All hunters age 15 and older are required to have a west virginia hunting or sportsman license and a valid form of identification while hunting. Hunters can harvest one bearded bird per day with a. Tom hampton, southwest regional lands and facilities manager, adds that both crooked creek and clinch mountain wmas have good turkey hunting. South charleston, wv woay turkey hunters in west virginia can anticipate increased harvest opportunities during this years spring gobbler season, scheduled to open monday, april 20. Sagegrouse hunting for general, archery, and falconry seasons is by permit only. The maryland department of natural resources announced that the statewide spring turkey season will kick off saturday, april with junior turkey hunt day. Its a yearly indicator that the woods will soon turn green, and the gobblers will sound off like the playing of the national anthem before game time. Wbp wild turkey season dates season dates inclusive open counties hunter choice number quota special regulations and information march 25 may 7, 2017 unit 101 of elko county 100 5 march 25 may 7, 2017 units 102 and 065 of elko county 101 12 march 25 may 7, 2017. Now, the dec reports an estimated total turkey harvest based on surveys of approximately 12,000 turkey permit holders after the close of the hunting season. West virginia division of natural resources biologists make spring harvest predictions by looking at brood reports from two years earlier because the average harvested gobbler is a 2yearold bird. Checking fall and spring turkeys wild turkeys killed in the fall except those killed in january must be checked at a game check station. Turkey hunting regulations virginia hunting seasons. A free residentsonly access permit is required to hunt archery turkey in adams homestead and nature preserve in union county and good earth state park near sioux falls. West virginias spring gobbler season opens april 15 wv.
Spring gobbler season opens april 15 sports register. After you have received your license, the access permits may be applied for only. Hunters may kill only one bearded turkey per day and are limited to two per season. Spring turkey hunting season news, sports, jobs marietta. Hunters may kill only one bearded turkey per day and two during the season. Weather conditions during the popular lottery seasons likely impacted harvest in 2018. Comment on 20202021 migratory game bird hunting seasons federal frameworks and staff recommendations. One footnote that must be mentioned for the 2015 virginia spring gobbler season is. West virginia hunting seasons, 20192020 hunting season hq. Spring turkey season dates bag limit youth private and authorized state and federal public lands. Spring gobbler season in west virginia opens monday, april 17, and state officials are predicting a good season boosted by the 2016 cicada emergence.
Sep 29, 2010 west virginia s turkey hunters could find little solace in last years decentbutnotgreat spring gobbler harvest. Bear, deer and turkey tag validation and checking requirements. Also of note, the spring 2018 season was five days shorter than 2017 season due to calendar dates. Persons ages 16 and older may not hunt turkeys during the youthonly season. Check the 201617 hunting regulations for specific details on this season. Murder hornets are coming but probably not for you. West virginia spring gobbler season set to open grand view. Canadian hunters see rules for importing firearms for hunting. As described in decs wild turkey management plan pdf, dec has changed the way that seasonal turkey harvest is reported. Turkey spring 2020 bearded only 122 6 1 y a m 0 2 l i r p a turkey 2020 youth season see page 43 april 18 april 19 1 counts towards spring season bag limit of two squirrel gray, black, albino and fox september 14 february 29 6 24 none. Wild turkey north carolina wildlife resources commission. Tags hunting, spring gobbler season, turkey season, west virginia. Upland game bird hunting california department of fish. Two turkeys of either sex, both may be taken on the same day.
Last years take was 6 percent greater than 2017, and more than 10 percent above the 10year average. South zone wild turkey hunting hours from may 7 20, 2018 are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Sportsmen bagged,374 toms during the fourweek season the sixth highest total on record, and respectable by any estimation. Even the most avid vagabond gobbler geek can only chase his spring passion for about weeks assuming an early start in florida and a june finish in maine.
West virginia dnr setting of spring gobbler season. Advertisement hunters may kill only one bearded turkey per day and two during the season, which runs through saturday, may, according to gary foster of the w. Any combination of male turkeys, or female turkeys with visible beards, may be included in this twobird season limit. West virginias turkey hunters could find little solace in last years decentbutnotgreat spring gobbler harvest. Virginia spring gobbler season reels in a new state record. The fourth monday of april spring gobbler season opening date was designed to protect the wild turkey hen resource in west virginia and to permit spring hunting recreation on bearded wild turkeys.
The spring gobbler season is scheduled to open on april 20, the youth season is expanding to two days and turkey hunters can anticipate increased harvest opportunities. Children ages 15 and younger may hunt turkeys during the youthonly hunting weekend and the general spring season. For the first part of the regular hunting season, april 18may 9, hunting is allowed from one halfhour before sunrise until noon. On an upside, west virginia does have good public land opportunity with 500,000 stateowned acres and another million under u. This is because the bird taken during the youth season counts as the first bird for the first week of the regular season. Spring turkey hunters should enjoy quality spring gobbler hunting in 2017 throughout the commonwealth, according to gary norman, dgif wild turkey project leader. Peak gobbling typically coincides with peak nest incubation. Across the state, the numbers are already 18,269, beating last years season total of 16,950. To obtain these free access permits, you must first purchase the spring archery turkey license. The spring harvest is the benchmark the experts go by to determine the virginia turkey population and with this record year, it is believed to be at record levels. Sportsmen bagged,374 toms during the fourweek season the sixth. For years the department has conducted a statewide survey of spring turkey hunters to collect their observations and opinions, but participation has been declining.
