Turkey numbers expected to be low

Shackelford County hunters can expect another subpar spring turkey season.

“The numbers are way down,” game warden Jacob Mort said. “Turkey numbers have been down the past few years, and there’s no sign of that improving right now.”

Statewide,theoutlookis somewhatbrighter.According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the early spring green-up and mild winter could make for a productive season.

The season in the North Zone opens Saturday, March 30 and runs to Sunday, May 12.

Youth 16 and younger wereallowedtobagturkeys last weekend and will be given a second exclusive weekend May 18-19.

Mort said there are no new regulations this year. Hunters must be licensed and have an Upland Game Bird Endorsement. All turkey must be tagged with a tag from the hunter’s licenseuponharvest,andin a secure manner anywhere on the turkey.

“The annual bag limit is four, and that includes fall and spring,” Mort said.

The TPWD reported most of Texas experienced a bump in production and recruitment in 2023 following fall2022,whichhadlots ofacornsacrosscentraland east Texas, and early green up coupled with warm late winter conditions across most of the Rio Grande wild turkey range. Hunters can expect to see many young birds this spring, with a large number of jakes setting the stage for anincreaseinmaleharvest in 2025 and beyond.