Hunting: Bagging Big Birds
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The Eastern wild turkey population thrived from the coastal prairies to the Red River until the early 1900s when commercial hunting and loss of habitat drove the birds to near extinction. Hunting these birds was off limits until…over time…a restocking program fostered a huntable population.
14—We’ve spent a lot of time stocking birds into East Texas. We’ve had some really good success in some areas, and not as much success in others. So, we don’t have the densities that we have of Rio Grandes…and we’re trying to keep a real good record of what’s happening with that population.
Jason Hardin is the Turkey program leader for Parks and Wildlife. Rio Grande turkeys, found in most of the state are plentiful, and hunters have a four bird bag limit this spring. For Eastern turkey, the bag limit is one, and it must be checked in at one of our many official Texas Parks and Wildlife check stations.
13—And those mandatory check stations let us know every bird that was harvested. And from that, we can identify the age of the birds, where it was harvested—public land, private land. And look at how the bird’s expanding its range, or if that range is contracting.
This data collection helps Parks and Wildlife manage the species. And if you’re looking for a place to hunt for the Eastern gobbler, try a wildlife management area.
[NOTE: Pat Mayes WMA, Caddo national Grasslands, and some WMAs—on the Angelina and Sabine National Forests provide good Eastern turkey hunting.]
The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program supports our series; it’s funded by your purchase of fishing and hunting equipment and motor boat fuel. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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