Maryland’s turkey hunters reported taking 3,008 wild turkeys during the 2006 spring turkey season according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service (WHS). The total harvest fell 4 percent below the 2005 record-high harvest of 3,136.

"Turkey populations are in excellent shape and continue to provide quality hunting opportunities across the State," said Paul Peditto, Director, Wildlife and Heritage Service. "This year’s harvest is consistent with the average harvest for the last seven years."

Annual surveys conducted by WHS indicated that reproductive success was below average across Maryland in the summer of 2005. Over 83 percent of this year’s harvest included adult gobblers. In a typical year, adults make up about 70 percent of the kill.

According to WHS Biologist Bob Long, "While there are fewer young turkeys (jakes) in the current population, 2-year-old turkeys produced during the record-high reproduction of 2004 are plentiful. These likely comprised a large portion of the harvest."

Maryland’s junior hunters experienced good weather during the youth hunt that took place on April 15, resulting in a harvest of 168 turkeys. This 1-day hunt allows hunters ages 16 and younger to hunt with an unarmed adult before the regular season opens when hunter pressure is minimal and gobbling activity is at its peak.

As in the past, a large portion of the harvest (44 percent) occurred during the first week. While most hunters took their birds on private land, 18 percent were taken on Maryland’s public hunting areas.

The western mountain counties of Garrett (342), Washington (340), and Allegany (331) led the state in harvest this spring. Dorchester (265), Worcester (253), Charles (227), and Somerset (204) counties also supported respectable harvests, demonstrating that high-quality turkey hunting can be found in most regions of the State. All-time high harvests in counties such as Talbot, Harford, Baltimore, Caroline, and Kent suggest that populations continue to grow and expand in some areas, providing additional recreational opportunities for Maryland’s sportsmen and women.

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I was several days into a 10-day hunt in the Groot Winterhook mountains of South Africa's eastern cape. I already had an nyala, duiker, eland, baboon, 3 black wildebeest, 2 blue wildebeest, a black springbok and a mountain reedbuck. Next on my list was a blesbuck pair, one male and one female.