Turkey hunting is a beloved tradition in Mississippi. The thrill of calling in a wary old tom or harvesting your first gobbler makes for lifelong memories. If you’re looking to hunt wild turkeys in Mississippi, it’s important to know the season dates, bag limits, and special regulations. I’ve put together this guide to cover everything you need to know about the 2025 Mississippi spring turkey hunting seasons.
Overview of the 2025 Spring Turkey Seasons in Mississippi
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) sets the turkey hunting seasons and bag limits each year. Here are the key dates for the 2025 spring turkey seasons:
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Youth Season March 8-14 2025. This season is open to youth ages 15 and under when hunting on private lands and authorized public lands.
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Spring Season March 15 – May 1, 2025 This is the main spring turkey season open to all turkey hunters
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Frequency of Entities: The youth season dates (March 8-14) and the spring season dates (March 15 – May 1) were each mentioned once. The year 2025 was mentioned twice.
Daily & Season Bag Limits
The daily and seasonal bag limits for the 2025 turkey seasons in Mississippi are:
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Youth Season: 1 gobbler per day, 3 per spring season. Youth hunters ages 15 and under can harvest any gobbler.
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Spring Season: 1 adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6+ inch beard per day, 3 per season. Hunters 15 and under can take any gobbler.
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Frequency of Entities: The youth season daily limit (1 gobbler per day) and seasonal limit (3 per season) were each mentioned once. The spring season daily limit (1 adult gobbler or 1 gobbler with a 6+ inch beard per day) and seasonal limit (3 per season) were each mentioned once.
So the daily limit is 1 bearded gobbler, while the total seasonal limit is 3 gobblers. The liberal “any gobbler” regulation gives young hunters great opportunities to harvest their first turkey.
Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations
In addition to the season dates and bag limits, turkey hunters need to be aware of the following regulations:
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All turkey hunters must report harvests through Game Check by 10pm on the day of harvest. You can report online, by phone, or through the MDWFP app.
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Frequency of Entities: Game Check reporting by 10pm was mentioned once. Reporting methods (online, phone, MDWFP app) were each mentioned once.
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Non-resident hunters cannot hunt on public lands before April 1 unless they are drawn for a permit or hunt.
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Frequency of Entities: The April 1 date for non-residents was mentioned once. Public land was mentioned twice in this context.
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There are special regulations limiting non-resident fall turkey hunting. See the MDWFP website for details.
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Legal hunting weapons include bows, primitive firearms, and shotguns with #2 shot or smaller.
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Frequency of Entities: Legal weapons (bows, primitive firearms, shotguns) were each mentioned once. Legal shot size (#2 or smaller) was mentioned once.
Follow all turkey hunting rules and ethics to maintain trust with landowners so we can preserve turkey hunting opportunities.
Spring Turkey Hunting Outlook for 2025
The outlook for the 2025 spring turkey season in Mississippi is excellent. Turkey populations are robust after a successful 2024 hatch. The return of normal weather patterns has allowed turkeys to thrive.
- Frequency of Entities: The year 2024 was mentioned once in the context of hatch success. The year 2025 was mentioned once regarding the season outlook.
Fall surveys indicate high carryover of adult gobblers in key regions of Mississippi. Hunters should expect to hear plenty of gobbling this spring!
Focus on areas holding good numbers of 2-year old gobblers from the strong 2024 hatch. These adolescent birds are very responsive to calling and eager to breed. Food plots planted with clover or wheat are magnets for winter flocks and springtime lovesick gobblers.
- Frequency of Entities: 2-year old gobblers were mentioned once. Food plots with clover/wheat were mentioned once.
Public lands in the higher elevations of east-central Mississippi offer excellent hunting without the hassle of getting private land permission. Holly Springs National Forest and nearby wildlife management areas hold good turkey densities.
Tips for Hunting Spring Gobblers
Here are some tips to fill your turkey tag this spring:
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Scout preseason – Locate flocks and identify areas gobblers use for strutting and breeding. Their habits change as the season progresses.
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Use hen calls – Nothing gets a gobbler fired up like the yelps, clucks and purrs of a lovesick hen. Varied calling brings in wary bosses.
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Try different setups – Run-and-gun tactics can be effective on public lands. Sitting against a tree works well for private land ambushes. Adjust to conditions.
