Turkey Hunting

General Information

• You may buy only one turkey permit per year.
• If you have filled your bag limit, you may call turkeys for another hunter, but you may not carry a bow or firearm.
• If you have taken a turkey that is unfit for consumption, authorized DEC staff may issue a special permit to take another. You will have to surrender the carcass. Call your wildlife or law enforcement office.

Manner of Taking

• You must carry your hunting license and turkey permit while you hunt.
• You may hunt with a bow.
• You may hunt with a shotgun or handgun only when using shot no larger than #2 and no smaller than #8.
• You may not take a turkey with a rifle, or with a handgun firing a bullet.
• You may use a muzzleloading shotgun.
• You may not hunt with a dog during the spring season. You may hunt with a dog during the fall season.
• You may not use bait to hunt turkey.
• You may not use an electronic calling or amplifying device to locate or hunt turkeys during the open season.
• You may use decoys.
• A scope of any type is allowed.

Tagging and Possession

• Immediately after taking a wild turkey, you must fill out the appropriate carcass tag in ink, mark or cut out the date and month of kill, and attach it to the carcass.
• The carcass tag must stay attached to the turkey carcass until it is prepared for eating.
• You may give your turkey to another person
• You must attach a tag with the following information to the turkey carcass:

1. Your name
2. Your address
3. Your hunting license number
4. Turkey permit carcass tag number
5. The recipient’s name
6. The recipient’s address

• You must report your harvest within 7 days via phone (1-866-GAMERPT) or internet (www.dec.ny.gov).

Fall Turkey Season

• You may take a bird of either sex.
• In a two-bird area, you may take both birds in one day.
• There are two carcass tags for the fall season. Use “statewide” tag in any turkey hunting area. Use “two-bird area” tag only in an area with a two-bird bag limit. Immediately after taking a turkey, you must fill out the carcass tag in ink and attach it to the bird.
• If you take a turkey, save one leg from each turkey you take. You will receive instructions about what to do with the leg when you report. The legs are used for age and sex information.

Spring Turkey Season

• In the spring you may take two bearded birds. You may only take one bird per day.
• Fill out the carcass tag and attach it to the bird.
• You do not need to save and send in turkey legs in the spring. You do need to take careful spur, beard, and weight measurements for harvest reporting.

1. Spur measurements: Spurs should be measured from the tip of the spur to the base of the spur, where it emerges from the scaly part of the leg. Measure to the nearest ¼ inch. Do not measure to the forward edge of the leg, only to the base of the spur.
2. Beard measurements: Beards should be measured from the tip of the beard to the base, where it emerges from the skin. Put the end of your ruler against the base of the beard and extend the beard along the body of the ruler. Measure to the nearest ¼ inch.
3. Record the weight of the turkey to the nearest pound.

Spring Youth Hunt

Eligible hunters are 12–15 years of age and hold a Junior Hunting License and a Turkey Permit.

All youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult, as required by law for a Junior Hunting License.

The accompanying adult must have a current hunting license and Turkey Permit. He/she may assist the youth hunter (including calling), but may not carry a firearm or longbow, or kill or attempt to kill a wild turkey during the youth hunt.

The bag limit for the youth hunt is one bearded bird. This bird becomes part of the youth’s regular season bag limit of two bearded birds. A second bird may be taken beginning May 1.

All other wild turkey hunting regulations remain in effect.