Turkey season in Michigan runs from mid-April through early June. Turkey hunting in the spring is a fantastic opportunity to see Michigan’s greenery and take advantage of the rising temperatures in addition to hunting turkeys.
Gobbling up the answer to your question, “When does turkey season start in Michigan?” requires a bit of detective work, as the regulations change each year But fear not, fellow hunter, for I’ve scoured the wilds of the internet and emerged with the latest intel
Spring Turkey Season:
- 2024: April 20th – June 7th
- 2025: April 19th – June 6th
- 2026: April 18th – June 5th
Fall Turkey Season:
- 2023: September 15th – November 14th
- 2024: September 14th – November 13th
- 2025: September 13th – November 12th
Remember: These dates are just the tip of the gobbler’s beak. For the full scoop on regulations, bag limits, and license requirements, head over to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) website It’s like a treasure map leading you to a bounty of turkey-hunting knowledge.
Pro Tip: Mark your calendars, set your alarms, and get ready to bag some delicious wild turkey. But before you head out, brush up on your turkey-calling skills. Those gobblers won’t come running just because you’re wearing camo.
Additional Resources:
- Michigan DNR Turkey Hunting Regulations: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/hunting/turkey
- eRegulations Turkey Hunting Seasons: https://www.eregulations.com/michigan/hunting/turkey-hunting-seasons
Happy Hunting!
Be Patient and Have Fun!
This is the year to give turkey hunting a try if you’ve ever considered it. It offers a fun and engaging way to obtain high-quality, locally sourced protein. You can use a call to sound like a turkey and get one to answer you back!.
Thus, keep in mind this the next time you’re crawling on your belly and trying to slink up on some gobbling toms: A few decades ago, turkeys were scarce and could only be hunted by a select few. Today, everyone has a chance.
Apply for a Spring Turkey License
Every county in Michigan has turkeys, and anyone wishing to hunt one can obtain a license. Michigan has several turkey seasons for you to choose from. Some you do have to apply for in advance because there are more hunters than turkey licenses available. Anyone can hunt turkeys for most of the month of May, in what’s called Hunt 234. For hunters who would like to hunt in multiple locations and who have more than seven days to locate those turkeys, Hunt 234 is an excellent, adaptable option. The early seasons are open for a brief period of time and have a limited number of licenses, so the weather and work schedules are important factors. You can find Michigan public land that is available for hunting by using the excellent mapping tool Mi-Hunt. Mi-Hunt gives you access to more than 4 million acres of public land, so you can start your journey from the comfort of your home computer!
The turkey story in Michigan is truly amazing – our state has made huge strides in wildlife management. Similar to most states, there was a period when the common animals of today were either extinct or extremely difficult to locate. Wild turkeys were once a rarity in Michigan. It’s hard to imagine, but wildlife didn’t have any protections for a long time. Grocery stores weren’t on every corner, families were clearing land for settlements, and there were no hunting laws in place in the late 1800s. Now, everything has changed. The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (aka the Pittman-Roberson Act of 1937) was enacted. With the support of the sporting arms and ammunition industry, a nationwide coalition of conservationists convinced Congress to allocate the excise tax on those goods to a special fund for the restoration of wildlife. With a lot of hard work and dedication in the 1950s, the turkey population was reestablished.
Turkey Hunting in Michigan with MeatEater’s Mark Kenyon
FAQ
How many turkey tags can you get in Michigan?
How do I apply for spring turkey season in Michigan 2024?
How much is a turkey license in Michigan?
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Licenses by age
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Age: up to 9
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Resident age: 17-64
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Application for license drawing
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N/A
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$5
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Base license
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N/A
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$11
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Spring turkey license
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N/A
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$15
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DNR Sportcard
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$1
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$1
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Why does Michigan have a spring turkey season?
He says having a spring turkey season also helps spread hunting opportunities throughout the year. (There is turkey hunting in the fall, but Bump says the most turkey hunting happens in spring.) Bump says turkey populations in Michigan are stable, and hunting regulations haven’t changed much this year.
When does spring turkey season start?
Spring turkey season starts soon! Here’s what you need to know For many hunters, the spring turkey season begins next Saturday, April 22. Here’s what you need to know before heading into the field:
When does turkey hunting season start?
“ [We’re] trying to avoid them getting used to people and food.” Spring turkey hunting season begins in late April and runs through early June, depending on the area of the state. If hunters aren’t selected for a license from the lottery on March 11, they can apply for leftover licenses on a first-come, first-served basis.
Can you hunt a Turkey during the spring season?
In order to hunt turkey during the spring season, one must acquire a spring turkey license. There are several turkey seasons throughout the year, but in May, anyone can hunt the bird if they would like more than seven days to hunt. Click here to view the leftover spring turkey hunting licenses.