OUTDOOR CORNER: TURKEY SEASON OPENS TOMORROW

Let's "talk turkey."

To be more precise, let's talk firearms turkey hunting in Missouri. The two-week season opens tomorrow morning, Oct. 14, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 27.

When we think of turkey hunting, the majority of us envision a spring woods coming to life with blooming dogwood trees and the unmistakable gobble of male turkeys actively searching for mates. In mid-October, you won't be seeing dogwood blossoms, in fact, the trees will more than likely be dropping their leaves and gobbling is rarely heard.

There are some other differences between fall and spring seasons. Most notable of these is the fact that not all Missouri counties are open to fall firearms turkey hunting. Of the nine closed statewide, five are located in southeast Missouri. They are: Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot and Scott.

Hunting hours for the fall season are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. During the spring season, hunters must stop at noon.

Another big difference between the two seasons is the bag limit. While both seasons allow hunters to take one bird during each of the two weeks, there are no restrictions on the sex of the birds in the fall. In the spring, hunters are limited to male turkey or turkey with visible beards.

Many hunters pursue turkey because they enjoy the challenge of calling a gobbler within shotgun range. They use the mating calls of the hen to attract the strutting, gobbling male.

As mentioned previously, it is extremely rare to hear gobbling during the fall. If you should hear a rare gobble, it most definitely will not be related to mating activity. This lack of gobbling results in one of the major differences between fall and spring hunting seasons; the level of hunter participation. While the spring turkey season is one of the most popular in Missouri, the fall turkey season lags far behind.

Harvest figures for the two seasons reflect the difference in hunting pressure. Statewide, hunters took 13,594 turkeys during the 1996 spring turkey season. Local harvest figures reflect similar numbers. Cape Girardeau County: 100 last fall, 308 last spring. Perry County checked 118 last fall compared to 352 last spring. The harvest numbers are similar throughout all the counties open to fall turkey hunting in southeast Missouri; hunters take less than 1/3 as many birds in the fall as compared to the spring season.

Some additional regulations to keep in mind for fall firearms turkey hunting: a fall firearms turkey hunting permit is required. A hunter education certificate is required for hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967. Turkeys may be taken only by shotgun holding not more than three shells in magazine and chamber combined and with no larger than No. 4. The use of dogs, bait, recorded calls and live decoys is prohibited. Turkeys must be checked at an established checking station or an adjoining open county not later than 8 p.m. CST on the day taken.

Local hunting prospects are best described as "spotty." In general, the spring hatch was mediocre in this part of the state. Juvenile birds (those hatched this past spring/summer) comprise upwards of half the fall harvest most years. That means there won't be large numbers of birds in many areas. However, there are always exceptions to the rule and turkey are no different than anything else. A hunter who is able to cover a large territory should be able to locate a huntable flock of birds.

Fall turkey hunting may be missing the dogwood blooms and gobbling activity but it has something that you won't find in the spring. Mid-October is one of the most beautiful times of the year to be in the woods. Cool temperatures and the brilliance of color splashed across the wooded hillsides combine to make an enjoyable experience.

~Gene Myers is a Missouri conservation agent in Cape Girardeau County.