The statewide turkey hunting season opens on Saturday, March 25 and runs through Monday, May 15, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

"This year will likely be a good hunting season as we are still getting reports of abundant turkeys from many areas of the state. However, there will be fewer young gobblers available because for two of the past three years, we have had the lowest poult production since we began monitoring in 1980," says WRD Wild Turkey Project Coordinator Chris Baumann."This lack of young gobblers means it will be tougher to bag a bird, since the younger birds typically are the first birds harvested during the season."

Georgia has one of the longest turkey seasons in the United States. Hunters may harvest male turkeys only and the bag limit is three gobblers per season. Hunters choosing to pursue wild turkeys on private land always should obtain permission from the landowner before hunting. A valid hunting license and big game license is required to legally hunt wild turkeys. If hunting on a wildlife management area (WMA), a WMA license also is required. Wild turkeys legally can be hunted with shotguns loaded with No. 2 or smaller shot, any muzzleloading firearm, longbow, crossbow or compound bow.
The comeback of the wild turkey is one of the great Georgia conservation success stories. Statewide, these birds now number approximately 350,000; but as recently as 1973, the wild turkey population was as low as 17,000.

Intensive restoration efforts, such as the re-stocking of wild birds and increased emphasis on biologically sound hunting seasons, have helped re-establish turkeys in suitable habitat in every county. This resurgence is due to the efforts of private landowners, hunters and conservation organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The Georgia Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), in partnership with WRD, has approved more than $2.3 million since 1985, and over $251,000 during the past year, on projects that benefit wild turkey and other wildlife. There are 99 state chapters of the NWTF and membership totals more than 13,000.
For more information on turkey hunting in Georgia, visit the WRD website at www.gohuntgeorgia.com .

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