Wisconsin wild turkey hunters registered a total of 7,054 birds during the fall 2012 wild turkey season, an increase of 28% from the 5,523 registered during the 2011 season.

Success rates also in­creased, from 10.1% in the fall of 2011 to 12.9% during the 2012 season.

“The jump in harvest reflects favorable weather conditions over the past year,” said Scott Walter, upland wildlife ecologist for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “Right on the heels of a very mild winter, we experienced an early and relatively dry spring and early summer in 2012.