Turkey hunters reported harvesting nearly 11,400 Iowa birds this spring through the mandatory registration system, which is about 300 birds fewer than were harvested in 2018. Iowa’s spring turkey seasons began April 5 with the youth season and ended on May 12. Hunters purchased 47,400 spring turkey tags.

Photo courtesy of the Iowa DNR.

Iowans can help the DNR with its annual turkey production estimates by reporting all the turkeys seen during the months of July and August. The DNR will have a link to the survey on its website before it begins on July 1, where Iowans can provide the date and county in which the turkey was seen, if it was an adult female or adult male (males have beards on their breast), and whether there are young poults (baby turkeys).

Annual production surveys conducted by the DNR are an important component of the species management plans, which includes providing hunting opportunities.  Anyone seeing turkeys is encouraged to participate in this online survey.