Turkey Hunting Regulations

Spring Turkey Hunting

Season

• Youth-Only: 5-6, 2025
• General: April 12 – May 4, 2025

Shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Hunters may be in the field before and after shooting hours.

No Feeding of Wildlife

From March 1 through July 31, it is illegal to feed wildlife with grain, seed, manufactured animal feed, or food product outside the curtilage of the home (the area immediately surrounding the home). Salt, mineral blocks and other edible attractants may not be used in the CWD Deer Surveillance Zone counties (Ballard, Breckinridge, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hardin, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken and Meade counties). Bird feeders in yards, planted food plots and normal agricultural practices are allowed.

No Pre-Season Calling

A person shall not mimic the sound of a turkey in an area open to turkey hunting and where turkeys are reasonably expected to be present from March 1 until the opening of the youth-only turkey season, and from the close of the youth-only turkey season until the opening of the statewide turkey season. However, locating turkeys with an owl, crow, coyote or woodpecker call is permitted when scouting.

Spring Season Limits

A legal turkey is defined as a wild turkey that is male or has a visible beard. During the spring season, a hunter may only harvest one legal turkey per WMA. No more than one (1) bird may be taken per day. No more than two (2) legal turkeys may be taken per spring season. Any combination of male turkeys, or turkeys with visible beards, may be included in this two-bird season limit. Turkeys taken by youths during the youth-only season count toward their spring turkey season limit.

Legal Spring Turkey Hunting Equipment

• Breech-loading or muzzle-loading shotguns no larger than 10 gauge and no smaller than .410.
• Breech-loading shotguns must be plugged to hold a maximum of three shells (two in magazine and one in chamber).
• Lead or non-toxic shot no larger than No. 4.
• Longbows, recurve bows and compound bows of any draw weight (no minimum).
• Crossbows of any draw weight (no minimum) with a working safety device.
• Non-barbed broadheads with a minimum cutting diameter of 7/8-inch, whether expandable or non-expandable.

Prohibited Spring Turkey Hunting Methods

A person hunting wild turkeys shall not:

• Hunt over bait. An area is considered baited until 30 days after the bait has been removed. However, a person may hunt wild turkeys on an area where grain, feed or other substance exists as the result of a bona fide agricultural practice or manipulation of a crop (food plot) for wildlife management purposes.
• Use a dog during the spring season.
• Hunt from a boat, or from any type of vehicle unless prescribed by regulation (see “Hunting Method Exemptions” in the “General Information” section).
• Use or possess an electronic or digital calling device.
• Harvest a roosting turkey.
• Use live decoys.

Hunter Requirements

Adult hunters:

Unless exempt, all spring turkey hunters ages 16 and older must carry with them in the field proof of purchase of a valid Kentucky hunting license and a valid spring turkey permit.

Short-term (1- or 7-day) hunting licenses are not valid for turkey hunting. The spring turkey permit is valid for the general spring season and allows a hunter to harvest up to the spring season limit of legal turkeys. Persons ages 16 and older may not hunt turkeys during the youth-only season.

Youth hunters:

Children ages 15 and younger may hunt turkeys during the youth-only hunting weekend and the general spring season.

Youths younger than 12 are exempt from license and turkey permit requirements. Unless exempt, all spring turkey hunters ages 12-15 must carry with them in the field proof of purchase of a valid Kentucky hunting license and a valid spring turkey permit. Youths ages 12-15 are eligible to purchase a youth turkey permit, which is valid for the harvest of one legal turkey during the fall or spring seasons. The resident-only youth sportsman’s license includes two (2) youth turkey permits. Youth hunters must abide by season limits and harvest restrictions.

Youth hunting licenses and permits are valid for the entire license year if they are purchased before the youth’s 16th birthday. Youths who hunt turkeys with a firearm must be accompanied by an adult who shall remain in a position to take immediate control of the firearm at all times.

Harvest Recording

All harvested turkeys must be logged and telechecked. Hunters who harvest a turkey with a green or silver metal leg band can report band information to the department in addition to completing a regular telecheck. Visit online at fw.ky.gov and search “Turkey Band” to learn more. Consult the “General Information” section of this guide for complete information about harvest logs, telecheck and carcass tags.

Caller/Assistant

Anyone may call turkeys, or assist in the hunt. Callers and assistants are not required to possess a hunting license or turkey permit, and may carry equipment while in the field.

Hunter Orange

Hunters are not required to wear hunter orange clothing during the spring turkey seasons. However, wearing an article of hunter orange clothing while carrying a harvested turkey is a simple and effective way to help prevent hunting accidents that can occur when a hunter is mistaken for game.

