The ODWC’s Rod Smith oversees the western part of the state and tracks the trends of the widespread Rio Grande turkeys. “Field observations indicate that recruitment may not be too great,” Smith said. “It seems the number of poults observed in mid to late summer were fewer than that of the past two to three years. This doesn’t necessarily mean we will experience a population decline, as I expect the population to be on par with that observed last year.”

In the central part of the state, biologist Russ Horton said the region looks very good and hunters there should see good numbers of birds. “Overall, things continue to look real good,” says Horton. “The central region’s numbers are up 1,200 to 1,400 birds from last year’s estimate. I also expect good numbers of jakes in the spring flocks this season.”

In the pine-studded forests in the southeast, the severe drought has made a serious negative impact on the flock, causing regional biologist Jack Waymire to issue mixed predictions. “The drought has taken a toll on turkey reproduction and recruitment in the southeast region,” he said. “However, the good news is that if we get a good hatch and survival this next spring, then we should recover pretty well.”

Waymire cautioned that hunters in the southeast shouldn’t see many jakes this season, but added that a fair number of mature toms should be present. “If the weather is favorable, you should be able to find gobbling birds in the same areas that you encountered them in last year. We will continue to monitor the turkeys in the southeast, and we may have to make some changes in the season length and possibly in the bag limits.”

With lackluster reproduction resulting in fewer poults per hen, Okie turkey chasers can relish the fact that our hunting is outstanding with populations at the highest levels since regulated seasons. “On the bright side,” Smith said, “if recruitment equaled mortality, we will still have very good turkey numbers this spring.”

TURKEY FLOCK SURVEYS

Panhandle
The Panhandle region is home to a diversity of wildlife including antelope, mule deer, white-tailed deer, ring-necked pheasants, and a fair number of turkeys. This unique area comprises three counties: Cimarron, Texas, and Beaver.

Cimarron, the farthest west of the three, is the home of Black Mesa — at 4,973 feet, the highest elevation in the state — and an estimated 185 turkeys, up considerably from last season. Since Merriam’s’s turkeys are found in New Mexico, it’s believed that this mountain strain of turkeys with white-tipped tailfeathers has hybridized with our turkeys. Two friends of mine, Jeff Steele and Paul Newsom, have taken toms in that area remarkably resembling a Merriam’s’s. They look very much like a Merriam’s’s I took in New Mexico.

Texas County — the middle county in the Panhandle — is flat. It’s home to incredible numbers of pheasants and an estimated 665 turkeys. The best turkey habitat in the entire area is found near Beaver River, which runs through the county and on land surrounding Optima Lake.