Only the production in the West Prairie region was well below its 5-year average. Efforts are currently being undertaken to increase brood survey participation in all regions within the state with special focus on those regions with questionable return numbers. Wild turkey hen production varied on 2 study areas in the south-eastern Ozarks during the spring of 1999. These results emphasis the fact that turkey production can be highly variable, even between areas in close proximity of one another and underscore the necessity for long-term data to help provide insight into population fluctuations. Since 1983, volunteer archers have recorded the number of wild turkeys, deer, and furbearers seen while bowhunting in October and November.
Populations are in very good shape throughout the state.
Hunters during the 1999 spring season encountered many jakes. Consequently, there should be a large number of 2-year olds available for harvest during the 2000 spring season. The quality of the spring hunt should remain high, and may even improve in most of the state over the next couple of years. Spring turkey harvest, age structure in the spring harvest, population indices, hunter success, and hunter opinions and attitudes provide the information needed to determine whether spring turkey hunting quality is being impacted. These variables are being monitored closely.