West virginia hunting seasons, 20192020 west virginia offers several big game hunting seasons through the beautiful appalachian mountains. Apr 09, 2020 south charleston, wv woay turkey hunters in west virginia can anticipate increased harvest opportunities during this years spring gobbler season, scheduled to open monday, april 20. By the end of the spring turkey season on may 15, 2017, a total of 427 turkeys were checked. Virginia spring turkey hunt on national forest 2016 duration. West virginia spring gobbler season set to open grand. Youth may also hunt during the regular spring turkey season. The 2019 harvest was 11% higher than last years harvest.
Wild turkey weight certification form pdf how to score your gobbler. Murder hornets are coming but probably not for you gear. Check out a few of the most popular seasons and regulations here, and learn more with the georgia department of natural resources, wildlife resources division. A hunter may take a male turkey or a turkey with a visible beard. The 2020 forecast indicates a stable population of birds statewide. Apr 26, 2017 spring turkey hunters should enjoy quality spring gobbler hunting in 2017 throughout the commonwealth, according to gary norman, dgif wild turkey project leader.
The average maryland spring turkey hunter has hunted turkeys in the spring for 16 years and hunted seven days during the 2017 season. Turkey season west virginia division of natural resources. For more information on hunting dates in your region, visit the virginia. One male turkey or turkey with visible beard youths who take a turkey during the youth season may not harvest a second bird until april 27. Taking elk counts towards a hunters deer permits and bag. West virginias spring gobbler season opens april 17. General information bag limits general one per day, three per license year, no more than two of which may be taken in the fall. The season bag limit was two bearded turkeys one turkey per permit and per day. Spring turkey hunters needed for ruffed grouse drumming survey. Peak gobbling in virginia normally occurs in early may based on field surveys. When using a shotgun it is unlawful to use or have in possession any shot larger than number 2 fine shot during spring turkey season. Resident limited entry spring wild turkey hunt 01 bonus point code.
Forty percent of respondents have hunted spring turkeys for more than 20 years, but a significant number 35 % have hunted less than 10 years. In the past, dec only summarized the number of birds actually reported by hunters. Spring turkey season one per day, bearded turkeys only. The department of game and inland fisheries announced a harvest of 17,929 turkeys during the 2019 spring gobbler season table 1. All hunters can try to bag a bird during the regular statewide spring turkey season, april 18may 23. The 2019 youth and apprentice weekend harvest was 623 birds, higher than 2018 465, but similar to the 2017 harvest of 627 birds. Wild turkeys now exist in all 100 counties in the state and all 100 counties now have a spring gobbler season. Gobbling rates decline as the spring season progresses tagged birds and hunting pressure are cited factors. Aptly named the mountain state, west virginia gives hunters the opportunity to hunt in majestic solitude while pursuing deer, bear, turkey and small game. The date of the season was based on the earliest time a season could be opened and still provide some protection of wild turkey hens. The wild turkey population has increased from an estimated 2,000 birds in 1970 to an estimated 265,000 birds in 2015.
The spring turkey harvest in 2018 was 10,705 turkeys. Virginia hunting seasons, 20192020 hunting season hq. Ap the west virginia division of natural resources says spring gobbler season will open monday and run through may 24. The hunting season start and end dates vary by animal, weapon, and sometimes location. Tennessee turkey hunt 2017 opening day monster gobbler duration. Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest 1 gobbler of choice any age per day, 3 per spring season. West virginias spring gobbler season opens april 20 woaytv.
Onehalf hour before sunrise to onehalf hour after sunset. No more than two 2 birds may be taken per spring season. Its also important for traveling hunters to note, spring turkey hunting closes at 1 p. Hunting hours were 30 minutes before sunrise to noon during the first two weeks, and 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset during the last two weeks of the season. Season opening date closing date bag limit fall wild turkey. Spring turkey hunters harvest 3,861 gobblers may 30, 2018 five counties report record harvests the maryland department of natural resources announced today that hunters reported harvesting 3,861 wild turkeys during the 2018 regular spring and junior hunt turkey seasons. Many west virginia hunters experienced some great mornings during the 2018 turkey season, as the kill of 12,274 was the best in 15 years. Spring turkey hunter characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors.
The spring gobbler survey report for the 2016 season gives our best forecast for the upcoming season. Sep 15 2020 to nov 2020 nov 25 2020 to jan 15 2021. A turkey harvested that day counts toward the season limit of two. April 23 may 19, 2001 shooting hours onehalf hour before sunrise to 1 p. Once youve been to the mountaintop, its hard to come back down. During both spring and fall seasons, you must report taking a turkey within 7 days, via the decals online harvest reporting system or by calling 18664263778. As the 2017 spring turkey hunting season nears, the nwtf offers up the annual spring hunt guide as an overview of each states upcoming wild turkey hunting season.
Maryland spring turkey hunter survey results summary. As a bonus clinch mountain has barrier free trails for mobility impaired sportsmen. Archery and fall firearms season one per day, either sex may be taken. In total, 65,486 spring permits were issued in 2017, a 1. Youth hunters under the age of 18 who would like to experience spring gobbler hunting are encouraged to participate in the special oneday youth season, which will be held saturday, april 15. Overall 2017 brood production was on par with a typical year, meaning the 2019 spring gobbler season should produce a typical harvest. The 2020 spring turkey hunting statebystate forecast. Apr 27, 2017 tennessee turkey hunt 2017 opening day monster gobbler duration. The spring turkey permit is valid for the general spring season and allows a hunter to harvest up to the spring season bag limit of turkeys. South zone wild turkey hunting hours from april 23 may 6, 2018 are 30 minutes before sunrise to noon. Floridas osceola season is one of the first spring hunts of the year.
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