THE WEEKEND HUNTER: MISSOURI TURKEY SEASON'S OVER

Well, the 2001 spring turkey season is over along with the new youth turkey season. I hope your season was safe and fun. With Missouri turkey population estimated at 500,000 to 600,000, it is considered one of the top -- if not the number one -- state for turkey hunting.

Let me give you a breakdown of the season along with some comparison of other states.

The youth season, April 1415, required a youth permit or a resident permit based on age. With 4,120 youth permits bought, the Missouri Department of Conservation is estimating that 7,000 to 10,000 kids took part in the youth season weekend. The total harvest for the youth season was 2,530 wild turkeys and with 1,697 of those considered adult gobblers and the rest considered jakes.

The Southeast Region had a total of 212 birds harvested, 133 considered adult gobblers. The three highest counties in this region were Ste. Genevieve with 39, Bollinger with 28 and Cape Girardeau with 25.

The best thing out of it all was that no accidents occurred during the youth season.

Now the breakdown for how the regular season went.

For the spring turkey season April 23May 13, Missouri residents bought 95,522 permits and non-residents bought 7,633 permits, along with the 4,120 youth permits. That puts the total around 107,275-plus hunters in the Missouri woods this spring. The April 23-May 13 total harvest was 41,196 (74%) adult gobblers, down 4,011 from 2000 season, 14,106 (26%) jakes, up 2,472 from the 2000 season, with a grand total of 55,302.

The Southeast Region had a total of 4,417 birds harvested, down 295 from the 2000 season, 2734 considered adult gobblers (62%), down 1,012 from the 2000 season, and 1,683 considered jakes (8%), up 717 from the 2000 season. The three highest counties in this region were St. Francois with 642, Ste. Genevieve with 585 and Perry with 537.

The worst thing about this season was the 10 non-fatal accidents that occurred in Missouri regular season. In the 2000 season, Missouri had no accidents.

To see how your bird stacks up in Missouri, I have put together the top birds by category taken in Missouri as of the year 2000.

TOP 10 HEAVIEST EASTERN GOBBLERS TAKEN IN MISSOURI

1. Donald Schroeder 33 lbs. 1990 Franklin Co.

2. Mark Bowlen 32 lbs. 1996 Lafayette Co.

3. Clay Bullard 30 lbs. 1995 - Montgomery Co

4. Glenn D. Vondra 29 lbs. - 1990 Mercer Co.

5. Paul Hackworth 28.5 lbs. 1983 Oregon Co.

5.Don Farris 28.5 lbs. 1986 Ozark Co.

