Governor’s Invitational Youth Turkey Hunt This Weekend

By Jim Low, Missouri Dept. of Conservation

First posted on 04-03-2009

Ten youths from throughout Missouri have been selected to participate in the state’s first Governor’s Invitational Youth Turkey Hunt this weekend, April 3-5, in Jefferson City. The event is sponsored by the Missouri State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), the Conservation Federation of Missouri and the Missouri Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus. The Missouri Department of Conservation will host turkey-hunting seminars on Friday and Saturday afternoons, and Conservation staff and volunteers will guide some of the hunts.

The youths’ hometowns include: Cassville, Chillicothe, Columbia, Florissant, Fulton, Kirksville, Warrenton and Winona.

YOUTH SPRING TURKEY SEASON BACKGROUND

Spring turkey hunting in Missouri will be kicked off by a two-day, youth-only turkey season for Missouri residents age 15 and younger on April 4-5. The goal of the youth-only season is to kindle the turkey-hunting spark in young hunters by giving them a “head start” on turkey hunting. The regular spring turkey season runs April 20-May 10.

In 2008, 21,595 hunters age 15 and under had spring turkey permits for the two-day youth season and 2,898 birds were harvested.

Individuals ages 11-15 who have hunter education certification may hunt with a regular spring turkey hunting permit. Individuals under age 12 who are not hunter-education certified may hunt with a youth deer and turkey hunting permit. The youth permit carries the stipulation that, while hunting, the youth must be in the immediate presence of a properly licensed adult who has hunter education certification.

Individuals ages 15 and younger, who are immediate household members of a resident landowner or qualifying lessee, can use a resident landowner spring turkey permit, which is only valid on their own property.

During the youth-only season, hunters may harvest only one bird. Shooting hours during youth season are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. This differs from regular spring turkey season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m.

Like other hunters, youth hunters are restricted to killing male turkeys or turkeys with visible beards. All birds must be checked through the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Telecheck system.

More information about the youth-only spring turkey season or about the regular spring season can be obtained at your nearest Missouri Department of Conservation office or online at http://www.mdc.mo.gov/793.

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