JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri conservation officials say the spring turkey season is off to a slightly slower start than last year because of stormy weather in parts of the state.
The Conservation Department says hunters checked about 18,800 turkeys in the first week of the season, which started April 18. That's down about 10 percent from last year. Eastern Missouri's Franklin County had the highest number of birds checked in the first week at 427.
Turkey biologist Jason Isabelle says that several days of thunderstorms and high winds have made hunting more difficult. But he also notes that a good hatch of turkeys in 2009 means hunters should see more mature birds this season.