Hunting Archery Duck Deer

Turkey season opens later this month in Georgia.

The season opens on Saturday, March 25 and runs through Monday, May 15, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

“This year will likely be a good hunting season as we are still getting reports of abundant turkeys from many areas of the state. However, there will be fewer young gobblers available because for two of the past three years, we have had the lowest poult production since we began monitoring in 1980,” says WRD Wild Turkey Project Coordinator Chris Baumann. “This lack of young gobblers means it will be tougher to bag a bird, since the younger birds typically are the first birds harvested during the season. ”

Georgia has one of the longest turkey seasons in the country. Hunters may harvest male turkeys only and the bag limit is three gobblers per season. Hunters choosing to pursue wild turkeys on private land always should obtain permission from the landowner before hunting. A valid hunting license and big game license is required to legally hunt wild turkeys. If hunting on a wildlife management area (WMA), a WMA license also is required. Wild turkeys legally can be hunted with shotguns loaded with No. 2 or smaller shot, any muzzleloading firearm, longbow, crossbow or compound bow.

The comeback of the wild turkey is consider by many to be one of the great Georgia conservation success stories. Statewide, these birds now number approximately 350,000; but as recently as 1973, the wild turkey population was as low as 17,000. Intensive restoration efforts, such as the re-stocking of wild birds and increased emphasis on biologically sound hunting seasons, have helped re-establish turkeys in suitable habitat in every county. This resurgence is due to the efforts of private landowners, hunters and conservation organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation.

WRD urges hunters to review the following turkey hunting season safety precautions:

· Never wear red, white, blue or black clothing when turkey hunting. Red is the
color most hunters look for to distinguish a gobbler’s head from a hen’s blue-colored head. Male turkey feathers and the top of a male’s head are black and white. Camouflage should be used to cover everything, including the hunter’s face, hands and firearm.

· Select a calling position, such as the base of a tree that provides at least a
shoulder-width background. Make sure at least a 180-degree range can be seen.

· Do not stalk a gobbling turkey - he has keen eyesight and hearing and the chances of getting close are slim, however, a moving hunter following a gobbling turkey has an increased chance of being mistaken for game.

· Be careful using a turkey call. The sound and motion may attract other hunters.
Do not move, wave or make turkey-like sounds to alert another hunter to your presence. Yell in a loud voice so that the other hunter knows you are in the area.

· Be careful when carrying a harvested turkey from the woods. Do not allow the wings to hang loosely or the head to be displayed in such a way that another hunter may think it is a live bird. If possible, conceal the turkey in a blaze orange garment or other material.

· Hunters always should wear blaze orange when moving to and from their vehicle and hunting site. Also, anytime a hunter is moving between hunting sites they should have blaze orange on their upper bodies to lessen the chances of being mistaken for game.

Wild turkey hunters must possess a valid hunting license and a big game license to legally hunt turkeys in Georgia. If hunting on a wildlife management area (WMA), hunters also should possess a WMA license. Sportsmen and women always should be sure to get permission from the landowner before hunting on private land. Only male turkeys may be harvested and the season bag limit is three gobblers.