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Arkansas

Hunting

Hunting

Turkey Hunting Regulations

What Is a Legal Turkey?

A turkey may be considered legal under the following rules:

A legal turkey is an adult gobbler. Only hunters 6-15 years old may harvest one jake as part of their two-bird limit during the season (including the youth hunt).

Characteristics of Adult Gobblers vs. Hen Turkeys

A beard alone does not provide verification of a legal turkey.

Hen (Female) Illegal Turkey

  • Typically do not have beard but 10-12% may
  • Tips of breast feathers are brown or buff
  • Head is primarily blue with light feathering.
  • Half to two-thirds the size of an adult gobbler or Jake
  • Spurs are absent

Hen Turkey

Adult Gobbler (Male) Legal Turkey

  • Head and major caruncles at base of neck are vibrant shades of red, blue and white
  • Beards are usually greater than 6 inches
  • Breast feathers with black tips
  • Twice the size of a he
  • Spurs usually more than 1/2 inch
Adult Gobbler Turkey

How to Identify a Gobbler

  • Gobblers have at least one of the following
  • Wing feathers have white barring all the way to the tip.
  • Tail feathers are the same length.
  • The beard is longer than 6 inches.
Identify a Gobbler

How to Identify a Jake

  • Jakes have all of these characteristics
  • Outermost wing feathers lack white barring all the way to the tip.
  • The central tail feathers are longer than the rest.
  • The central tail feathers are longer than the rest.
Identify a Jake