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Use a decoy properly – Place your decoy where it’s visible but don’t expose yourself. Avoid staring at the decoy. Carry a fan to enhance realism.
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Remain still – Sudden movements will spook incoming gobblers. Stay calm when he struts into range. Wait for a good shot angle.
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Be patient – Give recalcitrant gobblers time to cover the distance and overcome hesitations. Avoid calling too much.
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Stay safe – Always positively identify your target. Be visible to other hunters. Watch out for snakes when sitting against trees.
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Respect landowners – Ask permission, follow rules, pack out trash, share some harvest, and don’t wear out welcome through over-hunting.
2024 turkey season dates
- Youth: March 8-14
- Spring: March 15-May 1
- Youth: Hunters 15 years of age and younger may harvest one gobbler of choice, any age, per day, three per spring season.
- Adults: One adult gobbler or one gobbler with a 6-inch or longer beard per day, three per spring season.
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- Reporting a turkey harvest is mandatory in Mississippi.
- Hunters may use a digital form or printed form to record their harvests.
- The reporting process must begin before moving a turkey.
- Using the Game Check feature on a smartphone, hunters should click the REPORT TURKEY button to complete and submit an entry.
- If there is no cellular coverage in the area, the app will automatically upload your harvest when coverage resumes.
- If using the Game Check feature, there are no additional requirements.
- If using the printed form method, notch the corresponding bubbles before moving the turkey.
- Using the printed form, the harvest must be reported through the MDWFP website or by calling 1-800-BE-SMART before 10 p.m. on the day of harvest.
- Once the harvest-reporting process is completed, hunters will receive a confirmation number. This number must be documented on the printed harvest record.
‘People in every corner of the state were seeing turkeys during deer season. It just seems we’re really set up this year.’
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With spring coming to Mississippi, many hunters are focused on turkeys and looking forward to hearing the sounds of gobblers as they welcome the day.
But before hunters head into the woods this season there are a few things they need to know including that Mississippi could have one of its best seasons in decades.
“This spring season should be as good as weve had in a long, long, long time,” said Adam Butler, Wild Turkey Program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “My optimism could not be higher.”
That optimism stems in part from a 2-year-old set of data.
“In 2022, our summer brood survey looking at poults and hens, we had the best hatch weve had since the early 2000s and the really good thing about the 22 hatch was it was statewide,” Butler said. “It was everywhere. It was the first year weve had a really good hatch statewide in a really long time.”
Butler said observations since then also indicate a good season in 2024.
“People in every corner of the state were seeing turkeys during deer season,” Butler said. “It just seems were really set up this year.”
So, if the weather cooperates, it could be the best season some Mississippi hunters have ever experienced.
“If we get some good conditions, it will be at least as good as weve had in 10 years, if not the last 20,” Butler said.
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DAY 1 & 2 MISSISSIPPI TURKEY SEASON Updates & Information
FAQ
What are the dates for turkey season in Mississippi?
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Season
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Dates
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Youth (Private and authorized state and federal public lands. Youth 15 and under)
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Mar. 8 – 14
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Spring
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Mar. 15 – May 1
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Non- Resident (Public Lands)
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Mar. 15 – 31
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When is turkey hunting season in Mississippi?
Note: For complete Mississippi regulations, you may review them on the MDWFP website. When is the Mississippi turkey hunting season? Mississippi’s spring turkey hunting season typically starts in the middle of March and lasts through the end of April.
Will Mississippi’s spring turkey season be a no-so-distant future?
As the weather finally begins to change and periods of high pressure set in across the Southeast, Mississippi’s spring turkey season looms in the no-so-distant future. During this time, many critters are beginning to change their day-to-day behavior, including turkey hunters.
Can you hunt a Turkey in Mississippi?
During spring gobbler season turkey hunting, Mississippi only allows shotguns, compound, re-curve, Crossbows, and longbows. Shotguns must utilize the number two shot. People with quadriplegia may rifle-hunt. Dogs is prohibited during the spring season, except for in designated enclosures.
Why is Mississippi a good location for turkey hunting?
Mississippi is a great location for hunters of all skill levels because it provides various turkey hunting options, from public areas to private clubs. We will explore the dates, rules, and other details of the season. Mississippi offers opportunities for hunters of all skill levels and experience levels.