriamâs plentiful in much of the rest of the state. While each subspecies has a few distinct differences, most hunters identify the birds based on coloration, with Easterns sporting chestnut-brown tips on their tail feathers and Merriamâs having light to nearly white-tipped tail feathers.
DEC Announces Spring Turkey Hunting Seasons
Youth Turkey Hunting Weekend is April 24-25, Followed by Regular Season Opener May 1
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that spring turkey season opens May 1, in all parts of Upstate New York, north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary. In addition, DEC’s annual youth turkey hunting weekend will take place April 24 to 25. The youth turkey hunt for junior hunters aged 12 to 15 is open in all parts of Upstate New York and Suffolk County.
“Turkey hunting has long been a sign that spring is here. It also presents a wonderful opportunity for New Yorkers to get outside and enjoy the outdoors and introduce the next generation of hunters to the sport,” Commissioner Seggos said. “As hunters take to the field this spring, DEC reminds everyone to hunt safe and hunt smart by following the guidelines to support hunter safety and prevent the spread of COVID-19.”