As a passionate turkey hunter, I frequently get asked “when is turkey season in Minnesota?” Our state is blessed with abundant wild turkey populations and fantastic hunting opportunities in both spring and fall. In this guide, I’ll break down the different turkey hunting seasons, permit areas, regulations, tips and more so you know exactly when you can pursue these challenging game birds.
Overview of Minnesota Turkey Seasons
Minnesota offers separate turkey hunting seasons in the spring and fall.
The spring season provides the longest timeframe to hunt. It opens in mid-April and runs through the end of May. Spring also offers multiple separate time periods to choose from.
The fall turkey season is much more limited It opens in late September and closes in late October. There is only one continuous fall hunting period offered.
Within both spring and fall, you can hunt wild turkeys statewide in any permit area. Minnesota has simplified turkey hunting regulations so you now have fantastic flexibility to hunt public and private lands all over the state.
Dates for the 2025 Spring Turkey Hunting Season
For 2025 here are the major segments of spring turkey season in Minnesota
- Youth Season: April 16 – May 31 statewide
- Archery Season: April 16 – May 31 statewide
- Firearm A Season: April 16 – April 22 statewide
- Firearm B Season: April 23 – April 29 statewide
- Firearm C Season: April 30 – May 6 statewide
- Firearm D Season: May 7 – May 13 statewide
- Firearm E Season: May 14 – May 20 statewide
- Firearm F Season: May 21 – May 31 statewide
The Youth Season allows hunters 17 years old or younger to hunt the entire spring. No lottery application is required.
Adult firearm hunters must choose only one of the A-F seasons You can apply online in a lottery held in early February But don’t worry about not getting drawn – there is plenty of room for all hunters in every time period.
Archery turkey hunters can hunt the entire spring with no application required. It’s a great option if you don’t want to pick a specific firearm season.
Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Season
The 2025 fall turkey season in Minnesota runs from September 28 – October 27.
This is a more limited opportunity compared to the long spring season. But the fall hunt can be a fun extra challenge after hunting spring birds for many years.
The entire state is open during the fall season. You simply need to buy a fall turkey license to participate.
Top Turkey Hunting Permit Areas
While you can legally hunt turkeys statewide, some permit areas offer better habitat and hunting success. Here are some of my favorite zones:
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Permit Area 508 – This massive area covers central and northern Minnesota from St. Cloud up to Bemidji and International Falls. The forests here hold lots of birds.
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Permit Area 501 – Includes Minnesota’s prime turkey range along the northwest metro area and southwest of the Twin Cities.
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Permit Area 504 – Offers excellent hunting in southeast Minnesota in the whitetail-turkey “transition zone”.
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Permit Area 505 – The Minnesota River valley and surrounding woodlands in south-central Minnesota are fantastic.
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Permit Area 511 – This smaller zone is actually just the Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, a well-managed hotspot.
Turkey Hunting Tips and Tricks
To maximize your hunting success during Minnesota’s spring and fall turkey seasons, keep these tips in mind:
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Pattern your shotgun – This ensures you know the effective range of your turkey loads.
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Use a blind – Concealment is key with turkeys’ excellent vision.
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Try different calls – Experiment to build confidence with yelps, purrs, gobbles, and more.
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Scout and be mobile – Don’t be afraid to cover ground to find active birds.
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Be patient – Sometimes sitting quietly does the trick versus calling aggressively.
Get Ready for a Thrilling Turkey Hunt!
Hopefully this breakdown gives you a better picture of precisely when you can hunt wild turkeys in Minnesota. Our spring and fall seasons offer awesome opportunities to target these addictively challenging birds.
Late Season Turkey Hunting in Minnesota
FAQ
How long is turkey hunting season in MN?
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Dates
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Season
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Area
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05/8/24 – 05/14/24
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Spring wild turkey – D season
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Statewide
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05/15/24 – 05/21/24
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Spring wild turkey – E season
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Statewide
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05/22/24 – 05/31/24
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Spring wild turkey – F season
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Statewide
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09/28/24 – 10/27/24
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Fall wild turkey
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Statewide
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How early should you start turkey hunting?
Where is the best place to hunt turkeys in Minnesota?
Where do turkeys go in the winter in MN?
When is wild turkey season?
Dates Season Area 02/16/24 Spring wild turkey WMA lottery deadline 04/17/24 – 05/31/24 Spring wild turkey – Youth Statewide 04/17/24 -…
Does Minnesota have a turkey hunting season?
The only exemption is for Whitewater, Carlos Avery, and Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), with the A through C periods through lottery only. Anyone can hunt the Whitewater WMA after the B period ends. Like many other states, Minnesota also has a fall turkey hunting season. That season runs Oct. 1-30.
Does Minnesota have a turkey hunting license?
Minnesota doles out its turkey hunting licenses over the counter beginning March 1 every year, so circle your calendar, because it is coming up fast! The bag limit is slightly different for the spring and fall eastern wild turkey seasons. In the spring, you are only allowed one bird with a visible beard.
What does the lettered season mean for turkey hunting in Minnesota?
The Minnesota DNR kind of buries the breakdown of what these lettered seasons mean in their turkey hunting regulations, which can be confusing for nonresidents. Basically, all you need to know is that youth hunters under 18 years of age and archery hunters can pursue turkeys through the entirety of that April 12 – May 31 time frame.