Missouri is blessed with an abundance of wild turkeys. The Missouri Department of Conservation estimates the spring breeding population to be 450,000 birds strong -- a lot of turkeys, indeed; certainly when compared to the populations in other states.

Poor poult production in recent years may have cut back on turkey harvests, but Missouri still boasts a phenomenal population of birds. The MDC pegs the state’s turkey population at 450,000 birds. Photo by Steve Gulledge

However, when you consider that those same 450,000 birds are scattered over 44 million acres in 114 Missouri counties, your head might start spinning. Furthermore, spring turkey harvest numbers in Missouri have been on the decline for the past 10 years, and the 2008 harvest was the lowest of the last decade, with 43,416 turkeys taken. Poor poult production over the past several years has left hunters pursuing older age-class gobblers -- 3 years old and up. Veterans of the spring hunt, these old toms aren’t easily lured into shotgun range.

If your goal is to bag a spring gobbler in 2009, you’ll first have to develop a game plan.

The most important part of a consistently successful turkey hunter’s plan: selecting a destination with promise well in advance of the season. Once you’ve got at least some idea of what county or area to hunt, you can begin scouting. This allows time to pinpoint where the gobblers are roosting, strutting, feeding and breeding before opening day arrives.

Missouri Game & Fish has done the homework for you. Here’s a run-down of Missouri’s hottest spring turkey-hunting areas.

TOP FIVE COUNTIES
If you’re serious about filling your spring turkey tags this year, consider the following seriously. It can be overwhelming to try to figure out just where you want to begin your gobbler-getting adventure. We’ve taken a look at the top five counties in Missouri in terms of spring turkey harvests over the past three years. Franklin County led the state with 2,620 birds killed over the past three spring seasons. Texas County came in second with 2,537, Callaway third with 2,249, Ste. Genevieve fourth with 2,173, and Osage fifth with 2,127. Two reasons for the consistent success that hunters have realized in these five counties include prime habitat and stable poult production.

Habitat for wild turkeys is suitable throughout the Show-Me State, and you can go to just about any region of Missouri and expect to find some birds with a little legwork. However, the top five counties in harvest numbers over three consecutive years have one thing in common in terms of habitat: Each has a good mix of timber and fields. This combination provides good roosting areas, food sources, strutting areas, nesting sites and brood-rearing habitat for wild turkeys. This brings us to another point: poult production.

Missouri’s turkey production has been very poor for the past several years, which has really put the hurt on the state’s overall turkey numbers and harvest totals. All regions of Missouri have suffered poor poult survival, but there are always certain locales that sustain production throughout these difficult times. We can only assume that after multiple years of poor production statewide, the top five counties have fared better than others across the state in terms of turkey production. Hunters should concentrate on these counties that seem to have improved -- or at least sustained -- turkey numbers.