The TPWD is seriously considering doing away with the eastern wild turkey season in 15 East Texas counties by 2012. The turkey program obviously hasn’t been successful. They are also considering a super stocking format of new wild turkeys rather than doing away with the hunting season.

According to the Tyler Paper, spring only hunting season on wild turkeys hasn’t generated much interest, especially because hunters are well aware of chicken and egg syndrome and don’t want to hurt populations even more. Native wild turkey populations were eliminated by the 1920’s thanks to forestry in eastern Texas. In the 1950’s efforts to restock the population began.

By the 1970’s eastern wild turkeys were on the rise and there was a surplus. A wild turkey stamp was created to help fund the program. Over $3.5 million was spent on restocking turkeys up to 1995 when hunting seasons opened.

Now the turkey program is showing signs of being unsuccessful again. The wild turkeys have only proven to flourish in three counties and have maintained numbers rather than increase in forested areas where aggressive burn programs were implemented.

The TPWD doesn’t really want to close the program, but it’s clear it’s struggling. For now, Stephen F. Austin State University is working with the department with experimental measures, hoping to increase numbers and keep the program open. They are learning that only controlled burns are helping clear enough proper habitat to support wild turkeys. At the last minute they are getting an education. Your elected officials are the ones that will have to release funds to continue restocking birds. 

There’s one year left before the program closes either way, so let’s hope the stocking of wild turkeys on lands in east Texas works this time and a real hunting season can commence.

Read more here.

This photo is courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory.