AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s spring wild turkey harvest has grown in success in recent decades, and the new season is fast approaching.
The state Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife says it typically gives out more than 17,000 permits, and hunters catch about 6,000 birds.
The hunt has grown dramatically since 1986, when there were 500 permits and nine turkeys harvested.
The state sought to re-establish turkeys as a game animal in the 1980s.
Maine’s spring hunt for wild turkeys starts April 30 this year with Youth Spring Wild Turkey Day. It runs until June 4.
The rules of the Maine turkey hunt are extensive and promoted on the wildlife department’s website.
It’s illegal to shoot a turkey while it’s in a tree. The use of bait or traps is prohibited.
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