2018-2019 Turkey Seasons & Regulations

Archery Only: All counties with an open fall season Sept. 29 - Nov. 2, 2018
Youth-Only: North Zone Oct. 27 - 28, 2018
Jan. 7 - 20, 2019; South Zone Oct. 27 - 28, 2018
Jan. 21 - Feb. 3, 2019; Rio Grande - North Zone Mar. 23 - 24, 2019
May 18 - 19, 2019; Rio Grande - South Zone Mar. 9 - 10, 2019
May 4 - 5, 2019
Fall Season: North Zone Nov. 3, 2018 - Jan. 6, 2019; South Zone Nov. 3, 2018 - Jan. 20, 2019; Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy Counties Nov. 3, 2018 - Feb. 24, 2019
Spring Season: Rio Grande - North Zone Mar. 30 - May 12, 2019; Rio Grande - South Zone Mar. 16 - Apr. 28, 2019; Rio Grande - Special 1 Turkey Bag Limit Apr. 1 - 30, 2019; Eastern Turkey Apr. 22 - May 14, 2019; No Eastern Turkey Season
View Turkey hunting regulations for your county.: 187 of 254 counties have Turkey seasons.

See your County Listing for season dates and special requirements.

Lawful Activity and Tagging

It is unlawful to hunt roosting turkeys by any means at any time or to release turkeys without department authorization.

All turkey must be tagged with a tag from the hunter’s license IMMEDIATELY upon harvest, and in a secure manner anywhere on the turkey.

View how to properly tag a turkey

Special Regulations for Eastern Spring Season

In certain East Texas Counties

Shotgun, archery and crossbows are the only lawful means; no hunting over bait; all turkeys harvested in these counties must be reported within 24 hours to the department via mobile application or online.

REPORT your Eastern turkey harvest with the “My Texas Hunt Harvest” app:

Download for Android

Download for IOS devices

Special Regulations for Western One-Gobbler Counties

No more than one gobbler may be harvested annually in the Western One-Gobbler Zone across all counties combined. Those counties included in the Western One-Gobbler Only Zone include Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, Milam, and Wharton.

Proof of Sex

It is unlawful to possess a turkey (where applicable) with proof of sex removed. The following is considered proof of sex and must accompany the pheasant or turkey until it reaches its final destination and is finally processed:

Pheasant: one leg, including the spur, attached to the pheasant carcass or the entire plumage attached to the pheasant carcass;
Turkey: in counties where the harvest is restricted to gobblers and/or bearded hens, a male turkey is required to have one leg, including the spur, attached to the bird; or the bird, accompanied by a patch of skin with breast feathers and beard attached. In counties where the harvest of female turkeys is restricted to bearded hens, all harvested hens must be accompanied by a patch of skin with breast feathers and beard attached.