Fall hunting season is approaching in Oklahoma with dove season leading off on Sept. 1 and other migratory birds, big game, waterfowl and others to follow.
From the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Conservation, heres a when different hunting seasons occur this fall and winter.
For hunters eagerly awaiting spring in Oklahoma, the annual spring turkey season is a highly anticipated tradition. Pursuing these wary game birds calls for careful planning and preparation. So when exactly does Oklahoma’s spring turkey hunting season occur each year? Read on for dates, license requirements, legal methods, and tips to make the most of your spring turkey hunt.
Oklahoma Spring Turkey Season Dates
Oklahoma offers both a separate youth turkey season and general spring turkey season annually:
Youth Spring Turkey Season
- Always the weekend before the regular season opening.
- 2023 dates: April 8-9 statewide.
Regular Spring Turkey Season
- Starts on the 3rd Wednesday in April.
- 2023 dates: April 12 – May 12 statewide.
So youth hunters get to kick off spring turkey pursuits first each year, followed shortly after by the general statewide season. Mark your calendars now so you don’t miss out!
License Requirements
All turkey hunters in Oklahoma need the proper licenses:
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Residents – Annual hunting license plus spring turkey license,
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Nonresidents – Appropriate nonresident annual or 5-day hunting license plus nonresident spring turkey license.
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Lifetime license holders – Required to purchase annual hunting and turkey licenses each spring.
Youth under 18 can hunt during the youth season with a resident or nonresident youth hunting license. Check current license fees online before your hunt.
Legal Hunting Methods
Only certain methods and equipment are permitted for spring turkey hunting in Oklahoma:
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Archery – Bows and crossbows meeting requirements for big game archery.
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Shotguns – Any shotgun shooting #4 shot or smaller
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Illegal – Rifles, handguns, or using shot larger than BB.
So stick to approved archery gear or shotguns loaded with appropriate smaller shot sizes.
More Turkey Hunting Tips
To maximize your spring hunting success:
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Scout – Locate flocks and patterns their movement in your hunting area.
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Use decoys and calls – Set up hen decoys and use turkey calls to draw in gobblers.
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Be patient – Sit still, remain quiet and alert when set up.
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Aim carefully – Only take ethical close shots at the turkey’s head and neck.
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Check regulations – Follow all laws and limits for your specific hunting zone.
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Tag immediately – Tag your harvested turkey before moving it.
Enjoy the Hunt!
With gobblers starting to strut and hunters readying calls and gear, spring turkey season generates high anticipation. Thanks to separate youth and general seasons, everyone can enjoy pursuit of these challenging birds. Just be sure to get the required licenses and hunt only during legal hours and dates. Good luck this spring and be sure to cherish the turkey hunting tradition with family and friends.
When is deer hunting season in Oklahoma? 2024 big game season
- Deer archery: Oct. 1 through Jan. 15, 2025
- Youth deer gun: Oct. 18-20
- Deer muzzleloader: Oct. 26 through Nov. 3
- Deer gun: Nov. 23 through Dec. 8
- Holiday antlerless deer gun: Dec. 18-31
- Elk archery: Oct. 1 through Jan. 15, 2025
- Youth elk gun: Oct. 18-20
- Elk muzzleloader: Oct. 26 through Nov. 3
- Elk gun: Nov. 23 through Dec. 8
- Holiday antlerless elk gun: Dec. 18-31
- Antelope archery: Oct. 1-14
- Antelope gun (either sex, draw only, landowner/controlled hunt permits): Aug. 29 through Sept. 1
- Antelope gun (doe only, draw only, controlled hunt permit only): Sept. 2-9
- Antelope gun (doe only, draw only, landowner permit only): Nov. 25 through Jan. 15, 2025
- Bear archery: Oct. 1-20
- Bear muzzleloader: Oct. 26 through Nov. 3
Spring turkey hunting season
- Youth turkey spring: April 12-13, 2025
- Turkey spring: April 15 through May 16, 2025
6 Spring Turkey Hunting Tactics To Get a Big GOBBLER
FAQ
Where is the best public land turkey hunting in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma is a frequent destination for many traveling turkey hunters. To the west, the Black Kettle Wildlife Management Area has good Rio Grande turkey populations. Some of the better public hotspots for the Eastern subspecies are Three Rivers, Honobia Creek, and Pushmataha wildlife management areas.
Do you have to tag a turkey in Oklahoma?
All hunters (including lifetime license holders) who harvest a turkey (fall or spring) must immediately attach a field tag, securely to the carcass, with their name, customer ID number and date and time of harvest (lifetime license holders are exempt from listing date and time on the field tag).
How many turkeys can you shoot in Oklahoma?
Season Limit
One tom turkey statewide regardless of method of take.
Can I hunt on my own land without a license in Oklahoma?
Resident landowners or tenants who hunt or trap only on land owned or agriculturally leased by them (not including hunting leases) are exempt from the hunting license.
What percentage of Oklahoma’s turkey hunters failed to kill a bird?
Last season, 76 percent of Oklahoma’s turkey hunters failed to kill a bird and only 19% killed one bird. Populations of Rio Grande turkeys have declined from just three years ago in southwest Oklahoma by 67% and in northwest Oklahoma by 55%, according to winter flock surveys by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
What is the Oklahoma turkey hunting season?
The Oklahoma turkey hunting season has varied limitations depending on the particular season. Hunters are only permitted to take one tom turkey during spring, and non-bearded turkeys are off-limits. Similarly, hunters can only take one tom turkey during the Youth Spring Turkey season.
Can you take a Turkey in the spring?
Illegal Firearms: Rifles and handguns may not be used during the spring seasons. Statewide. One (1) tom turkey statewide regardless of method of take. A turkey taken during the youth spring season counts toward the regular spring turkey season limit of one turkey. Statewide. One (1) tom turkey; harvest of non-bearded turkeys is prohibited.
Does Oklahoma have a turkey hunting season?
Yes, Oklahoma does have a turkey hunting season. Turkey hunting in Oklahoma is a time-honored and age-old tradition. In the past, turkey hunting in Oklahoma wasn’t as successful for hunters. The turkey population in Oklahoma was drastically reduced, and restoration actions had to take place. That wasn’t a good look for a state that started the Lieutenant Governor’s Invitational Turkey Hunt.
Can a 17 year old Hunt a Turkey?
One (1) tom turkey; harvest of non-bearded turkeys is prohibited. 17 years old and younger. All youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. The adult may not hunt or possess any archery equipment or firearms. One tom turkey statewide regardless of method of take.
Can you take a Turkey in the fall?
Unfilled fall turkey license (Jan. 1-15) may be used the following fall season. One tom turkey regardless of method of take. Archery: Oct. 1, 2024 – Jan. 15, 2025, statewide. Atoka, Choctaw, Coal, Delaware, Latimer, Le Flore, Mayes, McCurtain, Ottawa, Pittsburg, Pushmataha, Rogers, and Tulsa counties are closed to Fall turkey gun hunting.