5. Timothy C. Moore 28.5 lbs 1998 Adair Co.

6. Robert M. Elliott Jr. 28 lbs. 1985 Dallas Co.

6. Albert P. Navarre 28 lbs. 1990 Dent Co.

7. Rex E. Jones 27.75 lbs. 1989 Putnam Co.

8. Dan Garrett 27.5 lbs 1981 Dallas Co.

8. Carlton Crosby 27.5 lbs. 1989 Perry Co.

8. Gene Hostetler 27.5 lbs. 1989 Dallas Co.

8. Robert Prestrud 27.5 lbs 1989

8. Robert Prestrud 27.5 lbs - 1989

9. Carlton Cozart 27.25 lbs 1995 Morgan Co.

10. Frank S. Wissmath 27 lbs. 1966 Montgomery Co.

10. Gary Crow 27 lbs. 1984 Putnam Co.

10. Jerry Moyer 27 lbs. 1988 Texas Co.

10. Daniel R. Bray 27 lbs. 1988 Sullivan Co.

10. Bill Farley 27 lbs. 1996 Adair Co.

10. Jeff Budz 27 lbs. 1996 Clark Co

TOP 10 LONGEST BEARDS OF EASTERN GOBBLERS TAKEN IN MISSOURI

1. Mark E. Mueller 14.75 inches 1988 Gasconade Co.

2. Michael Creagan 13.5 inches 1981 Douglas Co.

2. Bill Farley 13.5 inches 1996 Adair Co.

3. Randall S. Bess - 13.375 inches 1987 Texas Co.

4. Ronald E. Pace 13.1875 inches 1995 Moniteau Co.

5. Charles M. Baker 13.125 1982 Reynolds Co.

6. Robert H. Wise 13 inches 1988 Shelby Co.

7. Todd Kallweit 12.75 inches 1989 Hickory Co.

8. Gary Penn 12.5 inches 1993 Lewis Co.

9. Gary W. Penn 12.375 inches 1998 Lewis Co.

10. Joseph Brodhacker Jr. 12.25 inches 1985 Callaway Co.

10. James H. Jackson Jr. 12.25 inches - 1986 Franklin Co.

TOP 5 LONGEST SPURS OF EASTERN GOBBLERS TAKEN IN MISSOURI

1. Bill Farley 2 inches 1996 Adair Co.

1. Mike Bielema 2 inches 1996 Putnam Co.

2. Leonard G. Stutz Jr. 1.875 inches 1997 Clark Co.

2. Jack M. Murry 1.875 inches 1995 Adair Co.

3. Dean Kreuziger 1.8125 inches 1999 Adair Co.

4. Dale R. Ely 1.75 inches 1985 Adair Co.

4. Gene Hostetler 1.75 inches 1989 Dallas Co.

4. Gee D. Pearson 1.75 inches 1989 Dent Co.

4. Jim Zawodny 1.75 inches 1991 DeKalb Co.

5. Arlin D. Baker 1.625 inches 1981 Cooper Co.

5. Gary L. Greenwood 1.625 inches 1982 Reynolds Co.

5. Vicki B. Hall 1.625 inches 1985 Laclede Co.

5. Larry D. Light 1.625 inches 1987 Marion Co.

5. Mike Mansfield 1.625 inches 1990 Monroe Co.

5. Gary Penn 1.625 inches 1993 Lewis Co.

5. Jeffrey B. Bunke 1.625 inches 1994 Macon Co.

5. Jeff Budz 1.625 inches 1996 Clark Co.

How to measure your trophy:

Weight: All turkeys must be weighed to the nearest ounce on scales inspected and certified as accurate for trade by the state department of agriculture or on an accurate scale by a licensed guide or outfitter or on the official scales of a governmental wildlife agency. Beard and spur length measurements must be made with a measuring device which is accurate to 1/16-inch. In order to standardize measurement, all measurements are to be recorded in sixteenths.

The formula for overall score is: weight (lbs. and oz.) plus 10 times spur length (r & l) plus 2 times beard length.

Beard: Each beard must be measured from the central point of protrusion from the skin to the end of the longest bristle.

Spurs: Spurs must be measured along the outside centerline, from the point at which the spur protrudes from the scaled leg skin to the tip of the spur.

TOP 10 BEST OVERALL TYPICAL EASTERN GOBBLERS TAKEN IN MISSOURI

1. Bill Farley Score 94 1996 Adair Co.

2. Mike Bielema Score 84 1996 Putnam Co.

3. Gene Hostetler Score 83 1989 Dallas Co.

4. Gary W. Penn Score 81.25 1998 Lewis Co.

5. Leonard G. Stutz Jr. Score 81 1997 Clark Co.

6. Larry D. Light Score 80.75 1987 Marion Co.

7. Mike Mansfield Score 80.375 1990 Monroe Co.

8. Sherman "Mike" Cracraft Score 80 1990 Cape Girardeau Co.

8. Don Frese Score 80 1990 Marion Co.

9. Dean Kreuziger Score 79.875 1999 Adair Co.

10. Jack M. Murry Score 79.8125 1995 Adair Co.

TOP 10 BEST OVERALL ATYPICAL EASTERN GOBBLERS TAKEN IN MISSOURI (More than one beard)

1. Mark J. Trevisano 8 Beards Score 193.129 1990 Montgomery Co.

2. Brad Baddour 9 Beards Score 178.879 1999 Douglas Co.

3. Mark Koehler 9 Beards Score 178.5 1992 St. Clair Co.

4. Matthew Beard 7 Beards Score 164.495 1999 Taney Co.

5. Kenneth Cruke 7 Beards Score 163.25 - 1999 Warren Co.

6. Todd Kallweit 7 Beards Score 161.25 1989 Hickory Co.

7. Timmy Lee Collins 6 Beards Score 156.5 1994 Holt Co.

8. Robert C Michel 6 Beards Score 155.5 1992 Daviess Co.

9. Dolan Hawkins 5 Beards Score 148.13 1985 Lawrence Co.

10. Michael Toler 7 Beards Score 146.84 1997 Dade Co.

Call 1-800-THE-NWTF for more information on registering your wild turkey.

Read The Weekend Deer Hunter at walden.mvp.net/~gam/ or South Missouri Sportsmen's Information Network at www.southmosportsmen.com.