Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that turkey hunters checked 38,730 birds during Missouri’s spring season, April 20 through May 10.
A news release says top harvest counties were Franklin with 899 birds harvested, Callaway with 699 and Laclede with 651.
The top county in the KMMO listening area was Howard with 431 birds checked; followed by Carroll with 361; Chariton with 344; Saline with 322; Cooper with 312; Pettis with 302; and Lafayette with 247.
Young turkey hunters also harvested 2,724 birds during the 2020 spring youth season, April 4 and 5, bringing the overall 2020 spring turkey harvest to 41,454.
Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 2,546 birds during the spring youth season and hunters harvested 36,249 during the regular spring season for a total harvest of 38,795 birds.
Photo: Congratulations to 6-year-old Lydia Schaning on harvesting her first turkey in the early morning of May 2 alongside her dad, Josh Schaning. Spring turkey season ended with a total of  41,454 birds harvested. Photo provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation.