Missouri Turkey Season 2009

Off to a bleak start, I was out scouting Saturday with my grandson Cody, Not only did we not see any, we couldn't even to get them to talk to us. I tried everything from mouth reeds to squawk boxes. Since it wasn't season yet I even pulled out the electronic turkey call.

We had a lot of rain to contend with and I got soaked, so we gave up and went to Swopes Drive In in Rich Hill, MO for a peanut butter shake. On the way beck we did see one hen out in a field off Highway V.

The Missouri Conservation Department is predicting a bleak year for turkey hunters.
They are blaming the weather, seems the late freezes and flooding, over the last several years has decreased the turkey population in Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas. Several other states have had similar problems. I guess they haven't got the message from Al Gore about the whole global warming thing.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission says the spring Turkey season may be slow. The leading cause for the lower number of turkeys is poor weather during the reproductive times. According to experts at the AGFC it may take several years for the turkey numbers to get back to pre-2008 levels

"Conservative seasons and improved gobbler survival in 2007 increased
the 2008 spring turkey harvest. However, preliminary brood surveys do
not bode well for the 2009 and 2010 seasons." AFGC 2007-08 Annual Harvest Report.

hunters will probably have to work a little harder to harvest the birds they use to just sit and call in. Better practice up on your turnkey calling skills.