Hunters are eager for opening day of the statewide turkey hunting season in Georgia. That day is Saturday, Mar. 26, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division expects that the 2016 season should be a fair one.
“Perspective is important because Georgia is still in the top six states in terms of eastern wild turkey harvest and population, even while we have had some declines in reproduction and the overall turkey population,” said Kevin Lowrey, Wildlife Resources Division wild turkey project coordinator. “Hunters heading to the woods need to remember that there is a new requirement this year to have a harvest record and that they will need to report their harvest through Georgia Game Check.”
With a generous bag limit of three gobblers per season, hunters have from Mar. 26 through May 15 – one of the most liberal turkey seasons in the nation – to harvest their bird(s). With many pursuing wild turkeys on private land, hunters are reminded to always obtain landowner permission before hunting.
What should hunters expect this spring? The Lower Coastal Plain and Ridge and Valley will have an above average season this year and next year, due to better reproduction levels than other parts of the state. While other regions saw some reproduction improvement in 2015, the lower cycle in 2014 may mean fewer 2-year old gobblers, so hunters likely will be pursuing older birds, which may raise the challenge level.
New this year: all turkey hunters, including those under 16 years of age, landowners, honorary, lifetime, and sportsman license holders, must obtain a free harvest record each season. Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters are required to immediately enter the date and county on the harvest record, and within 72 hours, must complete the reporting process through Georgia Game Check. More information about this requirement at www.georgiawildlife.com/HarvestRecordGeorgiaGameCheck.
A WMA license is required for any person 16 years or older who does not possess a valid honorary, sportsman or lifetime license when hunting wild turkey on a WMA or public fishing area. In addition, a valid hunting license and a big game license are required. Legal firearms and archery equipment for hunting wild turkey are shotguns (loaded with No. 2 or smaller shot), any muzzleloading firearm, longbow, crossbow or compound bow.
Where can you get a license? Buy it online, find a list of retail license vendors at www.georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes or buy it by phone at 1-800-366-2661.
