TURKEY HARVEST DOWN IN 2002 - Kill Off 25%

(06/30/2002)
The turkey harvest is off about 25% since a record kill in 2001. Statewide, hunter's killed 13,374 birds, compared to 17,875 last year.

The harvest in Calhoun was 139 compared to 232 last year.

It is still the sixth highest gobbler season on record, according to Curtis Taylor, chief of Wildlife Resources.

He believes the decline was based on wet and windy weather and a lower number of 2-year-old gobblers.

Harvests from other area counties:
Gilmer 216 (2002) 342 (2001)
Ritchie 343(2002) 542 (2001)
Roane 299 (2002) 382 (2001)
Wirt 276 (2002) 353 (2001)