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
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
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.
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.
