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Spring Hunters Harvest 4,002 Wild Turkeys

Four Counties Report Record Harvests

Photo of male wild turkey

Photo “Spring Gobbler Time” by Ronald Lutz

Maryland hunters reported harvesting 4,002 wild turkeys during the 2019 regular spring and junior hunt turkey seasons, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today. This year’s harvest was the second-highest on record, and reflects a 4% increase compared to the 2018 harvest of 3,861 birds.

“A combination of abundant wild turkeys throughout most of the state and good weather during the season contributed to the increase in harvest,” Wildlife and Heritage Service Director Paul Peditto said.

Garrett County reported the highest harvest numbers this year with 429 turkeys, followed by Washington County with 414. Rounding out the top five were Charles County with 348, Frederick County with 304, and Allegany County with 278. Baltimore, Cecil, Charles, and Prince George’s counties each reported record harvests for their locations.

Hunters in 10 counties were able to hunt on Sundays again this year, leading to a harvest of 314 turkeys.

Youth hunters kicked off the spring turkey season statewide on April 13 with the Junior Turkey Hunt, with additional junior hunting on April 14 in select counties. In total, junior hunters harvested 232 wild turkeys.

Total harvests by county are below:

County

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Allegany

298

256

293

250

278

Anne Arundel

62

45

58

49

74

Baltimore

35

52

51

55

56

Calvert

69

73

59

76

68

Caroline

159

172

149

135

152

Carroll

62

76

103

103

73

Cecil

67

69

87

69

89

Charles

253

265

320

336

348

Dorchester

252

274

303

212

221

Frederick

256

299

332

313

304

Garrett

421

387

429

412

429

Harford

102

110

127

105

124

Howard

16

34

24

36

33

Kent

164

181

174

168

166

Montgomery

97

94

135

149

135

Prince George’s

87

87

91

76

105

Queen Anne’s

183

190

160

115

145

Somerset

169

150

163

145

129

St. Mary’s

193

188

202

191

188

Talbot

68

88

94

80

87

Washington

392

355

426

459

414

Wicomico

138

206

175

139

155

Worcester

224

223

220

188

229

Statewide

3,767

3,874

4,175

3,861

4,002


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