SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Spring Gobbler hunters electronically checked in 9,038 gobblers this year, slightly lower than the number checked last year, according to Keith Krantz, Turkey and Upland Game Biologist for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The 2015 spring gobbler season was the first season in which West Virginia hunters could use either the telephone, Internet or license agent to check in an animal.
"For the most part, hunters seemed to embrace being able to electronically register their gobblers," Krantz said. "Very few issues were reported given the magnitude of this change. However, because we don't know yet if the check-in rate changed between systems, comparing harvest figures between seasons is problematic."
Youth hunters checked in 383 gobblers during the youth season held April 25. Mason County had the highest reported harvest of 21, followed by Preston County with 15 and Jackson and Logan counties with 14 each.
Of the six DNR districts in the state, District 1 in the northern part of the state recorded the most birds checked with 1,835, followed by District 4 (1,726), District 6 (1,675), District 5 (1,510), District 3 (1,399) and District 2 (893). While District 1 had the highest harvest, District 4 in the southern part of the state had four counties in the top 10, more than any other district.
Preston County in District 1 led the state with 333 gobblers checked. Mason County followed with 313 birds checked. Rounding out the top five were Jackson County (264), Wyoming County (257) and Harrison and Wood counties each with (247).
"Above-average fall mast crops in 2014 and great weather this spring should ensure good poult survival, which in turn increases the population for future harvests," Krantz said.
**DNR**
West Virginia Spring Turkey Harvest, 2011–2015
County
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Barbour
160
182
162
178
129
Brooke
93
74
104
84
67
Hancock
107
92
110
110
89
Harrison
242
282
355
264
247
Marion
135
163
218
149
170
Marshall
253
224
300
220
174
Monongalia
218
221
262
174
198
Ohio
92
87
131
91
108
Preston
325
330
403
344
333
Taylor
76
93
103
87
72
Tucker
56
62
57
88
82
Wetzel
125
210
256
203
166
Dist. I Subtotal
1,882
2,020
2,461
1,992
1,835
Berkeley
86
88
98
112
124
Grant
102
114
129
129
131
Hampshire
119
120
124
138
155
Hardy
123
101
129
135
115
Jefferson
42
43
60
57
82
Mineral
78
86
87
96
118
Morgan
70
56
54
62
64
Pendleton
100
95
117
95
104
Dist. II Subtotal
720
703
798
824
893
Braxton
172
119
238
175
194
Clay
85
77
147
68
83
Lewis
201
181
221
180
194
Nicholas
166
161
221
164
213
Pocahontas
108
124
160
130
145
Randolph
142
94
217
186
225
Upshur
213
199
262
229
231
Webster
99
94
118
113
114
Dist. III Subtotal
1,186
1,049
1,584
1,245
1,399
Fayette
234
176
287
244
239
Greenbrier
253
235
299
245
242
McDowell
228
154
308
215
217
Mercer
186
146
177
170
161
Monroe
158
162
206
212
181
Raleigh
215
185
277
214
231
Summers
210
176
258
209
198
Wyoming
242
132
291
255
257
Dist. IV Subtotal
1,726
1,366
2,103
1,764
1,726
Boone
185
144
230
159
141
Cabell
134
129
138
80
108
Kanawha
311
214
332
231
227
Lincoln
188
157
213
178
169
Logan
169
133
246
181
172
Mason
445
343
370
293
313
Mingo
138
92
141
93
91
Putnam
236
196
225
150
181
Wayne
182
92
144
103
108
Dist. V Subtotal
1,988
1,500
2,039
1,468
1,510
Calhoun
96
138
179
135
128
Doddridge
121
111
138
126
118
Gilmer
137
132
191
147
124
Jackson
290
244
326
293
264
Pleasants
68
81
83
73
71
Ritchie
212
233
326
245
217
Roane
195
193
236
232
210
Tyler
135
133
211
136
143
Wirt
157
164
193
177
153
Wood
277
236
294
271
247
Dist. VI Subtotal
1,688
1,665
2,177
1,835
1,675
State Total
9,190
8,303
11,162
9,128
9,038