Advisory Board Approves Changes To 2022 Turkey Season In Alabama

MONTGOMERY, AL — The Alabama Conservation Advisory Board recommended a starting date of March 25 for the 2022 spring turkey season with a four-bird season bag limit at its recent meeting in Montgomery. The measure was approved March 6 by a 6-2 vote.

The board also recommended that hunters be prohibited from using decoys for the first 10 days of the 45-day season for most of the state.

The Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division had proposed a starting date of April 1 with a one-bird bag limit the first 10 days of the season, and a five-bird bag limit that included both the fall and spring seasons.

Barry Grand, Supervisor of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cooperative Research Unit at Auburn University, summarized the final report to the board of a five-year wild turkey research project conducted by Auburn University and initiated by WFF.

Grand’s report indicated several actions could positively impact the health of the wild turkey population in Alabama, including a reduced bag limit, opening the season at a later date, shortening the season or a combination of those and other actions.

“After reviewing the turkey research data and hearing the presentations from Dr. Grand and Director Sykes, as well as considering input from hunters and constituents in their districts, the members of the Conservation Advisory Board modified the proposal from WFF,” said conservation commissioner Chris Blankenship. “The CAB recommendations will be integrated into the season and bag limits beginning in the fall 2021-2022 season. Nothing will change for the turkey season that opens on March 20, 2021.”