Texas Spring Turkey Season Opens Soon

Texas Spring Turkey Season Opens Soon

Spring is here and prospects for Rio Grande turkeys are looking good. Breeding is expected to peak over the next couple of weeks. So if you go early in the season, Jason Hardin, our Upland Game Bird specialist, suggests hunting mid-day, after hens split off from toms.

A youth-only weekend for Rio Grande turkey started the South Zone season on March 10. The first youth-only weekend for Rio Grande in the North Zone is March 24-25.

Eastern turkey has a limit of 1 bird, and the general season is April 15 – May 14. Eastern Turkey hunters must check their harvested turkey with the free My Texas Hunt Harvest app or website.

Rio Grande turkey has a bag limit of 4 birds, and the general seasons are:
South Zone: 3/17 – 4/29
North Zone: 3/31 – 5/13
Special 1 Turkey Bag Limit (10 counties): 4/1 – 4/30
Check county listings for special bag limits, season dates and other special regulations for counties. Refer to your Outdoor Annual for general dates, the Spring Zone Map and required tagging information.

The Need-to-Know

You must have a hunting license and Upland Game Bird Endorsement

Upland Game Bird Endorsement

Type 167:$7
Required to hunt turkey, pheasant, quail or chachalaca. Non-residents who purchase the Non-resident Spring Turkey License are exempt from this endorsement requirement. May not be used to hunt turkey with a Non-resident Special Hunting License (Type 107) or a Non-resident 5-Day Special Hunting License (Type 157).

Resident Hunting

Type 101:$25
Valid to hunt any legal bird or animal (terrestrial vertebrates). Endorsement requirements apply. Required of any resident unless the resident possesses a valid:
Senior Resident Hunting License;
Youth Hunting License;
Super Combo or Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing License Package;
Lifetime Resident Hunting License;
Disabled Veteran Super Combo Hunting and Fishing License Package;
Lifetime Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing License; or
Texas Resident Active Duty Military Hunting Package
Texas Resident Active Duty Military Super Combo Hunting and Fishing License Package.

Non-resident Spring Turkey

Type 118:$126 – Available after February 1st
Valid to hunt turkey only during the open spring turkey season. Holders of this license are exempt from the upland game bird endorsement requirements. (Unlawful to possess both this license and a valid Non-Resident General Hunting License.)

Every hunter born after Sept. 1, 1971 must complete Hunter Education and carry proof while hunting – keep the proof in your pocket! Go online to print a free copy of your card if needed

All turkeys must be immediately tagged with a tag from the hunter’s license

Eastern turkey must be reported using My Texas Hunt Harvest

If you plan to visit Texas for the Spring Turkey Season, a guide will greatly increase your odds of a successful hunt. There are many outfitters to choose from. Take the time to ask your prospective guide questions. Be upfront about what you would like to get from the experience. You should also be honest about your skill level. It determines the type of guide for your needs. Some guides specialize in adaptive hunting for disabled hunters. There are group hunting outfitters, and even a few doing therapeutic sporting activities for veterans.

Below are the top 5 results from a search for Texas Turkey Guides:

Magnum Guide Service

http://www.magnumguide.com/TurkeyHunting.aspx

Y Bar Ranch

http://www.ybarranch.com/texas-turkey-hunting

Real Outfitters

https://realoutfitters.com/texas-turkey-hunting/

First Shot Outfitters

http://www.firstshothunts.com/texas-turkey-hunting/

Cross Oaks Ranch

http://www.crossoaksranch.com/texas-spring-turkey-hunts/

I do not know, nor have I been compensated for mentioning the guides in this story.