The turkey harvest in Missouri during the fall firearms turkey season was quite a bit lower than last year. During the season, which ran throughout October, hunters checked 3,698 turkeys compared to 6,158 last year. The top harvest county was Greene with 128 birds.
The Missouri Department of Conservation’s turkey biologist, Jason Isabelle, says there are several factors that can be blamed for the lower number including a poor turkey hatch, above-average acorn production and a decline in hunter participation.
He says this year’s fall firearms turkey permit sales was the lowest on record since the season started in 1978.
Fall archery turkey hunting continues through November 11 and then resumes from November 23 through January 15.