MISSOURI HUNTERS BAG OVER 34,000 TURKEYS

JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri turkey hunters paid little attention to the gloomy prediction facing them for the 1992 season.

Hunters took 34,239 turkeys during the fourteen day spring season, an increase of 1,305 birds over last year's tally and the third best harvest on record.

Central Missouri carried the honors of most birds taken, 5,324; with North Central coming in a close second with 5,319.

The tabulation of the top three counties revealed the state's two largest (geographically) counties checked the most birds - Texas, 1,009; Franklin, 969; followed by Laclede with 879. Other not so pleasant statistics which accompany the turkey season are the number of accidents.

Perry County was the leader in the Southeast Missouri area, with a harvest of 319, one more than Bollinger County at 318.

Hunters harvested 258 turkeys in Wayne County and 247 in Cape Girardeau County.

Bearing in mind that one accident is too many, this year's hunting accidents showed a promising downswing. Seven non-fatal accidents were reported, down by two from last year's total.

"Last year we reported nine accidents during spring turkey season and that was the fewest we've had since 1976," said Bob Staton, hunter skills coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation. "With this year's reduction in accidents we feel we must be doing something right. We've had tremendous cooperation from the media by way of public service announcements which stress safety.

Hunting clubs and organizations are emphasizing safety, and Hunter Education students are getting updated material; all these things seem to be having a positive effect."

Staton indicated the majority of the accidents were still under investigation, but it appears all but one fit in the category "victim mistaken for game". The other accident was apparently a self-inflicted wound.

Turkey hunters bagged 22,263 turkeys during the first week of the season, in spite of below-average reproduction and a tardy spring. Hunters harvested 11,976 birds the second week.

Hunters checked 16,702 adult turkeys and 5,561 juvenile birds from April 19 through April 25.