Turkey

Species Description

Adult males are very large and dark with a bare, red and blue head, with red wattles on the throat and neck. They have long legs. The feathers are bronzy and iridescent. Males, and some females, have a tuft of hairlike feathers (a “beard”) in the middle of the breast. Females are smaller and less iridescent. Turkeys are most famous for their gobbling calls, but they make many other vocalizations as well.

What’s New for 2024?

  • You may now hunt until sunset on private lands. On public lands, shooting hours remain unchanged and end at 1 p.m.
  • Permit prices have been increased to keep up with rising costs of goods and services.
  • Additional turkey hunting areas managed by MDC were changed to nontoxic shot only: Donaldson Point, Frisbee Cutoff Access, Hornersville Swamp, Marion Bottoms, Seven Island, Swift Ditch Access, Warbler Woods.

 

Topic Category
Hunting / Fishing Guide
Regulations
Seasons
Biological Information
Title
Seasons
Turkey

Large turkey with feathers flared

Season Not Open
  • April 6, 2024 - April 7, 2024
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.

One male turkey or turkey with visible beard
Youths who take a turkey during the youth season may not harvest a second bird until April 24. This is because the bird taken during the youth season counts as the first bird for the first week of the regular season.
 

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.

Season Not Open
  • April 15, 2024 - May 5, 2024
Hours

Extend shooting hours to all day on private land only (public land will retain the 1PM closing time) for all three weeks of the season

Two male turkeys or turkeys with visible beard may be taken during the season, with the following restrictions:

  • You may take only one turkey during the first week
  • If you do not take one during the first week, then you may take two turkeys during the second and third week.
  • You may not take two turkeys on the same day.

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.

Season Not Open
  • September 15, 2024 - November 15, 2024
  • November 27, 2024 - January 15, 2025
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Two turkeys of either sex, both may be taken on the same day

Turkey: Archery: Allowed Methods

Methods

Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight

Crossbows

Hand-held string-releasing devices

Illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights

Atlatls

Crossbows

Turkey: Archery: Prohibited Methods

Methods

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

Use of electronic calls, electronically activated calls, bait, dogs, or night vision equipment

Live decoys may not be used to take turkeys.

Archers hunting deer or turkeys during the archery season may not be in possession of a firearm. Some exceptions apply. See 3 CSR 10-7.432 and 3 CSR 10-7.455 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

Season Not Open
  • October 1, 2024 - October 31, 2024
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to sunset

Notes

Fall firearms turkey hunting is not permitted in Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot, and Scott counties.

Two turkeys of either sex, both may be taken on the same day

Turkey: Fall Firearms: Allowed Methods

Methods

Shotguns (including .410) with shot not larger than No. 4

Longbows, compound bows, or recurve bows of any draw weight

Crossbows

Atlatls

Hand-held string-release devices

Illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights

Turkey: Fall Firearms: Prohibited Methods

Methods

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

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

Rifles, pistols, and other firearms that propel a single projectile at one discharge

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

Night vision / thermal imagery equipment

Use of electronic calls, electronically activated calls, live decoys, bait, or dogs

Anyone hunting turkeys during the fall firearms turkey season may not be in possession of both a firearm and a bow. Some exceptions apply. See 3 CSR 10-7.455 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri.

Season Not Open
  • September 15, 2024 - November 15, 2024
  • November 27, 2024 - January 15, 2025
Hours

One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset

Two turkeys of either sex, both may be taken on the same day

Turkey: Archery: Allowed Methods

Methods

Longbows, compound bows, and recurve bows of any draw weight

Crossbows

Hand-held string-releasing devices

Illuminated sights, scopes, and quickpoint sights

Atlatls

Crossbows

Turkey: Archery: Prohibited Methods

Methods

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

Use of electronic calls, electronically activated calls, bait, dogs, or night vision equipment

Live decoys may not be used to take turkeys.

Archers hunting deer or turkeys during the archery season may not be in possession of a firearm. Some exceptions apply. See 3 CSR 10-7.432 and 3 CSR 10-7.455 of the Wildlife Code of Missouri.