Turkey Hunting Regulations

Spring wild turkey licenses for youth, archery-only and firearms during all time periods (A-F) may be purchased over the counter beginning March 1.

Firearms turkey hunters 18 and older may hunt statewide, except:

• Access to the Carlos Avery and Whitewater Wildlife Management Areas during the A time-period is by lottery only. Any hunter with a valid spring turkey license may hunt the Carlos Avery and Whitewater WMAs after the A time-period. Access to the Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area is no longer restricted by permit during any time-period. The lottery deadline is Feb. 21, 2025. Lottery applications may be made online, by phone at 888-665-4236, or in person anywhere hunting licenses are sold. The cost is $4.00.

Wild Turkey Hunt Rules

General restrictions

• Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
• No person may be accompanied by a dog while hunting or assisting in hunting wild turkeys.
• Wild turkeys may not be taken with the aid of any electronic device, except red dot scopes, rangefinders and devices designed to enhance hearing may be used.
• Live turkey decoys are prohibited.
• Hunters may not possess any firearms or bow and arrow except those defined as legal for taking wild turkeys.
• Hunting turkeys over bait is prohibited.

Licenses

• Spring wild turkey licenses may be purchased over the counter starting March 1.
• All hunters will be asked which permit area they hunt most (to provide information on expected harvest pressure), but this does not restrict the license holder to that unit.
• Firearms turkey hunters, age 18 and over are restricted to the time-period selected at time of purchase.
• Hunters who purchase a firearms license may also use crossbows or vertical bows, but may only hunt during their selected time-period or the final time-period (F – May 21-31).
• Youth hunters (17 and younger) may hunt statewide for the entire season (April 16-May 31) with firearms or archery equipment.
• Archery-only license holders may use vertical bows or crossbows and may hunt statewide for the entire season (April 16-May 31) but may not use firearms to take a turkey.
• Hunters cannot purchase both a firearms and archery-only license.
• Firearms hunters who do not tag a turkey in their selected time-period may also hunt the final hunt time-period (F – May 21-31).
• There is no lottery for the fall turkey season. Licenses may be purchased after August 1.

Firearms safety certification

• Firearms safety requirements apply to anyone over the age of 12 who is hunting under a firearms license.
• Youth ages 12-15 who are using archery equipment must possess a firearms safety certificate.
• Youth hunters 12 and under do not need to possess a firearms safety permit if they are accompanied by an adult parent or guardian who possesses a firearms safety certificate.
• Firearms safety certification requirements apply for the purchase of a fall wild turkey license because it is valid for both archery and firearms.

Method of taking

Firearms

• Shotguns or muzzleloader shotguns must be 10 gauge or smaller
• Only fine shot size No. 4 and smaller diameter (sizes 4, 5, 6, 7½, 8, etc.) may be used
• Red dot scopes and range finders are legal

Archery

• Bows must have a pull of no less than 30 pounds at or before full draw
• A person may use a mechanical device attached to the bowstring if the person’s own strength draws and holds the bowstring
• Arrowheads must have at least two metal cutting edges of barbless design at least 7/8 inch in diameter or must be of a blunt head design
• Expandable arrowheads must be at least 7/8 of an inch at or after impact and must be barbless.
• Poisoned or explosive tip arrows are prohibited

Crossbows

• May be used by any person who possess a valid firearms license during their selected time-period or by any person who possess a valid archery-only permit
• Must be fired from the shoulder
• Must be able to deliver at least 42 foot-pounds of energy at a distance of ten feet
• Must have a working safety
• Must be used with arrows or bolts at least ten inches long

Bag limit

The bag limit for the spring hunt is one wild turkey with a visible beard. The beard is a feathered appendage protruding from the breast that is generally found only on males. The bag limit for the fall hunt is one bird of either sex.

Tagging

Upon harvesting a wild turkey, the site tag provided with your spring or fall wild turkey license must be detached from the license.

• Validate the site tag immediately by using a sharp object to notch the date and time (AM/PM) of the kill.
• The site tag must be attached to the leg of the wild turkey and must remain attached during transit.

Registration

Wild turkeys must registered either online, by telephone at 888-706-6367 or at an in person registration location within 24 hours of harvest.

• Successful hunters will be required to provide the permit area where they harvested the bird. A map of turkey permit areas is available online.
• The feathers, head, and feet must remain on the wild turkey until it is registered.
• Registered wild turkeys may be transported with an attached fully-feathered wing or leg and foot.
• No person may possess an unregistered wild turkey outside the wild turkey permit area where the bird was taken unless it is being transported in a direct route to a registration station.

Assisting

A licensed wild turkey hunter may assist another turkey hunter but may not shoot or tag a turkey for another hunter.

An unlicensed adult age 18 or older may assist a licensed wild turkey hunter. The unlicensed adult may not shoot or possess a firearm or bow while assisting a hunter and may not charge a fee for the assistance.

Guiding

A person may not guide turkey hunters for compensation.

Firearms hunters 18 and over must draw a permit in the lottery to hunt the Carlos Avery or Whitewater Wildlife Management Areas during the A time-period.

• The lottery deadline is February 21, 2025.
• Lottery applications may be made online, by telephone (888) 665-4236 or in person wherever hunting licenses are sold. The cost is $4.00.
• Successful applicants will receive a letter indicating their selected wildlife management area and time-period.
• Successful applicants may also hunt statewide. They are not required to stay in their selected wildlife management area.
• Archery-only and hunters 17 and younger may access these areas without being successful in the lottery.
• Any hunter with a valid license may hunt the Carlos Avery and Whitewater Wildlife Management Area after the A time-period.

Ground Blinds *New for 2025*

• As a result of a legislative change last session, ground blinds on public land no longer need a blaze orange safety covering on top of the blind while turkey hunting.

Trespass law

Trespass is the most frequent complaint landowners have against hunters. Trespassing is illegal and can ruin relationships with private landowners. This could, in turn, hamper habitat programs, reduce land access, and possibly eliminate future hunting.

Always ask permission before entering private land. If you are caught trespassing, you may be issued a citation and assessed a fine under civil penalties and repeat violators can lose their license or registration. Alternatively, if you are convicted of violating trespass laws under criminal procedures, you may lose your hunting privileges for up to two (2) years, lose hunting equipment, and be subject to fines and possibly a jail sentence. All DNR conservation officers and all other licensed peace officers enforce trespass laws and may issue a citation to a person who trespasses in violation of the law or who removes a sign without authorization.

More details about trespass regulations can be found in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook.