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DNR predicts another record year for turkeys

April 10, 2011 at 4:44AM

Wild turkeys (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

About 50,000 hunters will take to the woods beginning Wednesday as Minnesota's spring wild turkey season opens. It's the 34th gobbler season since hunting returned in 1978 after reintroduction of the bird.

Season: Wednesday is the first of six five-day hunting periods and two seven-day seasons.

Hours: A half-hour before sunrise to sunset.

Limit: One bearded turkey.

Harvest: 13,467 in 2010, a record.

Hunter success rate: About 30 percent.

Estimated turkey population: 75,000.

Spending: Turkey hunters spent $17 million in 2005, pumping much of that into the state's rural economy.

Outlook: "It will be a record year," predicted Bill Penning, DNR farmland wildlife program leader. "It's been a rough winter, but I've not had many reports of turkeys dead, starving or in rough shape. I suspect, in general, turkeys came through the winter pretty good. And we're offering more opportunities this year than we ever have before."

Interest: Has never been higher. Last year, a record 49,458 permits were issued.

No excuse: Hunters who weren't drawn in the lottery can buy an over-the-counter license for either of the last two time periods. "Anyone who wants to go hunting has the opportunity to go hunting," Penning said.