Missouri’s managed spring turkey hunts do not have the numbers of opportunities that hunters can apply for in the fall for deer hunting, but for those hoping to find something close to home in the St. Louis region, options abound.
This year, 24 events are scheduled statewide, with 15 of those in St. Charles or St. Louis County. Hunts at the Peck Ranch and Caney Mountain conservation areas are a little too far away to be considered local, but not so distant to deter someone looking for a chance to take on turkeys in the wild Ozark hills.
Hunters may apply through Feb. 28 for one of the managed hunts, which allow a limited number of hunters on public properties that are not open to turkey hunting. Drawing results are released in mid-March, so hunters can begin preparing and dreaming about the chance to try their luck at bringing home the state’s largest game bird.
Eight of the managed hunts are designated for youth-only hunters between the ages of 11 and 15, and most are held during the regular youth hunting weekend, which is scheduled for April 11-12. Youth hunters may apply individually or with one other young hunter, and must be accompanied by a hunting mentor aged 18 or older.
The mentor, who must have hunter education certification, and the young hunter are required to attend a pre-hunt orientation meeting prior to the event. If the hunter and mentor do not participate in the meeting, they are disqualified from the hunt.
Fifteen hunters will be drawn for events during the youth weekend at the August A. Busch Conservation Area in St. Charles County, and 15 more will be selected to hunt at the nearby Weldon Spring Conservation Area. Three young hunters will have the chance to hunt the weekend at St. Stanislaus Conservation Area along the Missouri River in north St. Louis County.
Two special opportunities for young hunters are scheduled during the regular spring turkey hunting season. Two hunters will be picked to hunt from opening day on April 20 through May 10 at Marias Temps Clair Conservation Area in St. Charles County. Three more will hunt from April 20 through May 3 at St. Stanislaus.
The managed hunts for adult hunters are scheduled in short segments of the regular season. Forty hunters will be selected four times for hunts at the Busch area and at Weldon Spring. Hunts are available for the first four days of the season, April 20-23, and then on three, four-day weekends through the end of the season on May 10.
Two hunts on May 4-5 are designated specifically for hunters ages 18 or older who have never harvested a turkey. Four selected hunters will be accompanied by a mentor during the hunt, and both the hunter and mentor must attend a pre-hunt orientation. One of those hunts will be held at Rockwoods Range in southwest St. Louis County, and the other is scheduled at the Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center.
Adult hunters may apply individually or in groups of up to three hunters. The application is available online at mdc.mo.gov. Hunters who are selected will receive an email with a map of the selected conservation area and detailed information about their hunt.
Hunters may take one turkey with a visible beard during a managed hunt, and the turkey counts toward the season limit of two bearded-birds. Hunters who harvest a turkey in a managed hunt prior to April 27 may not take a second bird during the first week of the regular season.
John Winkelman has been writing about outdoors news and issues in Jefferson County for more than 30 years and was the Associate Editor for Outdoor Guide Magazine. If you have story ideas for the Leader outdoor news page, e-mail ogmjohnw@aol.com, and you can find more outdoor news and updates at johnjwink.com.