COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA

Abstract: Wildlife managers have debated whether “half‐day” versus “all‐day” hunting influences the probability of harvesting an adult or a juvenile wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) gobbler. Daily and hourly harvest distributions of adult gobblers were compared between 4 years of half‐day hunting (...

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Main Author: Steven E. Backs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2005-01-01
Series:Wildlife Society Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2005.tb00327.x
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author Steven E. Backs
author_facet Steven E. Backs
author_sort Steven E. Backs
collection DOAJ
description Abstract: Wildlife managers have debated whether “half‐day” versus “all‐day” hunting influences the probability of harvesting an adult or a juvenile wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) gobbler. Daily and hourly harvest distributions of adult gobblers were compared between 4 years of half‐day hunting (1996–1999; 23,356 harvest events) and 2 years of all‐day hunting in Indiana (2003 and 2004; 21,061 harvest events). The distributions of the total harvest across the 19‐day season were the same for both half‐day and all‐day seasons. During all‐day seasons, 70% of the total harvest occurred before 1000 hr, 79% by noon, 8% between 1200–1600 hr, with 13% after 1600 hr. Adults made up a slightly greater proportion (>2% points on average; e.g., 75% versus 77%) of the harvest for the all‐day seasons. Our data suggest the influence of all‐day hunting on adult gobbler mortality is relatively minor on a statewide basis with a 1‐bird bag limit and the small differences in the proportion of the harvest that was adults may be related to factors other than extended shooting hours. Differential adult mortality may be of greater management concern under more liberal spring harvest strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-811016be48bb47e487e68bfcffb09c5e2025-08-20T03:07:34ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402005-01-012005S133133610.1002/j.2328-5540.2005.tb00327.xCOMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANASteven E. Backs0Division of Fish and Wildlife562 DNR RoadMitchellIN47446USAAbstract: Wildlife managers have debated whether “half‐day” versus “all‐day” hunting influences the probability of harvesting an adult or a juvenile wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) gobbler. Daily and hourly harvest distributions of adult gobblers were compared between 4 years of half‐day hunting (1996–1999; 23,356 harvest events) and 2 years of all‐day hunting in Indiana (2003 and 2004; 21,061 harvest events). The distributions of the total harvest across the 19‐day season were the same for both half‐day and all‐day seasons. During all‐day seasons, 70% of the total harvest occurred before 1000 hr, 79% by noon, 8% between 1200–1600 hr, with 13% after 1600 hr. Adults made up a slightly greater proportion (>2% points on average; e.g., 75% versus 77%) of the harvest for the all‐day seasons. Our data suggest the influence of all‐day hunting on adult gobbler mortality is relatively minor on a statewide basis with a 1‐bird bag limit and the small differences in the proportion of the harvest that was adults may be related to factors other than extended shooting hours. Differential adult mortality may be of greater management concern under more liberal spring harvest strategies.https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2005.tb00327.xadult gobblersharvest distributionharvest managementhuntingIndianaMeleagris gallopavo
spellingShingle Steven E. Backs
COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA
Wildlife Society Bulletin
adult gobblers
harvest distribution
harvest management
hunting
Indiana
Meleagris gallopavo
title COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA
title_full COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA
title_fullStr COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA
title_full_unstemmed COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA
title_short COMPARISONS BETWEEN HALF‐DAY AND ALL‐DAY SPRING TURKEY HUNTING IN INDIANA
title_sort comparisons between half day and all day spring turkey hunting in indiana
topic adult gobblers
harvest distribution
harvest management
hunting
Indiana
Meleagris gallopavo
url https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2328-5540.2005.tb00327.x
work_keys_str_mv AT stevenebacks comparisonsbetweenhalfdayandalldayspringturkeyhuntinginindiana