Last year, 7,160 wild turkeys were reported by 684 people, showing that turkey hunting in Maryland is a beloved and popular sport and is still going strong! Want to go on an exciting adventure in Maryland and hunt some turkeys in the new 2024? This post has got you covered with everything about the Maryland Turkey Season!
We give you all the important information you need to know about the upcoming turkey season in Maryland, including dates, rules, and licensing requirements.
Turkey hunting is a popular pastime in Maryland. The state offers hunting opportunities in the spring fall, and winter for both novice and experienced hunters. But when exactly does turkey season start in Maryland? Let’s take a closer look.
Overview of Maryland Turkey Seasons
Maryland has three turkey seasons each year:
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Spring turkey season – This is the main turkey hunting season in Maryland. It typically begins in mid-April and runs through late May.
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Fall turkey season – A more limited season offered in western Maryland counties only. It runs for just over a week in early November.
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Winter turkey season – A very short 2-3 day season open statewide in late January
So the earliest turkey hunting happens in the fall, but the spring season is the longest and offers the most hunting days by far.
When Does Spring Turkey Season Start?
The exact start date of spring turkey season in Maryland changes each year But it typically opens sometime around the third week of April
For 2025, opening day of spring turkey season is Saturday, April 18th.
The season then runs for over a month, closing on Sunday, May 23rd.
These dates allow hunters the chance to target gobblers during the peak of spring breeding activity. Long daylight hours and receptive hens make for exciting turkey hunting in April and May.
Spring Turkey Season Opening Weekend Regulations
Since spring turkey season lasts 6 weeks or more, regulations vary within the season dates:
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For the first 3 weeks (April 18 – May 9, 2025), hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise until 12 noon.
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For the remaining 2 weeks (May 10 – May 23), hours expand to a half-hour before sunrise until sunset.
This helps limit mid-day disturbance of the birds early in the season when hunting pressure is highest. Then allows more afternoon opportunity once breeding starts winding down later in May.
What About Sundays?
Sunday hunting during spring turkey season is permitted on private lands only in certain Maryland counties. Refer to the annual hunting regulations guide for a full list of Sunday-hunting approved counties.
Sunday hours match the rest of the week for the county in question. So either a half-hour before sunrise to noon, or a half-hour before sunrise to sunset depending on the portion of the season.
Fall Turkey Season Dates
Maryland also offers a short fall turkey season in select western counties.
For 2024, the fall turkey dates are:
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November 2 – 10 (includes Sundays)
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Open only in Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties.
Hunting hours span from a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset during the fall season.
Winter Turkey Hunting
The winter turkey season is a brief opportunity available statewide.
In 2025, winter turkey hunting will run from:
- January 23 – 25
Hunting hours match the fall season, from a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour after sunset each day.
The winter season allows hunters to harvest one additional bird if they did not fill their two-bird spring limit.
Youth Turkey Hunting Days
Maryland also hosts special youth turkey hunts each spring. They are open to junior hunters age 16 and younger.
For 2025, the junior turkey hunt weekend will be:
- April 12 & 13 (Sat & Sun)
Youth must be accompanied by an unarmed adult aged 21 years or older. The bag limit is one bearded bird per day during the special 2-day hunt.
In Summary
While limited fall and winter seasons exist, spring is the main time for turkey hunting in Maryland.
The 2025 spring turkey season will open on April 18 and close May 23. First 3 weeks are half-hour before sunrise to noon, with expanded evening hours the final 2 weeks.
Junior hunters get to take part in a special 2-day youth season on April 12-13 each year.
This overview of turkey season dates and regulations provides Maryland hunters with the key information needed to plan a successful spring hunt.
Maryland Turkey Seasons Summary
There are 5 turkey seasons for 2024-2025 in Maryland. Here are the details of each of them:
Maryland Turkey Season Regulations
When hunting turkey in Maryland, there are some basic rules all hunters need to follow:
- Its important to bring proper identification like a drivers license or another form of ID. If youre hunting on private land, youll need written permission from the landowner.
- Youll also need a hunting license to hunt wild turkeys, unless youre in the military.
- All hunters must complete the tagging and checking procedure for any turkeys they catch.
- Its illegal to hunt turkeys with bait or near baited areas. Feed or bait that is for other wildlife, like deer, can still be considered baiting if youre hunting turkeys near there.
- Its illegal to use things like recorded or amplified calls, or motorized turkey decoys when hunting turkeys.
- Youre good to go without any special clothing during the day, but its a good idea to wear something bright color just in case.
- When you catch a turkey, be sure to put an orange ribbon on it before carrying it out of the woods.
- Check out the hunting safety tips for more info on how to be safe and respectful while hunting.
- Dont forget that shotguns can only hold three shells at a time, so make sure to plug them if they can hold more than that.
- Lastly, during certain seasons, you can only use shotguns, crossbows, air guns, or bows and arrows to hunt turkeys.
In general, its important to follow the rules and regulations when hunting to make sure youre hunting safely and legally.
These are the types of licenses that you can purchase for turkey hunting in Maryland.
| License Types | Price |
| Resident Apprentice Hunting License (age 16 or younger) | $15 |
| Nonresident Apprentice Hunting License (age 16 or younger) | $40 |
| Resident Regular Hunting License (age 16-64) | $35 |
| Resident Junior Hunting License (age 16 or younger) | $15 |
| Resident Senior Hunting License (age 65 or above) | $5 |
Notes:
- Hunting licenses are valid from August 1st to July 31st of the next year.
- Its important to have a physical or digital copy of your license with you while hunting.
- First-time hunters need to show a certificate of firearms safety and hunting skills. Young hunters (under 16) can get a free annual license, stamps, archery or muzzleloader stamps after completing a hunter education course.
- Non-residents and residents can get an apprentice hunting license.
- If youre a Maryland resident who owns property and only hunts on that land, you dont need a license.
- To get a hunting or trapping license, stamps, or permits, youll need a DNRid number, which you can get for free by connecting to the DNR portal here: https://compass.dnr.maryland.gov/.
- If you lose or damage your license, you can reprint it for free.
Great Start Maryland Turkey
FAQ
When can you hunt turkeys in Maryland?
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Spring Turkey Season and Bag Limits 2025
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Dates
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Area
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Bag Limit
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April 18–May 23 (includes Sundays in certain counties, see chart)
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Statewide
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1 bearded turkey per day, 2 bearded turkeys per season
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How early should you start turkey hunting?
What day does hunting season start in Maryland?
Where is the best turkey hunting in Maryland?
When is turkey hunting season in Maryland?
For hunters in Garrett, Allegany, and Washington counties, the fall turkey hunting season will open on October 29 and continue through November 6 with a bag limit of one turkey per hunter. Fall turkey hunters should be aware that bear (Western Maryland) and deer muzzleloader (Region B) seasons are also open on October 29.
When is junior turkey hunt day in Maryland?
Photo by by Erik Yetter, submitted to a previous Maryland Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces that the statewide spring wild turkey season will kick off April 15 with Junior Turkey Hunt Day.
Will there be more turkeys in Maryland this year?
Maryland hunters can generally expect to see more turkeys this year, especially in the state’s western and central regions. The 2021 DNR Summer Wild Turkey Observation Survey documented high reproductive success in areas where the Brood X cicada emergence provided abundant food resources for newly hatched turkeys.
What are the hunting hours for spring turkey season?
Spring Turkey Season daily shooting hours for May 10 through May 23 are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. See the Sunday hunting chart for Sunday hours within certain counties. Hunting Devices for Spring Turkey Season are only shotguns (loaded with #4 shot or smaller), crossbows, vertical bows or air guns that shoot arrows or bolts.