Spring turkey hunting is a beloved tradition for hunters across much of the US. Depending on your state’s regulations you may only be allowed to hunt wild turkeys in the mornings during spring season. Typically, shooting hours end at noon or even earlier in the day.
But why do some states restrict spring turkey hunting to just the morning hours? This limitation stems from old beliefs about turkey behavior that may not actually be grounded in science. Below we’ll explore the reasoning behind the noon cutoff and why it persists today despite little evidence backing it up.
Protecting Nesting Hens
The primary justification states give for the noon ceasefire is to protect nesting hens from disturbance. The assumption is that hens are still with tom turkeys in the early morning, but they leave to incubate eggs in the afternoon.
So if hunters were out pursuing gobblers in the afternoons, the theory is they would inadvertently flush hens off their nests. This could lead hens to abandon their eggs, harming reproduction rates.
For instance, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation states
“The current shooting hours from 1⁄2-hour before sunrise until noon are intended to protect nesting hens because incubating hens (hens sitting on eggs in a nest) tend to leave the nest to feed in the afternoon”
A Long-Standing Tradition
Spring turkey hunting dates back centuries in North America. And noon ceasefires were part of the tradition since the beginning in states like Pennsylvania and New York.
So the midday stoppage is also a long-standing custom that hunters expect. State wildlife agencies are hesitant to buck tradition and change turkey season rules that have been in place for generations.
What Does the Research Say?
Very little scientific research has actually assessed whether all-day spring turkey hunting increases nest abandonment and lowers poult survival. And the few studies done found minimal impacts.
For instance, a study in Virginia compared areas with unrestricted hunting to areas with a noon closure. It found no difference in nest success between the two.
So while the noon stoppage has been the norm for decades in some states, current research does not validate concerns over hens abandoning nests.
Potential Drawbacks of Limited Hours
Some wildlife biologists argue that the abbreviated spring turkey season may cause more harm than good in certain states. Here are a few potential drawbacks:
- Lower participation since many hunters work mornings
- Less opportunity for youth and new hunters
- Hinders management when populations are too high
- No evidence it helps reproduction compared to all day seasons
The limited hours also make it difficult for out-of-state hunters traveling to experience new regions and hunting styles.
Changes Starting in Some States
Despite tradition, some states with noon closures are starting to expand spring turkey hunting hours due to lack of scientific backing.
For example, in 2013 Wisconsin moved to an all-day spring season throughout the entire state. Georgia also allowed individual counties to choose all-day hunting starting in 2015.
Several other states still restrict hours but have late youth seasons in April or expanded hours later in spring. So there is a slow shift towards offering more spring hunting opportunity.
Why Some States Maintain Closures
Still, many states are reluctant to adopt statewide all-day spring turkey hunting due to long-standing beliefs. Here are some reasons these states stick to the noon tradition:
- Fear of backlash from hunting groups
- Concern over poaching and accidental hen deaths
- Limited law enforcement to police late hunting
- Roost shooting and ethics concerns
- Potential conflicts with other users of public land
So tradition and public perception prevent policy changes, even if biology supports longer hours.
Examples of States With Noon Closures
Here are a few examples of states that still adhere to the noon closure for spring turkey season:
- New York – Season ends at noon through May 31
- Pennsylvania – Hunting ends at noon through May 31
- Virginia – Noon closure for the entire spring season
- Vermont – No hunting after 12 pm during the spring season
- Connecticut – Shooting hours end at noon
Some close even earlier than noon like West Virginia, which limits spring hunting to just until 10 am.
Examples of All Day Spring Turkey States
On the other hand, here are some states that allow hunting wild turkeys all day during the spring season:
- Texas – Open season from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
- Florida – Legal shooting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.
- Missouri – Hunting permitted from 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Michigan – Opens 1/2 hour before sunrise until 1/2 hour after sunset.
- Iowa – 1/2 hour before sunrise until sunset.
As you can see, most midwestern and southern states offer all-day spring turkey hunting. The abbreviated seasons are generally in the northeast.
What’s the Best Policy?
Given the scientific research showing minimal impact on nesting hens, it seems states should consider expanding spring hunting hours.
After all, state wildlife agencies base most other hunting regulations on sound biological data. And if the evidence does not support the noon closure, it may be time to start updating the antiquated spring turkey rules.
But the tradition runs deep and public perception will be hard to change after decades of noon ceasefires for spring turkeys throughout the country. So while the policy may be based more in tradition than biology, the noon closure will likely persist in many states due to public expectations.
At the end of the day, responsible hunters must follow the regulations in their state, even if those rules are flawed or based on outdated information. But as more research emerges, hopefully states will make scientifically-backed policies that maximize both turkey reproduction and hunting opportunity.
Is setting up in the dark the best time for turkeys?
There are plenty of traditionalists who would argue that a classic set up on a roost, with a decoy spread, waiting in ambush from a blind is the way to go. And by no means is this meant to dismiss this tactic but merely offer an alternative tactic.
Over the years of setting up on roosts I’ve found one scenario to be the most common. Birds wake up, gobbles begin, and a nearby hen begins to chatter after I sit there with full-on confidence that this was the set up. Maybe some people can out-call a living hen. I am surely not one of them. Do not get me wrong. Once in awhile I get that hen-free morning and things seem like magic, but it’s far less common.
I have often theorized on the idea that as humans we get more caught up on how we want our game to behave and a lot less on how they naturally behave. Take the turkey “hang up.” The hunter narratives point towards this call-shy bird that knows the tricks of the trade. The reality is male turkeys want a hen to come to them in those last steps we have named the “hang up” as a natural part of turkey breeding behavior. Maybe that has been a learned behavior from years of hunting. It’s possible. But that evolution happened well before I hunted them.
Some years ago I started keeping track of when I shot my turkeys. Blocking it off into early morning (before 7), mid morning (7 to 9), and late morning (9 to noon). To my surprise after years of assuming that early morning was the time, it turns out that mid morning made up the vast majority of my kills. The second best production being late morning, the window of 8 to 10 accounting for the lion’s share.
Looking at the benefits of primarily hunting mid to late morning turkeys and sleeping in for the dawn
Life evolves in many ways. Jobs (and bird dogs) make us wake at the crack of dawn, and maybe sleeping in is the natural result of a late night shift. And there is no doubt the guilt that follows on those turkey hunting mornings when the alarm is silenced again and again. For many of us where states end turkey hunting at noon, that sense of impending doom only increases the anxiety and guilt of not waking up early. But why do we feel that way? Is there a reason getting under a turkey roost at o-dark-thirty is so imperative to the hunt?
How to QUICKLY Find and Pattern Turkeys | Turkey Hunting
FAQ
Why can you only turkey hunt till noon?
Why is turkey hunting only in the morning?
Can you hunt turkeys in the afternoon?
What time of day is best for turkey hunting?