Wild Turkey Program
Few things are as thrilling as the gobble of a wild turkey, and few places can rival Mississippi for thundering long-bearded gobblers. Mississippians have a rich tradition of chasing wary spring toms, and over the last three decades the state has consistently boasted one of the largest turkey populations in the country. With over a quarter of a million birds from the Delta to the Gulf, hunters should have no problem finding a gobbler in the Magnolia State.
Today, wild turkeys are
abundant across the state of Mississippi, but that hasn't always
been the case. During the early 1900's, due to neglect for
conservation turkeys were nearly hunted into extinction. Lack
of game laws left turkey populations exposed to year-round hunting
by both locals and market hunters. To make matters worse,
much of the state's forests were in poor condition because of early
over-harvest and misuse of timber resources. During the first
5 decades of the 20th century, the springtime woods across
most of the state were void of the sound of wild turkeys.
However, the tides began to turn for turkeys by the 1950's.
At the request of the concerned sportsmen, natural resource
professionals began to trap turkeys from isolated pockets of
habitat that still contained intact populations and move them
to other regions of the state. Their efforts were successful,
and over the course of the next few decades, turkey populations
exploded, peaking in the late 1980's. Today, the return of
the wild turkey to Mississippi and much of the rest of the eastern
United States is considered one of wildlife conservation's greatest
success stories.
Though turkeys can be found in a variety of different habitat types, proper habitat management is essential to maintaining ideal conditions for the birds. Turkey habitat management can involve a variety of practices including prescribed burning, timber harvest, creation of openings, food plots, and much more. Biologists from the MDWFP are dedicated to helping landowners create and maintain good turkey habitat. If you are interested in learning more about managing wild turkeys, visit the Wild Turkey Habitat Management page for more information, or contact one of the Turkey Program Biologists listed below to schedule a free site visit to your property.
Turkey Program
Coordinator
Dave Godwin
(662) 325-5119
dgodwin@cfr.msstate.edu
Wild Turkey Program
Biologist
Adam Butler
(601) 695-6795
AdamB@mdwfp.state.ms.us
Rules & Regulations
Turkey Management
Additional Resources
- Spittin' & Drummin' - Mississippi Turkey Program Reports
- NEW! 2012 Spittin' and Drummin' Report! (Large File - Please Be Patient)
- NEW! Turkey Records Registration Form
- An Alarming Trend - Declines in Turkey Reproduction (Outdoors 'N Mississippi magazine)
- Spring Gobbler Hunter Survey
