Missouri Archery Turkey Season

[Scott Hesterly]

Has Missouri thought about having a spring archery turkey season. Maybe between youth and the regular season?

I have been talking to some people in KS and NB where they have an archery turkey season.

[FiremanBrad]

I know some guys that have hunted the Ks early archery season. I wouldn't mind seeing Mo start one up as well!!! Issue the regular tags, same limit. If we don't fill them with the bow, you could still use them during regular season!

[Rick Wakeman]

I don't know if the MDC has ever considered an archery spring turkey season.

Larry Evans would know the answer to that one.

How is KS and NB seasons structured?

[woodsman]

UBM led an inquiry thru the CFM meetings for an Archery Turkey Season quite a few years ago.

We were told there was not enough interest to merit printing special tags, plus the cost of additional hours for CO's..

Chris

[FiremanBrad]

UBM led an inquiry thru the CFM meetings for an Archery Turkey Season quite a few years ago.

We were told there was not enough interest to merit printing special tags, plus the cost of additional hours for CO's..

Chris

Wonder if it would go over better now? Seems there is alot more interest in archery these days??

[Scott Hesterly]

I say lets give it another whirl. The use have blinds have made bowhunting turkeys very popular.

Scott

[FiremanBrad]

Yes, they have!!! I'm going to give it an honest try this season, at least until "crunch time", as much as I like fried turkey breast!!!!

[Joe Pendergrass]

not enough interest to merit printing special tags

Since the MDC doesn't have to print tags anymore that shouldn't be an issue

[Tom Dickerson]

This topic has been mentioned but is worthy of doing some research and a possible proposal at next years CFM meetings.

Do we ask for a "Special" Early Archery Only season?

Do we ask for another tag or just use the regular tags?

How are some of the other States doing that?

Is Archery legal for use during their general seasons? (other States)

Just a few questions to start.

Tom

[woodsman]

Tom... I encourage the idea of a Archery Turkey Season.

1. Early season is good. The Turkey Federation refused to support us.

2. I've only hunted Nebraska's archery season, it starts late March and then joins in with the firearms season running to late May..

I would like to suggest a secondary possibility, if all else fails. The current firearms season closes at 1 p.m... How about allowing Bowhunters to hunt ALL day..

Chris

[Col]

As I stated in another post; if guns are allowed during a season, bows should be also. I think this is a position UBM should adopt and maintain.

The only difference besides the obvious is there are far fewer hunting accidents involving bows than firearms. No one I've hunted with has ever been shot by an arrow, but I can relate more than one who has been punctured by pellets or pierced by a bullet during firearms season on both public and private lands...thankfully they're still around to share their experiences around a campfire.

[Rick Wakeman]

UBM's position has always been that if it can be hunted..it can be hunted with a bow and arrow. We are bowhunters.

Go to www.mdc.mo.gov/ the regs allow the use of bow and arrow during spring turkey season.

We have to convince the MDC that we need a separate season for spring turkey. As stated earlier, we won't be getting support from the Turkey Federation.

I believe the bow and arrow is allowed in most of the seasons in MO. The bowhunter has to buy the license and abide by the rules of that season.

[Col]

I can't interpret the regs with any degree of accuracy, but if bow is allowed along with firearms, I'm missing why we'd want/need a separate season for spring turkey. Do we want the chance to take extra turkey or just have a silent season? Is there need for further control of the turkey flock?

That'll be on what the Commission hinges its decision--the 'why' of the matter. The Federation, as everyone should know, is a lobbying group. The Commission is the determining authority. They're the ones needing convincing; it doesn't matter what MDC recommends, if you appeal to the Commission and convince them.

[Scott Hesterly]

I am a little ignorant on some of the posts above. Who is the Turkey Federation, and why would they not support us?

Sure I would like an extra turkey during the spring season, but that is not my main goal. What I would really like is a week with out guns, either before Youth season or between youth and regular season.

Ideas that might fly.

1. Archery Turkey tag, purchased by bowhunters good for turkey bow season only good for one turkey

2. Best case scenario we get an extra bird, worst case, if a turkey is tagged during the bow season, then that counts as your bird during the 1st week of season, just like the youth hunt.

3. If an archery bird counts for your total during the regular season, I would like to either see a reduced tag or just using your regular turkey tag, just like youth hunters that have passed hunter education.

Am I making sense?

Scott

[Rick Wakeman]

I believe that the Turkey Federation has been intsrumental in getting the turkey population to where it is today. Members are mostly gun hunters. Someone else may know more or correct me. Similar to Elk Federation.

Scott..you make perfect sense. The whole idea behind the archery spring turkey season is about safety! We need to find out how other states regulate their's.

[FiremanBrad]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but, I believe that the Kansas Archery Turkey Season works like this.

Archery Turkey season opens (I think) a couple of weeks ahead of the regular season. You can buy your 2 normal turkey tags, and hunt the archery season. If you don't fill a tag, or both tags, during the archery season, you can turn around and hunt with your shotgun, during the regular season....Kind of a "generic" tag, so to speak! No extra birds, just a couple of weeks head start, with no guns, and less pressure I'm sure, before the regular season.

I would imagine that it is not the Nat'l Wild Turkey Federations place, to get involved with a State's Conservation Dept's rulings as far as seasons/methods/limits, etc. They do, however, spend a bunch of money, even locally, on habitat management for the wild turkey, and are still transplanting turkeys into places that don't enjoy the population that most of Mo. has available!!! Mo. is usually the #1 state in the Union for the amount of birds tagged!!!! I believe that Tx has a higher population, but we kill more!!! I sure hope our hatch is better this year!!!

[lareva]

I think some one used my name in vain in regard to this issue so here goes: I don't particularly see anything wrong with it. However, just to play the devil's advocate here, there are so many seasons going on with the MDC that I don't think they are over excited about creating another since you are permitted to hunt with a bow for three weeks already in the spring and all during the fall archery and winter season. Printing of the tags is a no issue unless you wanted to make the spring tag strictly an archery only tag. I believe they are right in that there would not be enough archery hunters per say to justify the extra week prior to the spring season. In regard to whether or not the flock populations could stand the extra kills (?), there would not be near enough to influence that. The greater threats to the populations are weather, the lack of harvest of our small predators such as raccoons and opossums, and habitat destruction. My two cents worth. Hi yall. larry

[Rick Wakeman]

Now Larry..no one would use your name in vain :D

I was hoping that you would give us some insight from the MDC's perspective. Some one has to play the devil's advocate :rolleyes:

Is there bow only areas for spring turkey season? Wondering if some or all of the bow only areas for deer season are still bow only in the spring. If not, this would be worth pursuing.

[Tom Dickerson]

At the last CFM meeting, MDC reported the turkey population in Northern MO was down, they are not seeing the big flocks of birds as in past years. Weather during nesting season is the big reason for poor hatches the past couple of years back to back.

A lot of NWTF people I know also enjoy bowhunting so they may not be opposed? I will approach a couple with the idea?

One topic the past couple of years has been all day hunting. Since the Youth changed to that I feel it will change for all in the near future? Maybe not but I suspect it will from a lot of the discussions.

Bowhunting would have very little impact on the harvest, I feel. It would give a big safety issue to those who hunt from blinds or on public land. I need to look over the Hunter Safety Incidents to see if there is any real merit to that or just a "safer" feeling by not having to worry about a shotgun toting hunter stalking your decoys or calls. Yes, I use my shotgun sometimes, so I fit into that group.

You never know until you ask, it may be a possibility? We just need to get prepared before we ask, and this discussion is a good start.

Tom