Possession / Release of Live Wild Turkeys and Eggs

Due to the potential for spread of disease and genetic pollution, it is illegal to possess live wild turkeys. For the same reasons, domestic or pen-raised turkeys should not be released into the wild. It is also illegal to possess or attempt to hatch wild turkey eggs. It is further recommended that turkeys not be artificially fed during any time of the year. Providing standing corn, wheat or clover patches is a much better alternative.

Gobbler / Hen Identification

Gobbler

The gobbler is most easily recognized by the beard growing from its chest, and the pronounced spurs, sometimes as long as two inches, found on the back of its legs. A gobbler appears larger, darker, shinier and is more colorful than a hen, especially on its head, which can appear alternately red, white and blue. The gobbler often “puffs up” and struts during spring to attract hens for breeding.

Hen

The hen’s overall look is for concealment and protection. It is smaller and more drab than the colorful gobbler, so it can sit on its nest well camouflaged. Likewise, a hen’s head has more feathers to add to its camouflaged appearance.

Turkey Hunting Safety Tips

• Don’t stalk a turkey. The chances of getting close enough for a shot are slim, and odds of becoming involved in an accident increase.
• Use extreme caution when tail fanning or reaping for gobblers. Hunters run the risk of being mistaken for a live turkey while engaging in this type of hunting technique.
• Eliminate the colors red, white and blue from your turkey hunting outfit. Red or white are the colors hunters are looking for when differentiating a gobbler’s head from the hen’s grayish-blue head.
• Don’t move, wave or make turkey sounds to alert another hunter to your presence. Yell in a loud voice, “Hey, I’m here,” and remain hidden.
• Be particularly careful when using a gobbler call. The sound and motion may attract other hunters, and could draw fire.
• When selecting your calling position, sit at the base of a large tree, if one is available, to protect your torso and head. Position yourself so you can see 180 degrees in front of you.
• Pattern your shotgun before the season. In season, never shoot at a sound or movement. Be certain of your target.
• Assume that every sound you hear is made by another hunter.
• When hunting with a turkey decoy, place the decoy about 20 yards from your calling position. To be safe, you need a clear line of sight beyond the decoy of at least 80 yards. This will enable you to see any approaching hunter and keep you at a safe distance if another hunter were to shoot at your decoy.
• Keep your shotgun unloaded when not in the field, and open the action or unload your shotgun when climbing a steep hill, stepping over low fence wire, or crossing a creek.

Fall Turkey Hunting

Bag Limits

• Two (2) turkeys per season.
• One (1) turkey with a beard at least three (3) inches long.
• One (1) turkey with no visible beard or a beard shorter than 3 inches.
• One (1) turkey per day.

Permit Requirements

Adult hunters: Unless exempt, all fall turkey hunters ages 16 and older must carry with them in the field proof of purchase of a valid Kentucky hunting license and a valid fall turkey permit. Short-term (1- or 7-day) hunting licenses are not valid for turkey hunting. The fall turkey permit is valid for the fall archery, crossbow and shotgun turkey seasons and allows a hunter to harvest up to the fall season bag limit of turkeys.

Youth hunters:

Youths younger than 12 are exempt from license and turkey permit requirements. Youths ages 12-15 are eligible to purchase a youth turkey permit, which is valid during any turkey season for one turkey. Youth hunters must abide by season bag limits and harvest restrictions but can use the youth permit throughout the license year. The youth sportsman’s license includes two (2) youth turkey permits. Anyone may call turkeys, or assist in the hunt. Callers and assistants are not required to possess a hunting license or turkey permit, and may carry equipment while in the field.

Legal Fall Turkey Hunting Equipment

• Breech-loading or muzzleloading shotguns no larger than 10 gauge and no smaller than .410.
• Breech-loading shotguns must be plugged to hold a maximum of three shells (two in magazine and one in chamber)
• Lead or non-toxic shot no larger than No. 4
• Longbows, recurve bows and compound bows of any draw weight (no minimum).
• Crossbows of any draw weight (no minimum) with a working safety device.
• Non-barbed broadheads with a minimum cutting diameter of 7/8-inch, whether expandable or non-expandable.

Other Restrictions

Hunters may not use bait or any substance capable of luring wild turkeys. Fall turkey hunters shall not hunt within 600 feet of a baited site nor for thirty (30) days after bait is removed. This prohibition does not apply to bona fide agricultural practices or planted food plots. Turkey hunters may not use firearms to take turkeys during archery or crossbow-only seasons. On some WMAs, special equipment restrictions may apply.

Youth Supervision

Firearm turkey hunters 15 years old and younger must be accompanied by an adult, who shall remain in a position to take immediate control of the youth’s firearm at all times.

Harvest Recording and Tagging Requirements

The process and requirements for recording, checking and tagging harvested turkeys are the same as for deer and elk. See the “Recording, Checking, Tagging and Transporting” guidelines in the “General Information” section of this guide. To help researchers, hunters who harvest wild turkeys with leg bands should report the band number online at fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Pages/TurkeyBand.aspx.

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