GF&P Wildlife Program Administrator Chad Switzer said several units — designations of land that often follow county borders — have turkey populations that are below desired objectives.
"In most of our units, we want to increase that population," Switzer said.
However, GF&P also wants to keep turkey depredation — damage caused by turkeys on private land — at low levels.
To balance these two objectives, GF&P invited conservationists and landowners to join its Wild Turkey Stakeholder Group, founded in July. The stakeholder group is made up of GF&P officials, members of the National Wild Turkey Federation and South Dakota landowners who agreed to create a five-year plan that will support healthy turkey population and keep landowners happy.
The group has come together about six years after a similar plan expired in 2010. Switzer said the new plan will likely be similar to the expired document, but it will be "much more comprehensive."
The plan is expected to include background on turkey ecology and biology, research findings and surveys conducted across the state, information regarding private and public land management and a section regarding the involvement of the public in turkey management.
Perhaps the most important inclusion for GF&P, Switzer said, is two hunting strategy tables: one for the Black Hills and one for prairie units.
The tables will help GF&P staff evaluate turkey populations and provide tools to maintain, increase or decrease population numbers.
Because GF&P has been operating loosely under the guidelines of the expired turkey management plan over the past six years, Switzer said he doesn't expect the stakeholder group's recommendations to noticeably impact hunters or landowners.
"I don't foresee any significant changes toward our sportsmen or towards the tools we provide to the landowners, but it will more clearly spell out why we're doing what we're doing to be more transparent to our public," Switzer said.
The 22 members of the stakeholder group gathered in Pierre in September, November and again this month.
The group is seeking comments from other GF&P officials and plans to send a news release for public review in March.
"Whether you're a turkey hunter or not, we want to hear from the public as to any thoughts, concerns or suggestions they have on the plan or in regards to turkey management," Switzer said.
Spring turkey season
Spring turkey hunting season opens on April 9 and closes on May 22, except for Davison, Hanson and Lincoln counties, where the season closes on April 30. Archery season opens on April 2.
Switzer expects hunters to find turkey numbers that are similar to what they saw in 2015, but he hopes more restrictions to the fall turkey season over the past few years leads to more birds in the field.
For the past three or four years, GF&P has restricted the number of turkey licenses issued for the fall turkey hunting season in an attempt to grow populations around the state. Switzer said licenses issued for the spring season have largely remained the same.
"We haven't tweaked it too much for our spring hunters, and that's when most of our turkey hunters want to be hunting turkeys is in the spring. It's a highly desirable species to hunt in the spring, not so much in the fall," Switzer said.
This spring, 5,654 single tom — one male bird — prairie licenses will be available, and 1,350 double tom — two male birds — prairie licenses will be available, a reduction of about 4 percent from last year, Switzer said. There is no limit to licenses issued in the Black Hills.
"The Black Hills are always a destination for turkey hunters with the number of birds and the vast amount of public hunting opportunities," Switzer said.
Licenses are available for 42 units around the state, excluding areas in north and central South Dakota, including Aurora, Buffalo, McCook and Miner counties.
Licenses are actually valid for any turkey with a beard, which, along with adult males, applies to up to 20 percent of Black Hills female turkeys, which Switzer called "interesting."
Still, Switzer said most South Dakota hunters are selective and specifically target male birds.
Source: South Dakota talks turkey, hoping to increase the state's wild turkey population
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