NC turkey population hits all-time high
Turkeys in North Carolina are finally having their day - at least until the start of wild turkey spring season.
While overhunting and rapid deforestation at the turn of the 20th century nearly decimated the wild eastern turkey in North Carolina, restoration efforts have returned the grand bird to roam and roost across most of its traditional range. The wild turkey population, which hovered at a precipitously low 2,000 birds in 1970, has reached an all-time high of an estimated 265,000 statewide.
"Turkeys are a boom or bust species," said Chris Kreh, upland game bird biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. "When conditions are good for several years in a row, we have good reproduction. But when weather or habitat conditions are not favorable, we can get a substantial decrease. But overall, the population is increasing."
Population estimates are based on turkeys harvested each hunting season, Kreh said. In 2015, there were a reported 17,800 turkeys harvested statewide, he said. The highest harvest year happened in 2013, when 18,400 turkeys were killed during hunting season. The harvest took a slight dip in 2014, with a harvest of 16,900 turkeys.
"For the past 30 years, we've had a dramatically increasing harvest each year. The bag limit is two birds per year. As there become more turkeys to be hunted, people will take up the opportunity to hunt them," Kreh said.
"Most hunters are not successful at bagging a turkey each year. They're not easy to kill," he said. "Only 5 percent of hunters actually kill two per year, 16 percent kill one and 79 percent kill zero. If that's your only measure of success, it's pretty bad, but most turkey hunters tell you there's more to turkey hunting than actually killing a turkey."
Based on hunter surveys, Kreh said, benefits of turkey hunting include getting outside on a pretty spring day and spending time in the outdoors with family.
A statewide restoration effort began in the 1950s to trap wild turkeys from sites in North Carolina and other states and relocate them in areas where the bird had disappeared. The program ended in 2005, with turkeys flourishing in areas of mixed forest and open land habitats. Turkeys use the forest for cover, foraging, and for roosting in trees at night, and open land areas are used for foraging, mating, and brood rearing.
Now that turkeys are once again plentiful, the wildlife commission is encouraging people to take up the centuries-old tradition, or to come back to the sport if they've taken a break. To that end, the commission and the National Wild Turkey Federation are offering 24 free turkey-hunting seminars across North Carolina in March and April in anticipation of the upcoming spring turkey season.
The statewide season for male or bearded turkey is April 9 through May 7, with a youth-only week from April 2-8.
The seminars will include introductory and advanced levels and are are open to all ages on a first-come, first-served basis. Youth 16 and under need parental permission to register.
Topics will include biology, hunting methods, calls and decoys, firearms and ammo selection, camouflage clothing, and turkey cleaning and cooking techniques, said Walter "Deet" James, the wildlife commission's hunting heritage biologist.
The advanced seminars are for experienced turkey hunters, but all are welcome. The focus will be on advanced biology, and more complex hunting tactics, calls and decoys. Advanced seminars will include tips and strategies for dealing with stubborn, hard-to-hunt gobblers, as well as cleaning and cooking techniques.
The commission expanded seminar locations from eight last year to 12 this year, including two in Western North Carolina. Last year, some 2,000 people registered for the seminars.
"Our main focus is to increase awareness of, and participation in, wildlife-associated recreational opportunities, whether it's hunting or bird watching or bug collecting, we want people getting outside,” said James, who is also responsible for recruitment, retention, and reactivation of hunters. "Our (hunter) numbers have declined since 1975. We are looking at the decline and what we can do to improve."
Kreh said hunting is an important aspect of helping to conserve wild turkeys. At least 70 percent of funding for wildlife and habitat conservation comes from hunting and angling fees.
"Sportsmen and sportswomen pay the bill for wildlife and conservation management," Kreh said. "Turkeys are a tremendous natural renewable resource. Some people need some basic information on techniques, or where to go to get started. The good thing about having more turkey hunters, is people will want to protect what they love. That's a good thing for turkey population."
Want to go?
All turkey hunting seminars are 6:30-9 p.m. Following are the dates and locations for the Western North Carolina seminars:
- March 28 (Introductory) and March 29 (Advanced): Tri-County Community College, Cherokee County, 21 Campus Circle, Murphy, N.C. 28906, GPS coordinates: (35.067836, -83.966205)
- March 30 (Intro) and March 31 (Advanced): Haywood Community College, Haywood County, Freedlander Dr., Clyde, N.C. 28721, GPS coordinates: (35.525949, -82.927936)
- April 4 (Intro) and April 5 (Advanced): Caldwell County Extension Center, Caldwell County, 120 Hospital Ave. NE/Suite 1, Lenoir, N.C. 28645, GPS coordinates: (35.922477, -81.523500)
Online registration for the turkey hunting seminars is required by going to www.ncwildlife.org/sbs. Register via personal computer, not a mobile device.
For more information, contact Walter “Deet” James, the Commission’s hunting heritage biologist, at 919-707-0059 or by cell phone 984-202-1387 or email hunting.heritage@ncwildlife.org.
Visit www.ncwildlife.org/hunting and click on the “What to Hunt” link for information about wild turkeys in North Carolina.
