Youth license holders will be the first with a chance to harvest a turkey during the Youth Turkey Hunting Day scheduled for Saturday. That's two days before the regular season opener on Monday.

Youth license holders will be the first with a chance to harvest a turkey during the Youth Turkey Hunting Day scheduled for Saturday.

That's two days before the regular season opener on Monday.

Hunters with a valid Youth License who have obtained a "Y" turkey permit may begin their spring turkey hunting season on this day prior to the opening of the regular season.

The Youth Turkey Hunting Day is part of the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife's Take a Kid Hunting Program.

It is considered an extension of the regular season permit held by the youth. If a youth hunter harvests a turkey on this youth hunting day the "Y" period permit is no longer valid for future hunting.

All other spring turkey hunting regulations apply.

Direct supervision of the youth hunter by a properly licensed non-hunting adult 21 years of age or older is required. The adult may not shoot on this day.

Helpful turkey hunting information and tips can be found on the Wild Turkey in New Jersey page at www.njfishandwildlife.com/turkey.

The Wild Turkey Hunting Season Information booklet is no longer published, so hunters should refer to the regulation information linked from the wild turkey page.

Permits are available at license agents and online (permits obtained online are mailed so allow time for delivery).

Permit availability can be checked at www.nj.wildlifelicense.com.

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AMAZING REBOUND FOR TURKEYS IN NJ

The Division's Turkey Restoration Project represents one of the greatest wildlife management success stories in the history of the state.

By the mid-1800s, turkeys had disappeared in New Jersey due to habitat changes and killing for food.

Division biologists, in cooperation with the NJ Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, reintroduced wild turkeys in 1977 with the release of 22 birds.

In 1979, biologists and technicians began to live-trap and re-locate birds to establish populations throughout the state.

By 1981 the population was able to support a spring hunting season, and in December, 1997, a limited fall season was initiated.

There is now an abundance of wild turkeys throughout the state with turkeys found wherever there is suitable habitat.

In South Jersey, where wild turkeys had been struggling just a few years ago, intensive restoration efforts have improved population numbers significantly.

The statewide population is now estimated at 20,000 - 23,000 turkeys with an annual harvest of approximately 3,000 birds.

Spring turkey permits were awarded via a lottery followed by over-the-counter sales; the lottery application period was Jan. 25 - Feb. 22, but there are still leftover permits in many zones. There is no lottery for the fall turkey season.

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SPRING 2017 TURKEY HUNT STATIONS

All harvested turkeys must be tagged immediately with a completed transportation tag.

A turkey must be taken by the person who killed it, on the day killed, to the nearest turkey check station where personnel will issue a legal possession tag.

Sussex County

Garden State Bow & Reel, 2760A Rt. 23N, Stockholm (973) 697-3727

Hainesville General Store, 283 Rt. 206 South Hainesville �(973) 948-4280

Mountain Mike's Sport Shop, 7 Old Rudetown Rd., McAfee �(973) 827-6527

Mountain View Country Store, 300 Rt. 519, Wantage �(973) 875-6000

Simon-Peter Bait And Tackle, Rt. 206 And Brighton Rd., Newton �(973) 786-5313

Swartswood Deli, 911 Newton-Swartswood Rd., Stillwater �(973) 383-5470

Warren County

Alpine Meats, Rt. 94 N., Blairstown �(908) 362-8568

Hi-Way Sport Shop, Box 253, Rt. 31 North, Washington �(908) 689-6208

Smitty's Liquor & Deli, 89 Rt. 46, Delaware � (908) 475-5933

The Owl's Nest, 97 Rt. 519, Warren Glen �(908) 995-7903

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KNOW THE RULES

During the spring season, only male turkey may be taken; bearded hens may not be taken in the spring.

The bag limit is one turkey per permit, but only one bird may be taken in a given day, regardless of the number of permits a hunter holds...

Artificial decoys may be used while turkey hunting, except the use of electronicalely-operated decoys is prohibited. Dogs may be used for turkey hunting only during the fall season.

All hunters are required to possess a calling device while turkey hunting. The use of a hand-held decoy or a turkey tail-on-a-stick as camouflage to sneak up on a turkey is prohibited.

Stalk ing a turkey is illegal...

Hunting methods during the spring gobbler season are restricted to calling or stand hunting...

The maximum group size while turkey hunting is five hunters...

Hunters may not attempt to chase or drive tur keys for the purpose of putting them in range of other hunters. (During the fall season only, hunters may rush a flock of turkeys to cause the flock to scatter...

No shot larger than #4 fine shot or smaller than #7� fine shot may be used for turkey hunting.

Hunters may not use shotguns larger than 10-gauge or smaller than 20-gauge for turkey hunting. Shotguns must be plugged to be capable of holding no more than three shells.

Fluorescent hunter orange is not required to hunt turkeys...

Properly licensed hunters may use archery tackle to hunt turkeys.

Bows used for turkey hunting (long, recurve, compound or crossbow) must have a minimum draw pull weight of 35 pounds at the archer's draw length (long and recurve bow), or peak weight (compound bow), or 75 pounds minimum draw weight (crossbow).

Arrows must be fitted with a well-sharpened metal roadhead with a minimum width of 3/4 inch...

While turkey hunting, a weapon may not be in possession within 300 feet of any baited area...

Hunting hours for the spring season are one-halfhour before sunrise until noon daily, except huntinghours for the last two weeks of the spring turkey season (including all of period D and the last Saturday of period E) are changed to one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. These expanded huntinghours during the last two weeks of the season allow opportunities for working and youth hunters.

Coyotes may be harvested incidentally while turkey hunting...

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TURKEY SEMINARS

The latest turkey hunting techniques are presented at several turkey hunting seminars sponsored by Fish and Wildlife or wildlife conservation organizations.

These seminars focus on how to set up, calling techniques and key safety information for turkey hunters.

New turkey hunters are especially encouraged to join a seminar. Check the DEP website for the seminars schedules.