Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows that young turkey hunters in Missouri harvested 2,881 birds over the youth weekend, April 9 and 10.

According to MDC, top harvest counties were Miller with 87 birds harvested and Osage and Franklin with 71 each.

In the KMMO listening area, Howard was the top harvest county with 36 birds checked, followed by Johnson with 30 and Carroll and Cooper tied for third with 27 each. Chariton was fifth with 26, followed by Pettis with 19, Saline with 16 and Lafayette with 15.

Young hunters checked 2,795 turkeys during the 2021 spring youth weekend.

The regular spring turkey season runs Monday, April 18, through Sunday, May 8.

For more on spring turkey hunting in Missouri, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/turkey.