With the wild turkey season over in most of the country, it’s time to ask, “How was your season?” Were turkey populations strong in your area or lower than in previous years? In my case, numbers were way down, and I heard a fraction of the gobbling I once heard. An exception is an area in Western Maryland where the numbers are so strong that the DNR traps turkeys for release in other parts of the state. “We have an intensive trapping program and took more than 100 raccoons from the property,” said one of the owners. “It seems to be the only explanation that makes sense.”
South Dakota Program
Wild turkeys, grouse, quail, pheasants, ducks, and other game birds nest on the ground, and with few natural enemies, nest-robbing predators have exploded in many areas. South Dakota has a unique conservation approach to protecting nesting birds and offers a bounty for these egg eaters. The program runs from March 1 to June 30 and pays $10 per tail for raccoons, foxes, skunks, opossums, and badgers. The first two months are open to youth 18 years of age and under, as well as all residents afterward. Predators must be trapped or shot, and roadkill animals are ineligible. Each family can claim up to $590 in bounty, a significant side income for youngsters, not to mention all of the birds this conservation move saves.

Coyote Tails?
One of my normal turkey hotspots turned up one gobbler on camera this spring, but it captured four black bears and a large bobcat in the last few days. Bobcats are a protected species in my state, and the black bear season has taken two bears in 10 years, despite 1200 acres of property and nearly a dozen resident bears. Coyotes are possible for a bounty program like South Dakota’s and will significantly help with fawn predation and wild turkeys.
Conservation Counts
Predator control is a bit off the mark for a bowhunting site, yet many of us participate in other types of hunting where predator control is beneficial. The South Dakota model seems to work and has been renewed through 2026. For the full details, click here.