WV Numbers

[eddie234]

West Virginia Hunters Harvest 9,038 Spring Turkeys in 2015
            SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Spring Gobbler hunters electronically checked in 9,038 gobblers this year, slightly lower than the number checked last year, according to Keith Krantz, Turkey and Upland Game Biologist for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The 2015 spring gobbler season was the first season in which West Virginia hunters could use either the telephone, Internet or license agent to check in an animal.
            "For the most part, hunters seemed to embrace being able to electronically register their gobblers," Krantz said. "Very few issues were reported given the magnitude of this change. However, because we don't know yet if the check-in rate changed between systems, comparing harvest figures between seasons is problematic."
            Youth hunters checked in 383 gobblers during the youth season held April 25. Mason County had the highest reported harvest of 21, followed by Preston County with 15 and Jackson and Logan counties with 14 each.
            Of the six DNR districts in the state, District 1 in the northern part of the state recorded the most birds checked with 1,835, followed by District 4 (1,726), District 6 (1,675), District 5 (1,510), District 3 (1,399) and District 2 (893). While District 1 had the highest harvest, District 4 in the southern part of the state had four counties in the top 10, more than any other district.
            Preston County in District 1 led the state with 333 gobblers checked. Mason County followed with 313 birds checked. Rounding out the top five were Jackson County (264), Wyoming County (257) and Harrison and Wood counties each with (247).
            "Above-average fall mast crops in 2014 and great weather this spring should ensure good poult survival, which in turn increases the population for future harvests," Krantz said.

[CT Spur Collector]

Me and my buddy beat them ridges HARD in Barbour and Preston this year for 6 days. I worked probably 8 different toms without getting a bead on any! Could have shot a gaggle of jakes.........gonna be a bunch of 2 year olds in our area next year!

Also heard they might move the opener up a week in 2016, like 4-18-16? 


Anyone verify that?

tks.

[Deputy 14]

Yes, season is opening a week earlier next year. Hopefully that helps a little.

[West Augusta]

It was a "different" year here in West Virginia.  Had a blast chasing these mountain birds.

[KYFrid]

One of my hardest springs here in the central part of the state. Looking forward to fall season.


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[Hillbilly yelper]

Was on 30+ gobblers, and only able to call in 4....seems like they were coming in about 100 yards then move back out! Great gobbling this year but the birds didn't work well!

[eddie234]

It's just seems that most other states have double the numbers.not sure if its because we have fewer turkeys and or hunters. Ohio killed 17000.

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[TauntoHawk]

There were several poor hatches in a row in the North East which kind of culminated with reduced numbers of mature birds this season, fortunately last springs hatch was great and left a ton of healthy jakes in the woods and this spring is turning into favorable hatch conditions so we should have some good harvest numbers in the next few years.

The weather was a bit weird this year with the cold hanging on long into April and then by mid May it went the other way into unseasonably hot and dry. It just seemed to mess with the birds or at least the hunters a bit trying to figure out what stage of their breading cylce they were in at any one point in time.

[WVhuntEER]

It's just seems that most other states have double the numbers.not sure if its because we have fewer turkeys and or hunters. Ohio killed 17000.

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I'm not sure but hunting in flat country vs mountains is a whole different ballgame.   It's definitely harder to setup or get to the birds when you have a vertical slope to deal with.  JMO

[CT Spur Collector]

Was on 30+ gobblers, and only able to call in 4....seems like they were coming in about 100 yards then move back out! Great gobbling this year but the birds didn't work well!

Agree, good gobbling, called in a ton of jakes, should have a great batch of two year olds next spring.  Just seemed that the big toms were running with hens all day.  Could get them interested but not close enough to the gun bbl.

Tough terrain too, always on top of them or below them, leaves you little time to think and or shoot!

Love hunting the great state of "By God WV" !!

From a Pa boy.......you folks are by far some of the friendliest people I've ever met!!   See you next spring!

[wvmntnhick]

Worked quite a few. Saw 34 this year. Only 8 of which were jakes. I believe several made it through. Should have had my two birds easy but missed two. I'd manage to get a nice one though. First double bearded bird. Was real nice to be out but these small wood lots are sure making things tough. Hard to hunt birds that prefer to frequent the neighbors property. Had a blast either way though.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Does anyone have anything official from the state that the season will open earlier next year ?  I did not see it listed as one of the proposed changes.  The proposed season dates for 2016  were April 25-May21 from what I read. 

[Ihuntoldschool]

Okay, I finally found it in the Charleston Gazette, 3rd Monday in April instead of 4th Monday in April. 

[aaron]

It's just seems that most other states have double the numbers.not sure if its because we have fewer turkeys and or hunters. Ohio killed 17000.

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I'm not sure but hunting in flat country vs mountains is a whole different ballgame.   It's definitely harder to setup or get to the birds when you have a vertical slope to deal with.  JMO

I agree that flat land is easier to turkey hunt on, but a vast majority of ohio turkeys are killed in the unglaciated east and south east.   Very low harvest numbers in our "flat counties"   I have always wondered why WV harvest numbers are so low.  how many spring turkey tags are sold in WV?  ohio sold 78,000 tags this year.    If I had to guess WV has far less hunters.  Just based on population alone

[West Augusta]

West Virginia doesn't sell tags.  You get 2 bearded spring turkeys and 1 fall turkey automatically with your license.
West Virginia is a smaller state, fewer hunters, rough country and lower population of turkeys all adds up to low harvest numbers.