RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 30, 2017) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, along with the National Wild Turkey Federation, is offering 14 free turkey hunting seminars across the state in March.

The seminars, which will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., are open on a first-come, first-serve basis to all ages and skill levels, although participants 16 years and younger will need parental permission to register. Pre-registration is required and participants must register online.

Among the topics that will be covered during the seminars are biology, hunting methods, calls and decoys, firearms and ammo tips, camouflage clothing, and turkey processing and cooking techniques. A question-and-answer session, along with a brief overview of hunter recruitment, retention and re-activation (R3) initiatives, will conclude each seminar.

Dates and locations are:

• March 1

Pitt County Extension Center, Pitt County

403 Government Circle, Suite 2, Greenville, NC 27834

GPS Coordinates: (35.638284, -77.360689)

 

• March 2

N.C. State University Engineering Building II (EBII), Wake County
Classroom 1025

            3114 Engineering Building II

890 Oval Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606
GPS coordinates: (35.772173, -78.674353)

 

• March 7

             Pasquotank County Extension Center, Pasquotank County

            1209 McPherson Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909

            GPS Coordinates: (36.298477, -76.235738)

 

• March 8

           Onslow County Extension Center, Onslow County

           4024 Richlands Hwy., Jacksonville, NC 28540

           GPS Coordinates: (34.781641, -77.494023)

 

• March 9

Craven County Extension Center, Craven County
300 Industrial Drive, New Bern, NC 28562

GPS Coordinates: (35.142969, -77.158907)

 

• March 14

Mountain Horticulture Crops Research and Extension Center, Buncombe County

455 Research Drive, Mills River, NC 28759

GPS Coordinates: (35.424879, -82.560748)

 

• March 15

Cumberland County Extension Center, Cumberland County

301 East Mountain Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306

GPS Coordinates: (35.012639, -78.893928)

 

• March 16

Bass Pro Shops, Cabarrus County

8181 Concord Mills Blvd., Concord, NC 28027

GPS Coordinates: (35.367147, -80.718964)

 

• March 21

Brunswick County Extension Center, BLDG. N, Brunswick County
25 Referendum Drive, Bolivia, NC 28422

GPS Coordinates: (34.056713, -78.165797)

 

• March 22

Haywood Community College, Haywood County

185 Freedlander Drive, Clyde, NC 28721

GPS Coordinates: (35.525949, -82.927936)

 

• March 23

Caldwell County Extension Center, Caldwell County

120 Hospital Avenue NE/Suite 1, Lenoir NC 28645

GPS Coordinates: (35.922477, -81.523500)

 

• March 28

Catawba County Extension Center, Catawba County

1175 South Brady Avenue, Newton NC 28658

GPS Coordinates: (35.647028, -81.223360)

 

• March 29

Forsyth County Extension Center, Forsyth County

1450 Fairchild Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27105

GPS Coordinates: (36.128816, -80.225864)

 

• March 30

Guilford County Extension Center, Guilford County

3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
GPS coordinates: (36.084624, -79.738867)

 

“This is the third year the Wildlife Commission and the National Wild Turkey Federation have offered these expanded, statewide seminars prior to the start of the spring gobbler season and they have been very popular with both novice and experienced turkey hunters,” said Walter “Deet” James, the Wildlife Commission’s hunting heritage biologist. "New for 2017, we have combined both introduction and advanced segments into one seminar thereby eliminating redundancy and the need to attend multiple seminars. In short, we will continue to improve the cooperative seminar series based on conservation partner and attendee feedback."

The statewide season for male or bearded turkey only is April 8 through May 6, with a youth-only week from April 1-7. Regulations and restrictions on turkey hunting, including information on youth season, are available in the 2016-17 Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest.

For additional information, contact James at 919-707-0059; mobile, 984-202-1387 or hunting.heritage@ncwildlife.org.

Visit www.ncwildlife.org/hunting and click on the “What to Hunt” link for information about wild turkeys in North Carolina.