ShareYou don’t have to be a kid to get really excited about bagging your first bird.
JEFFERSON CITY–With youth turkey season in the rear-view mirror and the regular, three-week season coming up fast, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters they can create lasting memories with the First Turkey Award.
The First Turkey Program provides [...]

Share(Watch out for the jakes in the woods this weekend: Youth Turkey hunt March 31 – April 1)
Improved reproduction last year, plentiful acorns
and a mild winter all favor a rebound of turkey numbers.
JEFFERSON CITY–Mild winter and early spring weather shifts the balance a little more in favor of a population rebound for Missouri’s wild-turkey flock, [...]

ShareSUMMERSVILLE—Hunters who customarily use the refuge area at Peck Ranch Conservation Area (CA) will need to make alternate plans again this year, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).
MDC closed the refuge portion of Peck Ranch CA to public access, including spring turkey hunting, in 2011. The closure was designed to prevent possible disturbance [...]

ShareBy Jo Schaper
If you’re like me, of a “certain age” and brought up in Missouri, you probably remember Missouri Department of Conservation 16-millimeter films being shown in public school. These were fifteen to thirty minutes long and a welcome occasional break from days of books, pencils and paper. (Yes, you young’uns, back in the [...]

ShareIt couldn’t have happened to a more deserving fellow.
Called “America’s Premier Turkey Hunter” by The Wall Street Journal, Ray Eye has communicated his expertise on turkey hunting and the outdoors for more than three decades.
The Hillsboro, Mo., native was named the 2012 NWTF Communicator of the Year Award on Feb. 11 at the 36th [...]

ShareArchery deer, turkey harvests up from last year
Counties bordering urban areas had the biggest totals.
JEFFERSON CITY–Bowhunters posted increases in both deer and turkey harvests during Missouri’s 2011-12 archery deer and turkey hunting seasons, topping the previous year’s figures by more than one-third
Hunters checked 52,671 deer during the four-month archery season. That is an increase of [...]

ShareTurkey hunters have until Feb. 29 to apply for managed hunts during Missouri’s 2012 spring turkey season. All 19 managed turkey hunts are listed in the “2012 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information” booklet. The booklet, along with other information on spring turkey hunting, is available online at www.mdc.mo.gov by searching “Spring Turkey Hunting.” The [...]

ShareNext year’s youth spring turkey hunt will be earlier than usual.
JEFFERSON CITY–Hunters can start planning for next year’s turkey and deer seasons, thanks to recent actions by the Missouri Conservation Commission.
At its Dec. 15 meeting in Jefferson City, the Commission approved 2012 turkey-hunting regulations similar to 2011. The regular spring turkey season will run from [...]

ShareAn increase in this year’s fall firearms turkey harvest could be the first concrete evidence that Missouri’s wild-turkey population is recovering.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Telecheck database shows that hunters checked 7,077 turkeys during the fall firearms turkey season Oct. 1 through 31. Top harvest counties were Greene, with 209 turkeys checked, Franklin with [...]

ShareWeek two of preparing for my Missouri hunting excursion, I must confess I am getting excited about hunting. The word-hunting trip, hunting talk, and deer season are becoming common terms in our house; even my three year old is learning bits and pieces about hunting.
Sadly this week I was unable to meet up with [...]