Want to hunt turkey this spring? FWC has applications open now

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is promoting next year’s turkey hunting season by directing Floridians to apply for hunts now.

This year’s turkey dinner didn’t hunt itself, after all.

“While most turkey hunting occurs in the spring, now is the time to plan for public hunting opportunities for the spring of 2021,” reads a statement from the FWC.

“Those interested in hunting turkeys this spring at a wildlife management area or national wildlife refuge have through Nov. 30 to apply for quota hunts, special-opportunity hunts and national wildlife refuge hunts during the Phase I application period.”

Those applications can be completed online. The FWC also provides more information about public hunting opportunities on its website.

In 2019, the agency also launched an effort to survey the summer turkey population. That project will run from June 1-Aug. 31 each year.

“By reporting wild turkey sightings, especially of juvenile birds or poults, everyone from hunters to wildlife watchers can help provide a way to gauge wild turkey nesting success, brood survival, and population dynamics at a statewide level,” the FWC explains.

That first year saw “low” participation, according to the agency. By 2020, though, citizen reporters spotted more than 4,000 turkeys through each of the state’s 67 counties. Individuals looking to help report sightings to the FWC can do so next summer as well, as officials hope to continue expanding their database.

The Florida sighting project is “part of a larger regional study designed to provide more insight into the distribution and abundance of wild turkeys,” according to the agency.

FWC staff members also help manage wild turkey habitats throughout the state via the Wild Turkey Cost Share Program. That management is partially funded through turkey hunter permit fees.

“In 2020-2021, funding for this cooperative program totaled $271,950 and included 18 projects on 15 FWC-managed areas open to public hunting,” according to FWC data. “That amount, combined with $1,120,572 from in-kind funding, provides a grand total of $1,392,522 for wild turkey habitat management.”

Since the effort began in 1994, the cost share program has collected close to $6 million for habitat management.