Despite ongoing concerns about coronavirus in Missouri, youngsters bagged more wild turkeys during this spring's youth turkey hunt than last year's youth weekend event.
The conservation department said preliminary results show that youngsters killed 2,712 turkeys in Missouri on April 4 and 5, compared with 2,546 turkeys taken during the spring 2019 youth weekend turkey hunt.
The most birds were taken in Miller county, with 74 turkeys checked, followed by Franklin County with 62, and Callaway and Sainte Genevieve counties with 60 each.
Hunters who bag their first turkey can have the accomplishment recognized through a special certificate from MDC, complete with a photo.