Wild Turkey Hunting

Youth turkey season is April 19 and 20, 2025. The season is always the weekend before the spring season opens. See the spring season tab for information on its timing in Indiana.

Youth hunters aged 17 or younger on the date of the hunt can participate in the youth season but must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years of age and licensed to hunt wild turkey (unless exempt from license requirements under state law). The youth hunter must comply with all other turkey hunting regulations. The youth’s adult partner may not take a turkey during the youth season and must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field, except for a handgun carried lawfully.

Youth hunters may take only one bearded or male wild turkey in the spring, including both the youth and regular spring turkey seasons.

There is no designated youth turkey hunting season in the fall. Youth hunters are welcome to hunt fall turkey and must comply with all turkey hunting regulations.

Indiana fall wild turkey season runs Oct. 1–26, 2025, and Dec. 6, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026. Fall firearms season is from Oct. 15–26, 2025, in select counties. These counties are selected based on a combination of criteria, including amount of forest cover, spring turkey harvest metrics, availability of harvest opportunities, and what’s happening with turkey populations and habitat on a regional level within Indiana. Archery hunting for turkeys is allowed statewide during the above dates.

Bag and possession limit for the fall season is one bird of either sex, regardless of hunting equipment used or portion of the season hunted in. Hunter orange requirements must be met when the season overlaps with deer muzzleloader season, Dec. 6–21, 2025.

To hunt wild turkeys during the spring season, a valid spring turkey hunting license and Game Bird Habitat stamp privilege are required.

For the fall season, a separate fall turkey hunting license and Game Bird Habitat stamp privilege are required. Buy your license at GoOutdoorsIN.com

Those who have a lifetime comprehensive hunting license, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license, or resident youth hunt/trap license can hunt wild turkey in either season and do not need to purchase the Game Bird Habitat stamp privilege.

Not sure what license you need? Use our tool to help you determine the appropriate license.

Turkeys can be hunted only with:

• A .410 caliber and 10-, 12-, 16-, 20-, or 28-gauge shotgun loaded with pellets of size No. 4, 5, 6, 7, 7½, and Tungsten Super Shot 9 and 10. Non-toxic shot is required while hunting turkey on some DNR properties. Call the property you are interested in hunting on for additional information.
• A muzzleloading shotgun not smaller than 20-gauge and not larger than 10-gauge, loaded with pellets of size 4, 5, 6, 7, 7½, and Tungsten Super Shot 9 and 10. Combination loads using shot sizes other than these are illegal.
• Bow and arrow
• A crossbow