When is Indiana Fall Turkey Season? A Complete Guide

Fall turkey hunting in Indiana can be an exciting experience for hunters who love the challenge of pursuing wild turkeys. As someone who has hunted turkeys in Indiana for over 15 years, I wanted to provide a complete guide on when the Indiana fall turkey season takes place and other key details you need to know.

Overview of Indiana Fall Turkey Season Dates

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) provides the official dates and regulations for fall turkey hunting each year. Here are the key dates for the 2024 Indiana fall turkey season

• Archery Season October 1 – October 27, 2024 and December 7, 2024 – January 5, 2025

• Firearms Season: October 16 – October 27, 2024 only in select counties.

So the Indiana fall season provides opportunities for hunters to pursue turkeys with archery equipment like bows or crossbows statewide during two different time periods. There is also a more limited firearms turkey season in designated counties only.

Bag Limits and License Requirements

When hunting in the fall turkey season in Indiana, it’s important to know the bag limits and license requirements:

• The bag limit is one turkey of either sex for all of the Indiana fall turkey seasons combined.

• You need a valid fall turkey hunting license and Gamebird Habitat Stamp to hunt turkeys in the fall.

• A separate turkey hunting license is required for the spring and fall seasons.

So even if you already harvested a gobbler in the spring, you’ll need to purchase a separate fall turkey license to hunt in the fall season. And you can only take one total bird across the fall archery and firearms seasons.

Fall Turkey Hunting Counties

As mentioned above, the fall firearms turkey season only takes place in certain Indiana counties designated by the DNR each year. For 2024, here are the counties open for fall firearms turkey hunting:

• Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Gibson, Greene, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Morgan, Ohio, Orange, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Ripley, Scott, Spencer, Sullivan, Switzerland, Union, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warrick, Washington

So if you want to hunt turkeys with a shotgun, muzzleloader, or other firearm in the fall, you need to hunt in these specific counties during the October 16 – 27 firearms season dates. Archery is allowed statewide.

Safety Reminders

When heading out to hunt turkeys in the fall, be sure to follow key safety practices:

• Wear blaze orange if required during overlapping deer seasons
• Use proper treestand safety harness if hunting from an elevated stand
• Follow safe firearm handling procedures if using a shotgun or muzzleloader
• Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it

Fall Turkey Hunting Tips and Tactics

To increase your chances of bagging a fall turkey in Indiana, keep these tips in mind:

• Scout areas ahead of time to locate flocks of turkeys
• Set up near known food sources like harvested crop fields
• Use hen calls and be very sparing with gobbler calls
• Sit still and be patient; move slowly and quietly
• Take advantage of early mornings and late afternoons when turkeys are most active

Enjoy the Challenge of Fall Turkey Hunting

Pursuing wild turkeys in the fall can be a fun change of pace from spring hunting. There are fewer hunters in the woods and the temperatures are more comfortable. Follow this guide to hunt during the Indiana fall turkey seasons successfully. With smart preparation and woodsmanship, you can experience the thrill of bagging a fall gobbler. Good luck this turkey season!