Turkey Seasons & Regulations

General Information

All Big-Game and Turkey Harvests Must Be Tagged

1. Immediately after harvesting any big-game animal or turkey, the carcass tag must be notched. The carcass tag must be attached to the kill before leaving the kill site. Instructions for notching and attaching are listed below and are provided on the reverse side of the tag.
2. Antlered or horned big game require an antler/horn tag be attached in addition to a carcass tag. Instructions for attaching are listed below and provided on the reverse side of the tag.
3. Any big-game or turkey kill left unattended in the field, in a vehicle or in camp must have a properly notched carcass tag and antler/horn tag (if applicable) attached. It is unlawful to possess any big-game species or turkey in the field without a properly notched carcass tag or handwritten E-Tag.
4. Bear and cougar must be both carcass tagged and pelt tagged. Bear or cougar must be presented for pelt tagging within five days after harvest.
5. The carcass tag or handwritten E-Tag authorizes possession of the big-game animal or turkey for one year from date of kill. Bear and cougar carcass tags authorize possession of the animal for five days or until pelt tagged, whichever occurs first. Keep your tags!

Legal sporting arms for turkey: Any shotgun firing shot, bow and crossbow.

Arrows and bolts must have broadheads (fixed or mechanical) with cutting edges. Sights on bows and crossbows may not project light. No drugs may be used on arrows or bolts, and they cannot be driven by explosives, gunpowder or compressed air.

Marked Game Animals

It is legal to harvest a game animal with a collar, eartag or other human-placed identifying mark. Please contact NMDGF at 505-476-8038 to return collars, as they store data and can be used on another animal.

Turkey Draw Permits

The deadline to apply for turkey draw permits is Feb. 12, 2025. Up to two hunters may apply per application. Successful applicants must purchase an over-the-counter Turkey License to validate their draw permit. Licenses may be purchased online, by telephone: 1-888-248-6866, or in person at NMDGF offices or from license vendors. Online and telephone purchases must be made at least 14 days prior to hunt start date to allow mailing of tags unless the E-Tag option is chosen. Draw hunt areas are open only during the dates listed on the permit. If planning to hunt within 14 days of online or telephone purchase, hunters may be required to obtain tags at a license vendor or NMDGF office.

Spring Over-the-Counter (OTC) License Hunts

OTC turkey licenses are available at NMDGF offices, license vendors, online or by telephone: 1-888-248-6866. Hunters may purchase both spring and fall licenses.

Turkey hunts in the Sandia Ranger District portion of GMU 14 and in Sugarite Canyon State Park are bow and crossbow only.

Areas Open for Spring OTC License Hunts: April 15–May 15

STATEWIDE: Except the following CLOSED AREAS: Unit 2A (areas east of U.S. Hwy. 550 and north of NM Hwy. 173); Unit 2B (areas in the Carson National Forest), Unit 2C (areas in the Carson National Forest); Units 6B, 8, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31; Bernardo WMA, Jackson Lake WMA, La Joya WMA, Marquez/LBar WMA, Prairie Chicken WMAs, Red Rock WMA, Valle Vidal, W.S. Huey WMA.

Youth-Only Spring OTC License Hunt: April 11-13

An early youth-only turkey hunt is available April 11-13 in all open units for spring hunting. Draw-permit areas are not open for youth-only spring OTC license holders.

Bag Limit for Spring Season

The bag limit is two bearded turkeys, except in permitted areas.¹ The beard and a patch of feathers surrounding the beard must remain on the bird until it is delivered to the place where it will be eaten or placed in final storage.

1–Turkey draw permit holders may kill only the number of turkeys authorized on their permit in the permitted area. If only one turkey is allowed, they may hunt in any open over-the-counter area during the spring season for a second turkey.

Fall OTC License Hunts

Sept. 1–30 (bow only) and Nov. 1–30 (shotgun, bow or crossbow)

STATEWIDE: Except the following CLOSED AREAS: Unit 2A (areas east of U.S. Hwy. 550 and north of NM Hwy. 173); Unit 2B (areas in the Carson National Forest); Unit 2C (areas in the Carson National Forest); Units 6B, 8, 14, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 38, 49, 50, 53; Bernardo WMA, Bill Evans WMA, Edward Sargent WMA, Jackson Lake WMA, La Joya WMA, Lake Roberts WMA, Marquez/LBar WMA, Prairie Chicken WMAs, Red Rock WMA, Rio Chama WMA, Sugarite Canyon State Park, Valle Vidal and W.S. Huey WMA.

Bag Limit for Fall Season

The bag limit is any one turkey. If a hunter does not harvest a turkey during the September bow-only hunt, she/he may hunt again in November using legal sporting arms for turkey.

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge Youth Spring Turkey Hunt

The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) will conduct youth spring turkey hunts for hunters 17 years of age and younger. Hunts will be held on weekends during April and May 2025 in conjunction with NMDGF seasons. The bag limit is one bearded turkey. Eligible hunters will be drawn from a pool of qualified applicants. An application fee of $6 is required per application. More information will be available in January 2025 on the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge website. For more information about hunting opportunities at Bosque del Apache NWR call: 575-835-1828.

Turkey Draw Permit Seasons

Purchase of OTC Turkey License Required