New York Spring Turkey Hunting Season
I hope you have patterned that 3-1/2 incher since May 1 is the start of the NY spring turkey season. The weather played havoc with nesting in 2008 and consequently there was a slight decrease in harvest rates. Based on brood surveys from the last two years and harvest data, the spring ‘09 season is looking in line with the five-year average. Expect a harvest of about 29,500 birds. During this past winter, the state started the first standardized winter flock survey program. Like the spring and early summer when weather can have a big impact on turkey nesting and poult survival, winter conditions, like temperature and snowfall, can stymie the turkey population. The goal of the survey is determine long-term trends in turkey populations.
