Missouri turkey hunters killed slightly fewer birds this year than last, probably the result of unfavorable weather and a leveling off of the turkey population, the state Conservation Department said Thursday.

Hunters killed 51,018 turkeys during the season that ran April 24 through last Sunday, a 5 percent decrease from last year?s total of 53,798 but still the seventh-largest in the 47-year history of Missouri?s modern turkey season, the department said.

Missouri also has a monthlong fall turkey-hunting season and typically ranks as the top turkey-hunting state nationally.

Young hunters killed 3,694 turkeys during Missouri?s youth season April 8-9, bringing the spring total to 54,712. The record occurred in 2004, with a total of 60,744 turkeys taken during the regular and youth seasons combined.

Department scientist Jeff Beringer said rainy, cool and windy conditions decrease the turkey kill by keeping hunters out of the woods. It also makes turkeys harder to hunt. Windy weather is especially difficult, because constant movement of vegetation makes turkeys spooky.

He said the decreased hunting totals do not indicate Missouri?s turkey flock is in trouble. Record spring kills were normal during the 40 years when the Conservation Department was reintroducing turkeys into areas where they had been eliminated by unregulated hunting.

Texas County in southern Missouri ranked first during this year?s spring season with 946 turkeys killed, followed by Franklin County in eastern Missouri with 902, and Macon County in northern Missouri with 873.

2006 Season Dates:

Regular season - April 24 – May 14, 2006
Youth Season - April 8 - 9

Hunting times - 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1:00 pm

Bag limit: two male or other bearded turkeys per season, with only one allowed during the season's first week If you do not kill a turkey during the first week, you may take two during the second and/or third weeks, but never more than one per day.

Youth-only (age 15 or younger) season hunters may only take one turkey during the youth season, but, if hunting on a regular spring turkey hunting permit, may take another bird beginning the second week of the regular season. If hunting on a Youth Deer and Turkey Hunting permit, a youngster is limited to just one turkey during the spring seasons (youth and/or regular).

Franklin County led county harvest totals with 245 birds checked. Not far behind were Laclede and Webster with 241 each. Other counties that broke the 200 mark were: Macon, 224; Adair, 208; Cedar, 210; Howell and Greene with 206 each; and Pettis, 202.

Regional harvest totals were: Northwest, 2,211; Southwest, 2,198; Northeast, 1,942; Central, 1,840; Kansas City, 1,665; Ozark, 1,371; Southeast, 1,148; St. Louis, 933.

This is the first year for a full month of fall firearms turkey hunting in Missouri. The season previously ran for two weeks in late October.

Fall 2006 - separate seasons for archery and firearms

Archery -- Sept. 15-Nov. 10, 2006 & Nov. 22, 2006 -Jan. 15, 2005

Bag limit - 2 either sex; only one may be taken per day.

Legal Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

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Firearms -- Oct. 1 - 31

Bag limit - 2 either sex; fall hunters are allowed to take both birds on the same day.

Legal Areas: Turkeys may be taken in all counties except Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot and Scott.

Legal Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset