Turkey Management Gets Fair Review

Arkansas turkey hunters are fairly satisfied with management of the birds and with regulations for hunting them, but they would like an earlier start to the spring season.

These were among the conclusions found in a recent study by Responsive Management, the Virginia-based company that has done a number of survey projects for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

The survey found that 23 percent of Arkansas hunters went after turkeys, third behind deer hunters and squirrel hunters. Rabbit hunters and waterfowl hunters ranked behind turkey hunters. Forty-one percent of turkey hunters had been in the field seeking the wily birds in each of the last five seasons.

They hunted an average of 10 days a season and nearly all hunted on opening day. Only 21 percent tagged a turkey during any one season. Eight percent got the statewide limit of two turkeys in a season.

Two-thirds of Arkansas turkey hunters used private land, 19 percent used public land and the others used a combination of private and public land.

Turkey hunters were divided on whether the numbers of birds had increased or decreased in their areas. Increases were noted by 35 percent, decreases by 38 percent and numbers were about the same for 22 percent.

Turkey management in Arkansas was rated as excellent by 13 percent of hunters, good by 38 percent, fair by 25 percent and poor by 17 percent. Turkey hunting regulations in the state are satisfactory to 67 percent of hunters but 24 percent are dissatisfied.

The later opening date of recent years, however, was opposed by 52 percent of hunters, who said they wanted an earlier start in April. But 32 percent supported the later date. When surveyors explained the biological reasons for the later starting date, the opposition dropped to 46 percent. Hunters were split on the question of adding more days to the end of the spring season.

The current rule of not allowing jakes or young turkey gobblers to be taken was approved by 71 percent of hunters.

Eighty-one percent of hunters said they saw gobblers either during scouting or in actual hunting. Average number seen was four.

Outdoors on 10/30/2014

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