When is Spring Turkey Season in Iowa?

Spring turkey season is a beloved tradition for hunters in Iowa The thunderous gobbles of tom turkeys echoing through the timber as the sun rises is a thrilling experience. But when exactly does spring turkey season occur in the Hawkeye State?

Overview of Spring Turkey Season Dates

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages spring turkey season in the state They set the season dates and structure each year, Here is an overview of how spring turkey season typically unfolds in Iowa

• Youth Season – The youth turkey hunting season comes first, starting on a Thursday in early April and running through Saturday of that week. It is open to Iowa residents under 16 years old who have a valid youth spring turkey hunting license. Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult mentor who has a valid hunting license and has paid the habitat fee (if required).

• 4 Regular Seasons – After the youth season there are 4 regular spring turkey seasons in Iowa. Each season runs from 4-7 days in length. The first season opens on the second Monday in April. The final (4th) season closes in mid to late May.

• Archery Only – There is an archery only season that runs concurrently with the regular seasons, starting on the second Monday in April and ending mid to late May when the 4th regular season closes.

So in total, there are typically 35 days of potential spring turkey hunting in Iowa if you count all 4 regular seasons and the archery only opportunity.

2023 Spring Turkey Season Dates

For 2023, here are the statewide spring turkey hunting dates in Iowa:

• Youth Season: April 6 – 8, 2023
• Season 1: April 10 – 13, 2023
• Season 2: April 14 – 18, 2023
• Season 3: April 19 – 25, 2023
• Season 4: April 26 – May 14, 2023
• Archery Only: April 10 – May 14, 2023

These season dates allow hunters of all ages ample opportunity to pursue wild turkeys during the peak of spring breeding activity.

License Requirements

All turkey hunters in Iowa need a valid turkey hunting license for the season they plan to hunt, along with having paid the habitat fee if required.

• Residents – Iowa residents can purchase spring turkey hunting licenses over-the-counter starting in mid-January. No application is required. Licenses go on sale earlier for youth who plan to hunt during the youth season.

• Nonresidents – For nonresidents, spring turkey hunting is limited quota. Nonresidents must apply in advance during January for the chance to receive one of a limited number of licenses. Application does not guarantee a license. See the DNR website for full application details.

In addition to a turkey license, hunters must carry their regular hunting license and have paid the habitat fee to hunt turkeys in Iowa. Hunter orange is required when hunting spring turkeys with a shotgun. And all hunters must follow tag requirements for their harvest.

Tagging Requirements

When hunting wild turkeys in Iowa, each turkey harvested must be properly tagged before being moved from the site of the kill.

• The hunter must detach a valid transportation tag issued with their license and completely fill out the information on the tag.

• The tag must be attached to one leg of the turkey in a secure manner.

• The turkey must remain tagged with this license tag until processed for consumption.

Tagging immediately upon harvest allows DNR officials to accurately track spring turkey hunting harvests. Failure to properly tag turkeys can result in citations.

Turkey Hunting Hours

Legal shooting hours are set by the DNR for the spring turkey seasons.

• Gun Season – Shooting hours for shotguns and muzzleloaders are half-hour before sunrise to sunset each day.

• Archery Season – Bowhunters have extended hours, with shooting hours starting half-hour before sunrise and continuing until half-hour after sunset.

Hunting wild turkeys outside of these legal shooting hours can lead to fines, license revocations, and even arrest. Ethical hunters carefully follow the regulations.

Safety Tips for Spring Turkey Hunters

Hunting wild turkeys in the spring can be very exciting, but it also requires great caution. Here are some important safety reminders:

• Never stalk turkeys or use calls to try and ambush them. Set up safely and call turkeys to your position.

• Be sure of your target and what is beyond it before even considering a shot. Know if other hunters may be nearby.

• Use tom turkey decoys carefully and strategically to avoid attracting real hunters. Never have a decoy visible from a road or path other hunters may use.

• Wear blaze orange when moving between setup positions or any other time during shotgun seasons. This allows other hunters to spot you.

• Never wear colors that match turkey feathers during the spring turkey seasons. This can cause other hunters to mistake you for a real bird.

Following these tips and using good common sense in the field will lead to an enjoyable spring turkey hunt that is safe for everyone involved.

Outlook for the 2023 Spring Turkey Season

The spring of 2023 looks very promising for Iowa turkey hunters. Winter weather has been relatively mild, which typically leads to good turkey survival and nesting success.

Spring harvests in 2022 were excellent, with over 11,000 birds taken. Hunting pressure and overall interest in the sport remains high. With good carryover from last year, 2023 should be another exceptional spring turkey season in Iowa’s timber.

Hunters of all ages look forward to spring turkey season each year in Iowa. The youth season kicks off the action, followed by 35 total days of hunting opportunity during 4 regular seasons and the archery only time period. By carefully following the regulations and hunting ethically, spring turkey hunters can fully enjoy Iowa’s outdoors while patterning and harvesting these challenging game birds.

Frequency of Entities:
Iowa: 27
Spring turkey season: 16
Hunters: 10
DNR: 9
Season: 8
Turkey: 7
Archery: 5
April: 5
May: 4
Youth: 4
License: 4
Habitat fee: 3
Shooting hours: 3
Tag: 3
Safety: 3
2023: 3
Gobbles: 2
Tom: 2
Timber: 2
Application: 2
Sunrise: 2
Sunset: 2
Blaze orange: 2
Target: 2
Decoys: 2
Weather: 1
Nesting: 1
Harvest: 1
Pressure: 1
Outlook: 1
Carryover: 1
Action: 1
Opportunity: 1
Ethically: 1
Pattern: 1
Challenging: 1
Outdoors: 1
Following: 1
Enjoy: 1
Thunderous: 1
Echoing: 1
Thrilling: 1
Unfolds: 1
Ample: 1
Peak: 1
Breeding: 1
Over-the-counter: 1
Limited quota: 1
Advance: 1
Chance: 1
Requirements: 1
Properly: 1
Leg: 1
Consumption: 1
Officials: 1
Track: 1
Citations: 1
Legal: 1
Fines: 1
Revocations: 1
Arrest: 1
Ethical: 1
Ambush: 1
Setup: 1
Beyond: 1
Nearby: 1
Strategically: 1
Visible: 1
Match: 1
Feathers: 1
Common sense: 1
Enjoyable: 1
Mild: 1
Survival: 1
Interest: 1
Exceptional: 1
Ages: 1
Kicks off: 1
Total: 1
Carefully: 1
Patterning: 1
Harvesting: 1