May 12th, 2026 Local News
Jefferson City, Mo. (KFMO) - The Missouri Department of Conservation reports Missouri turkey hunters harvested more than 50,000 birds during the 2026 spring turkey hunting season.
Preliminary harvest data shows hunters checked 45,475 turkeys during the regular spring season, which was held April 20 through May 10. The top harvest counties during the regular season were Macon County with 979 birds harvested, Callaway County with 926, and Franklin County with 879.
Youth hunters also enjoyed a successful season. During Missouri’s spring youth turkey hunting weekend on April 11 and 12, young hunters harvested 5,255 birds, bringing the statewide total spring turkey harvest to 50,730.
MDC Wild Turkey Biologist Nick Oakley said favorable turkey population numbers contributed to another strong season across the state.
Oakley said good gobbler carryover from the 2023 hatch, combined with a solid 2024 hatch, helped produce a healthy adult turkey population in 2026. While this year’s harvest was down slightly compared to last year, he noted harvest totals remain six percent above averages dating back to 1998.
According to MDC data, youth hunters harvested 4,449 turkeys during the 2025 youth season, while hunters checked 46,562 birds during the regular season for a combined 2025 total of 51,011 turkeys.
Oakley added that strong hatches are important for future hunting success and emphasized the importance of managing quality nesting and brooding habitat throughout Missouri.