Date: 01/20/09
Contact: Aaron Meier
Phone: (775) 688-1998

TIME TO APPLY FOR SPRING TURKEY TAGS

Here is a quick hunting quiz: What challenging Nevada game bird can fly up to 60 miles an hour and has eyesight and hearing sharp enough to spot hunters from great distances? Not sure? Does the phrase “gobble, gobble” help?

That’s right; one of the toughest game birds in Nevada is actually the wild turkey. Craig Mortimore, Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) game biologist, points to several attributes that make the turkey such a formidable target.

“They possess all the skills necessary to evade a hunter,” said Mortimore. “They can achieve flight of up to 60 miles an hour. They are exceptionally fast runners. They have excellent eyesight and tremendously good hearing. They usually group in large numbers and are very difficult to entice within gun range.”

With Spring Wild Turkey season opening March 25, hunters are reminded to pick up an application as soon as possible to avoid the last minute sprint to the post office. Applications for the spring wild turkey tag draw are available at license agents, NDOW offices and on the internet at www.ndow.org. Online applications are available at www.huntnevada.com except for the Paradise Valley of Humboldt County hunt. Completed paper applications must mailed to Wildlife Administrative Services by 5 p.m. on Feb. 17. Hand delivered applications will not be accepted.

While challenging, Mortimore points out that the benefits at the table definitely outweigh the challenges in the field. “Those that are successful in obtaining a turkey are rewarded with some fantastic table fare. This is definitely not a Butterball right out of the freezer.”

Wild turkeys were first introduced to Nevada in 1960, but the program was not successful until the late 1980s when NDOW began releasing the Rio Grande subspecies of wild turkey. Mortimore reports that from those humble beginnings turkeys are now well established in eight counties in Nevada.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a Federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.