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2008 Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Season Opens April 14
Youth Day Scheduled for April 12

April 10, 2008

The approach of spring and its warmer weather means it’s nearly time for New Jersey’s Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Season to begin. This year the regular season starts on April 14 and runs for six weeks. With turkey populations restored statewide, Garden State hunters can enjoy some of the finest turkey hunting on the East Coast right in their own backyards.

In addition to the regular season and prior to its opening, young hunters will get the chance to harvest a bird on their own Special Youth Turkey Hunting Day scheduled for April 12. Youth hunters with a valid youth license who have obtained a turkey permit may begin their spring turkey season on this day. Direct supervision of the youth hunter by an adult 21 years or older who also possesses a valid New Jersey hunting license is required.

SPRING OUTLOOK

The statewide wild turkey population is currently estimated at more than 22,000 birds, and the outlook for this spring’s turkey season is fair. Biologists do not predict a record harvest as poult production in 2007 was not optimal despite the warm, dry weather experienced last spring and summer.

There is a positive side though, as the winter survival rate of poults has been good throughout the state. Low snowfall totals this past winter did not have an impact on turkey survival. In fact, smaller poults from late hatches in 2007 probably had high survival rates this past winter due to the lack of lengthy cold and snowy periods.

This year, biologists viewed long term trends in harvest data. Every township statewide was analyzed for the past 10 years to determine which areas had a spring harvest that was increasing, decreasing, or stable. The data received from the fifty-one statewide mandatory checking stations was critically important for this study, and it continues to be a huge asset to managing wild turkeys in New Jersey. (See the

The results of the analysis showed that townships in far northern New Jersey, including Turkey Hunting Areas 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, had fairly stable harvests over the past few years. Townships in north-central New Jersey have experienced large declines in spring harvest during the same time period. The areas with declining harvests include Turkey Hunting Areas 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12.

Interestingly, parts of Pennsylvania directly across the Delaware River from these Turkey Hunting Areas are also experiencing declines in spring harvest according to Pennsylvania biologists. Reasons for this decline may include poor summer weather conditions for young poults, and loss of turkey habitat.

In southern New Jersey most Turkey Hunting Areas experienced stable or increasing spring harvests over the past several years. These areas include Turkey Hunting Areas 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22.

LAST SPRING’S HARVEST

Spring wild turkey hunters harvested 3,067 gobblers during the six-week season that began on April 14 and ended on May 25, 2007. It was the sixth largest harvest since the spring turkey season was established in 1981, and was slightly below the average harvest of the last five years.

Approximately 21,115 spring turkey-hunting permits were issued for the 2007 season with hunters achieving a success rate of 14.5 percent. The 2007 spring harvest was very similar to the 2006 harvest in the southern Turkey Hunting Areas (12 - 22). In several northern New Jersey areas, however, the harvest was substantially lower than 2006 levels.

PERMIT INFORMATION

The upcoming spring season quota is 29,250 permits. Hunters who applied for permits through the lottery should have already received notifications of their results in the lottery. Applicants that did not receive an email or postcard notification can check to see if they were successful in obtaining a permit through the online license and permit Web site.

Leftover permits can be purchased at license agents and/or via the Internet. Permits will be available as long as the permit supply lasts or the season ends. If you decide to use the Internet you cannot print the permits from home. They must be mailed, and can take 7 – 10 business days (additional shipping charges apply.) An up-to-date chart of all leftover permits is available at www.njfishandwildlife.com. Click on the green "button" to "Buy your licenses and permits online now!" and there will be a link that says "Click here for the zone/period availability information."

Please note that there was an increase in the number of applicants for the spring lottery this year. As a result many of the more popular zone and period combinations sold out in the lottery and are not available for leftover sales. These include: 9G, 11G, 12 A, 12G, 14A, 14B, 14G, 15A, 15B, 15G, 16A, 16G, 20A, 20G, 21A, 21B, 21G, 22A, 22B and 22G. Hunters who were hoping to obtain permits for these zone and period combinations are urged to remember to apply in the lottery next year.

Important Note: During the March 31, 2008 over-the-counter sales there was a reporting error that caused several turkey zone and period combinations to be closed prematurely. These have been reopened and made available for sale. The Division is pulling data to compile a list of people who attempted to purchase a prematurely closed zone during the affected time period. Information on this can be obtained by calling 609-292-2965.

The following zones / periods were affected: 2G, 5A, 5G, 8A, 8G, 9A, 9B, 11A, 12B, 14C, 14E, 15C, 15E, 20B and 21C.

RESTORATION EFFORTS

The Wild Turkey Restoration Project represents one of the greatest wildlife management success stories in the history of the state. In the mid-1800s, turkeys had disappeared in New Jersey due to habitat changes and over-exploitation. However, in 1977 biologists and technicians began to live-trap and re-locate birds to establish populations in 20 New Jersey counties.

