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WV HUNTERS HARVEST 1,100 TURKEYS |
| (12/12/2019) |
| West Virginia turkey hunters harvested over 1,100 birds during the fall season. According to preliminary figures provided by the Division of Natural Resources, 1,113 birds were harvested. “As reported in the 2019 West Virginia Mast Survey and Hunter Outlook, this yearÂ’s wild turkey brood observations were down slightly from last year, and we predicted the fall turkey harvest would also be lower,” said Mike Peters, DNR game bird biologist. According to a press release from DNR, 2019's fall turkey harvest is 8 percent below the 2018 season and the 10-year average. The number of birds harvested this year is on par with a typical fall season. DNR says another contributing factor to 2019's fall turkey harvest relates to mast conditions, which where slightly above long term average. “Good mast conditions can disperse birds across the landscape and make it more difficult for hunters to harvest a bird,” noted Peters. Peters said this is the fourth year all 55 counties in the state had at least a one week season and the second year hunting was permitted on Sundays in the state. "This increase in opportunity seems to be having little impact on our wild turkey populations. ” Leading the state was Greenbrier County with hunters harvesting 65 birds, followed by Randolph with 61 birds, Upshur with 59 birds, Monroe with 56 birds, and Nicholas County with 51 birds harvested, according to DNR. All of these counties had a four-week season, except Upshur County which had a two-week season. District 3 harvested 284 birds, followed by District 4 with 248 birds, District 1 with 186 birds, District 6 with 151 birds, District 2 with 130 birds and District 5 with 114 birds harvested. |
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