NC hunters harvest near-record number of turkeys
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Results from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s (NCWRC) 2024 Wild Turkey Harvest Summary report show that hunters recorded 24,074 birds harvested statewide in 2024, including 2,372 birds taken during the youth season.
Hunters harvested 15 fewer turkeys than last year’s record total, making the 2024 Spring Turkey season the second-highest year on record. Both the Mountain and Coastal ecoregions reported increases in harvest numbers compared to the 2023 season, particularly in the Coastal region.
These numbers include the following trends:
• Harvest during the week-long youth season increased by 11%.
• Harvest in the Coastal region increased by 13%.
• Harvest in the Mountains increased by 8%.
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• Harvest in the Piedmont increased by 2%.
• Harvest on game lands increased by 5%.
• Number of adult gobblers harvested increased by 11%.
• Number of jakes harvested decreased by 10%.
• Jakes comprised 10% of the harvest, a 1% decrease.
NCWRC posts annual harvest summaries on its website for all game species, as well as live harvest reports that are available throughout the hunting season.
