Growing up in Northwest Indiana in the 1990s, there were no wild turkeys. The southern half of the state had some birds, but up north, they’d been extirpated a century before. Fast forward to today, and Hoosier hunters harvest around 12,500 turkeys each spring. With over 100 killed annually in the county I grew up hunting. A county devoid of turkeys just 20 years ago. The restoration of the wild turkey is a remarkable conservation story. 

Now, because of the efforts of dedicated conservationists in the 1980s and 1990s, states across the Midwest have strong enough turkey populations for fish and wildlife agencies to offer a special Youth Turkey Season. This year, the dates of Missouri’s Youth Turkey Season are April 1 and 2.  READ MORE.