Missouri turkey season down to final days

As we head into the last days of Missouri’s spring turkey season, which closes Sunday, the statewide harvest remains above last year’s at this point, though the gap appears to be closing some.

As of Wednesday morning, hunters had checked 33,831 birds, about 2,500 more than this date last year and 2,400 shy of last year’s season total of 36,231.

If the weather will hold out and hunters continue to put in the effort, last year’s total is well within reach.

Plus, in my experience, the last couple days of the season almost always seem to get better as gobblers find themselves without hens.

Last year, on the last day of the season, I hunted a highly-pressured area on Cane Ridge and called in a gobbler straight off the roost without hesitation. Yeah, it was a bit surprising.

The only problem was that I had to set up literally on the edge of a closed road. The bird strutted up the gravel toward me, but got into a dip in the road and was screened by some thick brush at about 20 yards. He was so close I could hear his wings dragging in the road and the gravel popping as he walked. I literally was seconds away from killing that last-day bird as soon as he cleared the brush.

Unfortunately, two clearly inexperienced hunters, who claimed they never even heard him, walked in on the road behind me at that precise moment and spooked him off. Such is public land hunting.

There’s no doubt this has been a tough season, but you have to go every chance you get because every day is different, even in the same places.

I hunted a spot last Thursday where I hadn’t really heard anything previously this spring, and wouldn’t you know it, I suddenly heard four birds gobbling - two behind me and two pretty far away. Unfortunately, the two closest were roosting across a river and were about 350 yards away.

After they flew down and gobbled like crazy while walking back and forth along the river bank, I decided to pull out an old calling trick I’ve used very successfully in the past to coax birds in.

The author shows the turkey he took late last week after it flew across a river to get to him.DAR/Paul Davis

Within minutes, they both got quiet and I heard them fly across the river. A few more minutes later and I was watching them through binoculars 300 yards away, walking slowly in my direction across a big field.

At 25 yards, I took the dominant strutting bird. I took a few photos, packed the bird out, got it home and even made it to wok on time.

Fluctuating Levels

Despite all the rain lately, fishing has remained pretty good, and folks still are catching some nice crappies.

Our area lakes and rivers have fluctuated quite a bit, and most now are on their way back down.

Wappapello Lake, as of Wednesday morning, was about 7.5 feet high at 362.6 feet. The tailwater discharge was 2,410 cfs.

Downstream of the dam, the St. Francis River was projected to stay at around 6 feet at least through the coming weekend.

Clearwater Lake also was a little bit high at 500.39 feet and still rising very slowly. This time of year, it should be at 494 feet.

Downstream, the Black River crested at 11.23 feet early Tuesday in Poplar Bluff and was projected to fall just below 6 feet by Saturday.

At Van Buren, the Current River crested at 9.92 feet on Wednesday morning and was expected to fall to 6.5 feet by Saturday.

At Doniphan, the river was still rising and was at 7.74 feet. It is expected to fall to 6 feet over the weekend.