JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — If you’re a turkey hunter, the Missouri Department of Conservation wants you to save and share feathers from turkeys you harvest this fall.

MDC is asking anyone who harvests a turkey during archery season (September 15 – November 10 and November 22 – January 15, 2024) or firearms season (October 1-31) to mail them in a provided postage-paid envelope.

Specifically, the department wants hunters to save the ninth and tenth primary wing feathers and three-to-five breast feathers.

“Once hunters have signed up for the program and Telechecked a turkey, we will mail them a feather submission packet containing additional instructions and a postage-paid envelope for the feathers to be placed inside and mailed back to MDC,” MDC turkey biologist Nick Oakley stated in a release.

“Hunters will receive one packet for each turkey they harvest during the fall seasons, so please be sure to keep each turkey’s feathers separate and labeled with the correct Telecheck ID.”

The department says feathers will assist scientists in improving research models used to check on population trends and come up with an estimate of the number of turkeys in the state.

If you have questions, you can email the wild turkey management program.