General Information for 2008 Spring Turkey Hunters
Wild turkeys may be pursued, taken, killed, possessed or transported only as outlined in this booklet. For complete hunting regulations, refer to the Wildlife Code of Missouri.
Shooting Hours:
1/2 hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. Central Daylight-Saving Time
Methods:
The following are allowed during the spring firearms turkey hunting season:
- a shotgun with shot not larger than No. 4
- a longbow or compound bow. Hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed.
The following are prohibited:
- shotguns holding more than 3 shells in magazine and chamber combined
- shot larger than No. 4 (in use or in possession)
- a bow fastened to a stock or other device that maintains the bow in a drawn position
- any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game
- use of dogs, recorded calls or live decoys
- use of bait, which includes grain or other feed placed or scattered so as to attract turkeys. An area is considered baited for 10 days even after complete removal of the bait. A hunter can be in violation even if they did not know an area was or is baited. It is illegal to place bait in a way that causes others to be in violation of the baiting rule.
Tagging and Checking:
All turkeys must be tagged immediately after harvest and checked by 10 p.m. on the day taken using the Telecheck system.
Safety Sticker Requirement:
All hunters using a shotgun must affix the “Be Safe” sticker to the receiver of their gun so it will be in their line of sight when shooting. The sticker must be maintained on the gun while hunting. Stickers are available wherever permits are sold.
Note:
- Any hunter who kills or injures a turkey must make a reasonable effort to retrieve and include it in their season limit, but this does not authorize trespass.
- It is a violation to wantonly leave, abandon or waste commonly edible portions of game.
- Anyone using a turkey call to assist another hunter must be properly licensed with either a filled or unfilled spring turkey hunting permit.
Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit
The Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit, $17, is available to all youths age 6 through 15. During the permit year, it allows resident youths to take one male turkey or turkey with visible beard during either the youth spring turkey season or the regular spring turkey season, and also one turkey of either sex during the fall firearms turkey season. Nonresident youths may participate in the regular spring and fall turkey seasons, but not the youth spring season. The permit also is valid for one deer during the fall firearms deer season.
Note: Youths hunting with this permit are not required to be hunter education certified; however, they must be in the immediate presence of a properly licensed adult who has a valid hunter education certificate card.
- “Immediate presence” means close enough for normal conversation, without shouting.
- “Properly licensed” means a valid filled or unfilled spring turkey hunting permit.
- “Adult” means someone age 17 or older.
- “Valid hunter education certificate card” means the adult must be hunter education certified, regardless of the adult’s age.
Note: Resident landowners or lessees born before Jan. 1, 1967, accompanying youths on the landowner’s property or property on which the lessee is residing are exempt from the hunter education requirement.
Youths who purchase a Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit, but who turn age 11 later in the permit year and obtain hunter education certification, may surrender unused portions of their youth permit and purchase regular firearms deer and/or turkey permits for the fall seasons. However, there are no refunds for surrendered portions. Youths must abide by the appropriate season dates, methods and tagging/checking requirements.
Hunter Education Requirement
All hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, and hunting with a Resident or Nonresident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit must complete an approved hunter education program and display their card before they can purchase a firearms turkey hunting permit unless they first purchase an Apprentice Hunter Authorization.
Hunters who are hunter-ed certified do not have to show their card if certification can be verified through the permit vendor’s computer terminal. A Missouri Conservation Heritage Card with a hunter education number is an acceptable hunter education certificate card.
A person must be at least 11 years old to receive hunter education certification. Those under age 11 may not purchase regular firearms deer or turkey hunting permits. Persons hunting with either a Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit or a Resident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit are exempt from the hunter education requirement.
How Turkey Season is Set
Last year, the formula for setting spring turkey season was changed to strike a balance between the biology of turkey reproduction and hunters’ desires for an earlier season, especially in southern Missouri.As a result, the season now begins on the third Monday in April, which moves the average opening date up three days from what it was two years ago.
The change should not have a measurable impact on turkey reproduction or harvest, and continuous incubation by some hens should still coincide with the opening date.
The youth season opens nine days before the regular season, except when that would make it fall over the Easter weekend. In that case, the youth season will begin the weekend before Easter.
Cloud Cover, Rain Effect Gobbling
Turkeys are more likely to gobble on days with clear skies, according to a statewide study conducted last spring. The average number of gobbles observed diminished with the amount of cloud cover. This means that you probably will hear fewer birds if you are hunting on overcast days than if the sun was shining.
Also, gobbling frequency decreased the day after a rain by almost 75 percent. Therefore, your best bet for preseason scouting is to listen for gobbling on a sunny morning following a dry night.
Coyotes
Coyotes may not be chased, pursued or taken during daylight hours from April 1 through April 20. They may not be hunted at all from April 21 through May 11.
Help Stop Feral Hogs
Feral hogs destroy wildlife habitat, compete with native wildlife for food, and spread diseases to people, pets and livestock. They are a menace that must be eradicated.
A feral hog is defined as any hog, including Russian and European wild boar, that is not conspicuously identified by ear tags or other identification and is roaming freely on public or private land without the landowner’s permission. If you kill a feral hog on public land or on private land where you have permission to hunt, you are not liable if someone later claims to own the animal. It is illegal to release feral hogs on public land or on private land that is not fenced to contain them.
Feral hogs may be killed in any number at any time. During most of the year,
no permit is required and any method, including baiting and the use of dogs,
is allowed. However, during the youth and regular spring turkey hunting seasons,
special restrictions
apply.
During the youth and spring turkey hunting seasons, to kill feral hogs you must:
- possess a valid, unfilled turkey hunting permit
- only use methods allowed for taking turkeys.
Note: Resident landowners on land they own and lessees on land they reside on may use any method to take feral hogs at any time without any permit.
Report sightings of feral hogs to the Conservation Department at (573) 522-4115, ext. 3147. Get more information about feral hogs, the problems they cause and the diseases they spread.
