Tennessee’s 2015 spring turkey season opens on Saturday and continues through Sunday, May 17. When it comes to the forecast for the season, sportsmen can look forward to what is expected to be another good year in terms of harvest numbers.
“I don’t think anything will change dramatically this season in terms of harvest numbers,” said Roger Applegate, TWRA Turkey Program coordinator. “By and large, all things point to a stable population. Harvest numbers will fluctuate from year to year.
Despite an opening weekend of inclement weather and on several other weekends across much of the state in 2014, Tennessee turkey hunters passed the 30,000 harvest mark for the 12th straight year.
In fact, the 2014 harvest total last year was 32,495, up six harvests from the 2013 total of 32,489.
The 2015 Statewide Young Sportsman Hunt was held March 28-29. As harvest numbers continued to come in on Monday, March 30, the tally stood at 1,062, two ahead of the 2014 final results for the youth hunt.
Dickson County and Maury County each had 46 turkeys harvested during the youth hunt weekend. Hardin County was third with 43 followed by Giles County 38, Hickman County 31, Wilson County 26, Pickett and Sumner County 24, Cheatham and Humphreys 22.
The bag limits include one bearded turkey per day, not to exceed four per season. Turkeys harvested on all quota hunts and specially designated wild management areas (WMAs) are bonus turkeys.
For more information on the 2015 spring turkey season, check the 2014-15 Tennessee Hunting & Trapping Guide. The guide is available at TWRA offices, license agents, and online at www.tnwildlife.org.