Wildlife - Wild Turkeys

Spring Gobbler Bag Limits in South Carolina

Figure 1. Summer wild turkey recruitment ratio in South Carolina 1982-2009. Note declining trend since 1988 and very poor recruitment ratio 7 out of the last 8 years. Average recruitment prior to 1989 = 3.5. Average recruitment since 1989 = 2.3. This represents a 34 percent decrease. Recruitment ratio is a measure of young entering the population based on the number of hens in the population.

Figure 1. Summer wild turkey recruitment ratio in South Carolina 1982-2008.

Figure 2. Spring wild turkey harvest in South Carolina 1982-2009. Note that harvest increased between 1982 and 2002 as a result of increasing turkey population following restoration efforts. However, harvest has declined 34 percent since 2002 following years of poor recruitment.

Figure 2.  Spring wild turkey harvest in South Carolina 1982-2008

Figure 3. Number of turkey hunters in South Carolina 1982-2009. Note increasing trend throughout period. There are approximately 34 percent more turkey hunters today than in 1995.

Figure 3.  Number of turkey hunters in South Carolina 1982-2008


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