CONCORD, N.H. -- New Hampshire hunters took 4,005 turkeys during the May 2015 season, 2.4% more than last year, according to N.H. Fish and Game Department Turkey Project Biologist Ted Walski. In 2014, spring turkey hunters took a total of 3,911 turkeys.
The youth hunt weekend of April 25 – 26 saw 446 gobblers taken, or 11.1% of the total. Opening day of the regular season (May 3) saw 906 turkeys registered (22.7%).
The statewide harvest was comprised of 1,358 jakes (young males, 34%) and 2,635 toms (66%), or approximately two toms harvested for each jake. The breakdown of age classes was: 34% 1-year olds, 37.9% 2-year olds, 20.1% 3-year olds, 6.7% 4-year olds and 1.3% 5+ year old birds.
Heavy gobblers were numerous during the May 2015 season. The largest were: 28.5, 27, 26.5 and 26 pounds, followed by nine that weighed in at 25+ pounds and 24 that were 24 pounds. Six gobblers had beards of 11+ inches. The two longest were 13.5 and 12.0 inches. The longest spurs on a gobbler were one of 1.5 inches and two at 1 3/8 inches.
Of the 18 wildlife management units in the state, those from southeastern New Hampshire continue to have the highest harvests. The units with the most gobblers harvested were: Unit J2 (620), Unit M (474), Unit K (445), Unit H2 (428) and Unit L (402).
The turkey harvest per town varies statewide and some towns have an impressive harvest. Four towns took 50 or more turkeys, ten towns had 40 to 49 turkeys taken and twenty-two towns had 30 to 39 turkeys taken.
Don’t forget to report sightings of turkey broods at Fish and Game’s online summer Turkey Brood Survey at http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/surveys/turkeybrood.html
For more on turkey hunting in New Hampshire, visit http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/turkey.html
No comments:
Post a Comment