The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is in the process of revising its Wild Turkey Management Plan to better guide wild turkey management in Missouri. The new Plan includes goals related to population management, habitat management, recreational opportunities, and public engagement. MDC will be seeking public comment on the revised Wild Turkey Management Plan during the month of June, and would like to invite the public to provide feedback on the Plan.
Starting June 1, you will be able to visit mdc.mo.gov/turkeyplan to read the Plan and provide feedback through an online survey. You can also mail written comments to Missouri Department of Conservation, Attention Michele Baumer, PO Box 180, Jefferson City MO 65102.
Wild turkeys were nearly eliminated from Missouri in the early 1900’s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss. Today, wild turkeys can be found in every county thanks to decades of restoration efforts by MDC and numerous partners. Missouri now has one of the largest wild turkey populations in the nation and each year more than 100,000 hunters pursue and harvest about 40,000 wild turkeys in Missouri. Missouri’s turkey population reached its peak in the early-to-mid-2000s following extensive restoration efforts around the state and is currently experiencing declining numbers after several years of poor production driven by factors such as weather, habitat loss, and an increase in predators