To date, nearly 1,700 birds have been trapped and re-located, resulting in an abundance of wild turkeys throughout the state. Even in South Jersey (parts of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester counties) where wild turkeys had been struggling just a few years ago, intensive restoration efforts have improved population numbers significantly.

TURKEY HUNTING AREA RECOMMENDATIONS

New Jersey’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) offer excellent hunting opportunities. Presently there are more than 320,000 acres in 122 areas, and new properties and additions to existing properties are continually being added. This acreage represents more than 44% of New Jersey's state-owned public open space.

In Northern New Jersey rugged mountainous regions containing vast areas of unbroken forest provide hunters excellent opportunities for harvesting a gobbler. Hunters may want to try the Hamburg Mountain, Wanaque, Walpack and Sparta Mountain WMAs in this part of the state.

In the central region, the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area offers good hunting opportunities. Easily accessible from both the north and the south, it contains diverse terrain as well as plenty of huntable ground.

In South Jersey abundant public land and a low density of hunters makes for great turkey hunting. The nearly 50,000 combined acres of the Peaslee and Millville (Bevans) Wildlife Management Areas make good choices in this part of the Garden State.

Other good turkey hunting areas include the Newark Watershed properties, Stokes State Forest and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Please note though, that these areas are not part of the wildlife management area system and may have other regulations that pertain to them.

For a statewide list of public land open for turkey hunting, check the 2008 NJ Wild Turkey Hunting Season Information booklet (pdf, 260kb) available at license agents and Division of Fish and Wildlife offices.

MANDATORY GOBBLER CHECK-IN

All harvested gobblers must be tagged immediately with a completed transportation tag. The turkey must then be taken by the person who killed it to the nearest turkey check station before 3 p.m. on the day it is killed. Staff at the check station will issue a legal possession tag. Consult the 2008 NJ Wild Turkey Hunting Season Information booklet (pdf, 260kb) for a listing of official turkey check stations to locate one near your hunting area.

Turkey Check Station Closures

OUTSTANDING GARDEN STATE GOBBLER RECORDS PROGRAM

TheNew Jersey Chapter of the Wild Turkey Federation administers the Outstanding Garden State Gobbler Records Program. The turkey must weigh no less than 20 pounds. The minimum score for a typical entry is 60; non-typical (multiple beards or spurs) is 80.

To calculate the score, add the weight plus two times the beard length plus 10 times the combined spur lengths. For example, a 19-pound gobbler with a 9-inch beard and one-inch spurs would score 57 points. A wild turkey that scores more than 50 points is considered an outstanding bird. For more information, contact a Chapter representative at 856-785-0455.

WEATHER

Often hunters are curious about how the weather can affect turkey-hunting success. Windy and rainy weather diminishes hunter success rates for the simple fact that many individuals do not like to hunt under these conditions. In addition, this type of weather affects turkey behavior and causes the birds to become more wary and less vocal.

SAFETY TIPS Remember to put safety first. The National Wild Turkey Federation has issued the following turkey hunter safety tips.

Before the hunt:

*Check with your doctor if you have any medical concerns.
*Hunt within your physical limitations.
*Let your hunting partners know if you have physical limitations.
*Let someone know where you are hunting and when you expect to return.
*Work to have a basic understanding of first aid.
During the hunt:
*Set up against a tree that is greater in diameter than the width of your shoulders and taller than your head whenever possible for maximum safety.
*Should you see other hunters (especially close to your line of sight) call out to them in a loud, clear voice. Their presence has already compromised your location and a soft call may only confuse them instead of alerting them to your presence.

KNOW YOUR BIRD

Before you shoot, be sure the bird is a gobbler. Don’t depend on the beard to determine the turkey’s sex since some hens do have beards. The beard of a wild turkey is a group of hair-like feathers ranging from 2 inches to 12 inches in length located on the center of the breast. Bearded hens are not legal game during the spring season.

During the spring breeding season, toms or gobblers are not difficult to distinguish from hens. Look closely at the head of the bird as it comes to your calling. Gobblers’ heads are naked and very colorful. Their heads are a brilliant red, white and blue. The head of a wild turkey hen is blue-gray in color and may have a line of feathers up the back of the neck. Hens are not as colorful as gobblers.

After checking the head color, look at the color of the breast feathers. Dark black feathers indicate a tom, while the hen appears to be dark brown. If the head of the turkey is naked and colorful, the breast is black and the bird has a beard, you may be confident it is a gobbler. If you have any doubts, simply don’t shoot.

REGULATIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION

Hunters should familiarize themselves with the rules and regulations for spring turkey hunting in the Garden State. New Jersey spring gobbler hunters are limited to the use of shotguns or bows and arrows. Hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to noon. One male wild turkey may be taken with each permit, but only one turkey may be taken in a given day.

Helpful turkey hunting information and tips can be accessed through the Wild Turkey in New Jersey page at www.njfishandwildlife.com/turkey_info. Additional turkey hunting regulations and other information can be found in the 2008 NJ Wild Turkey Hunting Season Information booklet (pdf, 260kb).

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Last Updated: April 11, 2008