Changes Made To Oklahoma Turkey Seasons As Population Declines

Oklahoma’s turkey population is declining and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is making drastic changes to the state’s turkey seasons to help turn that around.

The National Wild Turkey Federation said weather, habitat and predators are factors, but said ODWC can help through regulation changes.

ODWC proposed new bag limits and new season dates and during a special meeting this week, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission approved the changes, which go into effect this fall.

In the fall, hunters will be allowed to harvest one male turkey, using only archery equipment or a shotgun. ODWC is also eliminating hen harvests.

The spring turkey season will now start two weeks later, running from April 16 through May 16, with youth season being held the weekend before.

ODWC said it's following neighboring states, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas in this move. It said the later start to the spring turkey hunting season can influence long-term turkey population health and will protect dominant, mature males during peak breeding.

The spring season bag limit is also being lowered from three male turkeys statewide to one statewide.

When turkey numbers started to decline in southeastern Oklahoma about 10 years ago, the wildlife department made similar changes to bag limits and season dates to eight counties. But data shows even with those changes, the turkey population in those areas, for the most part, continues to drop.

According to ODWC winter flock surveys, between 2018 and 2021 the turkey population in southwest Oklahoma declined 67%, it dropped 55% in northwest Oklahoma, northeast Oklahoma saw a 12% dip, while southeast Oklahoma’s turkey population declined by 14%.

The wildlife department reached out to hunters for feedback on the changes and received an all-time high survey response with more than 5,000 comments.

Rick Newman, who lives in Oklahoma City, but hunts across Oklahoma, spoke out against some of the changes during Monday’s special meeting.

He told the commissioners the survey responses don’t represent a majority opinion. He suggested reducing the spring season bird limit to two male turkeys and splitting the state into different zones, with different regulations for areas with high turkey populations.

“I support the science behind this initiative and I’ve done a lot of research myself,” Newman said. “I just don’t want us to go all the way to last step first if that’s possible.”

ODWC Director J.D. Strong said the turkey season rule changes were extremely difficult decisions.

“I'm confident that the proposal passed today gives us the best chance of improving our wild turkey population while at the same time providing our hunters with the most opportunity possible,” Strong said.

ODWC said the department is investing $1.3 million to research the state's turkey population.

“That will help augment our understanding of the complex dynamics that go into a thriving turkey population," said Strong. “I am really grateful for all the great work by our biologists in providing the best data available, the unprecedented amount of public comments from passionate hunters, and the thoughtful deliberation by our Wildlife Conservation Commission. We can always review and adjust as we closely monitor reproductive success, hunter harvest and other measures going forward.”

The wildlife department said it will take a minimum of three years to know if the changes are making a difference.