Wild turkeys all but disappeared from Fort Bragg sometime in the mid-1950s; at the same time a small flock persisted on and around Camp Mackall. From that time until the late 1990s, turkey sightings on Fort Liberty were a rare occurrence, while at Camp Mackall turkey sightings increased indicating a growing flock in that area. Turkey sightings did begin to increase in the Northern Training Areas in the mid to late 1980s, likely due to the expansion of a flock of birds translocated to the Overhills area by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. In an effort to restore the wild turkey population on Fort Bragg, Wildlife Branch personnel translocated 75 wild turkeys captured on Camp Mackall and Camp Lejeune, and a few private properties to various release sites scattered throughout the training areas south of the Little River. This effort proved to be quite successful. Wild turkeys are now established in all areas of the installation.

 

Very limited turkey hunting began in the Northern Training Areas and Camp Mackall in the spring of 1994; that year one turkey was harvested in NTA 4. Limited hunting continued in those areas and expanded to additional areas on Fort Bragg through the late 1990s as the population of translocated birds began to grow. During that time roughly 60 percent of the turkeys harvested were taken on Camp Mackall. In the spring of 2007, the turkey population expanded to the extent that turkey hunting was opened post-wide. Since the first bird was taken in 1994 the turkey harvest has fluctuated considerably.  Harvest peaked at 66 in 2011, dropped to 34 in 2012, and down to as low as 24 in 2017.  Harvest totals began to increase again in 2018 and peaked at 110 during the 2020 (COVID) season.  It is likely that +/- 110 turkeys were harvested that year - hunting trips tripled from previous years.  After 2020, harvest numbers began declining again, and reached another low point of 41 birds in 2024.  The rises and falls in turkey harvest numbers are influenced by multiple factors.  The most significant is poor recruitment of poults into the population.  Poor recruitment can be a result of several variables - cold spring weather, drought, the upsetting of the wild turkey social structure through hunting mortality during the spring hunting season (COVID effect), etc.  In the southeast, Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall included, we had very low poult recruitment from 2020 through 2023 - 4 years in a row.  The situation does appear to be improving.  The poult to hen surveys in 2024 and 2025 were much better, and jake sightings and harvest during the 2025 season increased.

 

In order to turkey hunt on Fort Bragg and Camp Mackall, all hunters are required to possess a Fort Bragg Hunting permit AND the appropriate North Carolina hunting license and big game harvest report card. Turkey hunting slots are allocated based on the small game hunting units at one hunter per 500 acres.  Party hunting is permitted, whereby two individuals may check-in together, but only one may carry a weapon thus occupying only one hunting slot. Both individuals must have a valid Fort Bragg permit, and a valid NC hunting license and big game harvest report card.

 

For more information on turkey management and turkey hunting, please email jeffrey.g.jones3.civ@army.mil