CWSMACKDOWN
12-23-2004, 10:34 AM
2004 Fall Wild Turkey Harvest
The unofficial fall wild turkey harvest in 2004 was 1,295, according to Paul R. Johansen, Assistant Chief of Game Management in the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The kill was 30 percent lower than the 1,841 reported in 2003 and was the lowest fall harvest since 1967.
The top five counties during the fall season were Monroe (164), Greenbrier (138), Preston (125), Hampshire (122), and Hardy (114). Of the four Division of Natural Resources (DNR) districts open to fall hunting, District 2 in the Eastern Panhandle had the highest kill with 485 birds reported, followed by District 4 in the southern part of the state with reports totaling 302. District 3, which contains the Monongahela National Forest , ranked third with 266 birds checked, and last was District 1 in northern West Virginia with 242 birds reported. Of the four districts open to fall hunting, the kill was up 15 percent in Districts 1 and 2, with lower kills reported in Districts 3 and 4.
“We have observed a 4-year decline in our combined fall and spring harvests in West Virginia ,” said Johansen. “The primary cause for the decline in harvest this year was due to 25 percent fewer counties open to fall hunting and abundant oak mast in many areas, which made it more difficult for hunters to locate birds.”
When the harvest is compared to last year in counties that were open both years, the kill declined 4 percent. A lower number of counties were open this fall because two poor brood years in succession has lowered the base population in many areas of the state. Although brood production was better this year than the preceding two years, production was still poor in the high mountain counties where the Monongahela National Forest is located. Poor brood years and severe winter weather, especially during the winter of 2002-2003, have reduced the base wild turkey population here more than any other area of the state.
The Division of Natural Resources is presently researching the gobbler population to find answers to better regulate the wild turkey resource. A five year harvest chart by county follows.
West Virginia Fall Turkey Harvest, 2000-2004.
County 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Barbour 20 58 C C C
Brooke 32 30 23 18 12
Hancock 10 8 33 9 12
Harrison 46 59 51 C C
Marion 21 35 39 C C
Marshall 34 27 28 16 35
Monongalia 35 36 43 30 C
Ohio 20 17 16 21 17
Preston 119 246 238 126 125
Taylor 10 27 35 C C
Tucker 32 85 80 22 41
Wetzel C 18 C C C
Dist. I Subtotal 379 646 586 242 242
Berkeley 21 32 27 30 43
Grant 64 131 136 65 69
Hampshire 76 138 139 116 122
Hardy 79 140 119 89 114
Mineral 40 74 65 38 56
Morgan 20 33 36 20 31
Pendleton 60 150 110 63 50
Dist. II Subtotal 360 698 632 421 485
Lewis 46 89 77 C C
Nicholas 56 181 161 81 99
Pocahontas 112 201 161 100 49
Randolph 108 256 197 81 65
Upshur C 100 98 C C
Webster 37 96 85 31 53
Dist. III Subtotal 359 923 779 293 266
Greenbrier 146 304 308 245 138
Monroe 128 174 203 184 164
Summers C 77 C C C
Dist. IV Subtotal 274 555 511 429 302
Mason 55 132 103 97 C
Putnam C 72 C C C
Dist. V Subtotal 55 204 103 97 0
Doddridge C 45 29 C C
Gilmer C 37 C C C
Jackson C 99 C 100 C
Pleasants 8 10 26 C C
Ritchie C 56 C 64 C
Tyler 17 38 C 38 C
Wirt 34 82 65 77 C
Wood 55 112 77 79 C
Dist. VI Subtotal 114 479 197 358 0
Unknown 0 0 0 1 0
State Total 1,541 3,505 2,808 1,841 1,295
C = Closed to Fall Hunting
The unofficial fall wild turkey harvest in 2004 was 1,295, according to Paul R. Johansen, Assistant Chief of Game Management in the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The kill was 30 percent lower than the 1,841 reported in 2003 and was the lowest fall harvest since 1967.
The top five counties during the fall season were Monroe (164), Greenbrier (138), Preston (125), Hampshire (122), and Hardy (114). Of the four Division of Natural Resources (DNR) districts open to fall hunting, District 2 in the Eastern Panhandle had the highest kill with 485 birds reported, followed by District 4 in the southern part of the state with reports totaling 302. District 3, which contains the Monongahela National Forest , ranked third with 266 birds checked, and last was District 1 in northern West Virginia with 242 birds reported. Of the four districts open to fall hunting, the kill was up 15 percent in Districts 1 and 2, with lower kills reported in Districts 3 and 4.
“We have observed a 4-year decline in our combined fall and spring harvests in West Virginia ,” said Johansen. “The primary cause for the decline in harvest this year was due to 25 percent fewer counties open to fall hunting and abundant oak mast in many areas, which made it more difficult for hunters to locate birds.”
When the harvest is compared to last year in counties that were open both years, the kill declined 4 percent. A lower number of counties were open this fall because two poor brood years in succession has lowered the base population in many areas of the state. Although brood production was better this year than the preceding two years, production was still poor in the high mountain counties where the Monongahela National Forest is located. Poor brood years and severe winter weather, especially during the winter of 2002-2003, have reduced the base wild turkey population here more than any other area of the state.
The Division of Natural Resources is presently researching the gobbler population to find answers to better regulate the wild turkey resource. A five year harvest chart by county follows.
West Virginia Fall Turkey Harvest, 2000-2004.
County 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Barbour 20 58 C C C
Brooke 32 30 23 18 12
Hancock 10 8 33 9 12
Harrison 46 59 51 C C
Marion 21 35 39 C C
Marshall 34 27 28 16 35
Monongalia 35 36 43 30 C
Ohio 20 17 16 21 17
Preston 119 246 238 126 125
Taylor 10 27 35 C C
Tucker 32 85 80 22 41
Wetzel C 18 C C C
Dist. I Subtotal 379 646 586 242 242
Berkeley 21 32 27 30 43
Grant 64 131 136 65 69
Hampshire 76 138 139 116 122
Hardy 79 140 119 89 114
Mineral 40 74 65 38 56
Morgan 20 33 36 20 31
Pendleton 60 150 110 63 50
Dist. II Subtotal 360 698 632 421 485
Lewis 46 89 77 C C
Nicholas 56 181 161 81 99
Pocahontas 112 201 161 100 49
Randolph 108 256 197 81 65
Upshur C 100 98 C C
Webster 37 96 85 31 53
Dist. III Subtotal 359 923 779 293 266
Greenbrier 146 304 308 245 138
Monroe 128 174 203 184 164
Summers C 77 C C C
Dist. IV Subtotal 274 555 511 429 302
Mason 55 132 103 97 C
Putnam C 72 C C C
Dist. V Subtotal 55 204 103 97 0
Doddridge C 45 29 C C
Gilmer C 37 C C C
Jackson C 99 C 100 C
Pleasants 8 10 26 C C
Ritchie C 56 C 64 C
Tyler 17 38 C 38 C
Wirt 34 82 65 77 C
Wood 55 112 77 79 C
Dist. VI Subtotal 114 479 197 358 0
Unknown 0 0 0 1 0
State Total 1,541 3,505 2,808 1,841 1,295
C = Closed to Fall Hunting