Wild Turkey2026-2027 Seasons & Regulations
Season Dates & County Regulations
Archery Only
- All counties with an open fall season
- Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026
Youth-Only
- North Zone
- Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2026
Jan. 4 - 17, 2027 - South Zone
- Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2026
Jan. 18 - 31, 2027 - Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy Counties
- Oct. 30, 2026 - Nov. 1, 2027
- North Zone
- Mar. 27 - 28, 2027
May 22 - 23, 2027 - South Zone
- Mar. 13 - 14, 2027
May 8 - 9, 2027
Fall Season
- North Zone
- Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027
- South Zone
- Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027
- Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg, and Willacy Counties
- Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027
Spring Season
- North Zone
- Apr. 3 - May 16, 2027
- South Zone
- Mar. 20 - May 2, 2027
- One-Turkey Counties
- Apr. 1 - 30, 2027
- East Zone
- Apr. 22 - May 14, 2027
Lawful Activity
It is unlawful to hunt roosting turkeys by any means at any time or to release turkeys without department authorization. Harvest of unbearded hens is prohibited.
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. Hunters in possession of a digital license and tags should refer to Digital Licenses and Tagging for tagging instructions.
Upland Game Bird Endorsement is required to hunt turkey.
Tagging a Wild Turkey
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. Hunters in possession of a digital license and tags should refer to Digital Licenses and Tagging for tagging instructions.
See how to properly tag a turkey.
Mandatory Harvest Reporting
Mandatory harvest reporting within 24 hours of harvest is now required for all wild turkeys in all counties.
Special Regulations for East Zone Season in Certain East Texas Counties
Shotgun and lawful archery equipment are the only legal methods of take; no hunting over bait.
Counties in East Zone: Bowie (north of U.S. 82), Cass, Fannin (north of U.S. 82), Grayson, Jasper (other than the Angelina National Forest), Lamar (north of U.S. 82), Marion, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Red River (north of U.S. 82), and Sabine counties.
Special Regulations for Western One-Gobbler Counties
No more than one gobbler may be harvested annually per county in the Western One-Gobbler Zone. Those counties in the Western One-Gobbler Only Zone include Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, Milam, and Wharton.
Proof of Sex
During a season in which the bag composition for turkey is restricted to gobblers only or gobblers and bearded hens, proof of sex must remain with the turkey, attached or unattached, until it reaches either the processor’s permanent residence or a cold storage/processing facility and is finally processed. Proof of sex for turkeys:
- gobbler (male turkey):
- one leg, including the spur or
- a patch of skin with breast feathers and beard attached
- bearded hen (female turkey): a patch of skin with breast feathers and beard attached