Turkey: Spring: Youth (ages 6-15)

Season Not Open
Dates
April 11, 2026 - April 12, 2026
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Notes

Youth hunters who are age 6-15 on opening day may hunt.

Youth may also hunt during the regular Spring Turkey season.

Limits

During the spring youth season, one male turkey or turkey with visible beard

Resident youth hunters who are successful during the youth season can now harvest their second bird during the first week of the regular season.

Nonresident youth hunters may harvest one bearded turkey either during the youth season or regular season. They cannot harvest a turkey during both the youth season and the regular season.

Methods

Turkey: Spring: Allowed Methods

Methods

Shotguns with shot not larger than No. 4

Longbows, recurve bows, or compound bows. Hand-held string releasing devices, illuminated sights, scopes, and quick point sights are allowed.

Crossbows

Atlatls

Turkey: Spring: Prohibited Methods

Methods

Shotguns capable of holding more than 3 shells in magazine and chamber combined

Shot larger than No. 4 (in use or in possession)

Any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game

Thermal imagery equipment or night vision equipment (in use or in possession)

Recorded calls (in use or in possession)

Use of dogs or live decoys

 

Use of bait, which includes grain or other feed placed or scattered so as to attract turkeys. An area is considered baited for 10 days even after complete removal of the bait. A hunter can be in violation even if he or she did not know an area was or is baited. It is illegal to place bait in a way that causes others to be in violation of the baiting rule.

Learn more about the species