Date: May 1, 2017
Contact: Craig Thatcher, 508-487-2100, EXT. 0910
The spring Eastern wild turkey hunt will take place in Massachusetts starting April 24, and in Cape Cod National Seashore for a sixth season. The 2017 national seashore turkey hunting season will run the first three weeks of the state four-week turkey season, which is open from April 24 through May 19, 2017.
The spring turkey hunt in the national seashore will be consistent with most of the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations. A national seashore turkey hunting permit is required along with the state hunting license and turkey permit.
State regulations restrict turkey hunting to Monday through Saturday, from ½ hour before sunrise until noon. These will apply in the national seashore also. The tactics most hunters use during this season is hunting from a stationary location while using calls to try and attract toms (male turkeys) to their location.
Turkeys were prevalent throughout Massachusetts at the time of Colonial settlement. As land was cleared for buildings and agriculture, turkey populations diminished. By 1800, turkeys were rare in Massachusetts, and by 1851 they had disappeared. In 1972 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts began a restoration effort with the State of New York. Turkeys trapped in SW NY were released in Berkshire County. By 1976 the birds began to be released across the rest of the state, including 28 birds in Wellfleet in 1995. The Eastern wild turkey is now a common sight on the Outer Cape.
For more information about the Cape Cod National Seashore spring turkey hunt call Craig Thatcher, North District Ranger at 508-487-2100, ext. 0910
