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Wild Turkey Survey

Iowa's Wild Turkey Survey
Volunteer by keeping a lookout for wild turkeys while working and enjoying your time in Iowa.
For more information: Introduction to Documenting Turkey Broods (.pdf), offered by the Indiana DNR.
Turkey Hunting
By the early 1900s, unrestricted market hunting and drastic reductions in habitat had eliminated wild turkeys in Iowa. For many years, the thunderous gobbles of the wild turkey were absent from Iowa's woodlands and forests.
This silence was broken in 1966 when the Iowa Conservation Commission, now the Department of Natural Resources, initiated a program to return the wild turkey to Iowa. Wild turkeys were released at several sites across the state, with the first release occurring in Lee County, Iowa.
Since these early days, turkey populations have expanded across the entire state of Iowa.
- Licenses for the Fall Season go on sale Aug. 15.
- Note: Nonresidents are not eligible for fall turkey hunting licenses.
- Licenses for the Spring Seasons go on sale Dec. 15.
- Gun shooting hours: half-hour before sunrise to sunset
- Bow shooting hours: half-hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.
- Daily bag and season possession limit is one bearded or male wild turkey for each valid license and transportation tag issued to the hunter.
- Hunters who harvest a turkey are required to report that harvest by midnight on the day after it was tagged.
Hunters, Report Your Harvest
Share your harvest numbers online or call 1-800-771-4692 with your registration number and follow the prompts! You can also check online for Iowa's current harvest reports by county.
Iowa's Hunting Regulations
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2025/26 Iowa Hunting, Trapping, & Migratory Game Bird Regulations
Full regulations booklet, ready for download.
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2025/26 Iowa Hunting Seasons & Limits Card
Quick reference printable card.
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2025/26 Iowa Migratory Game Bird Seasons & Limits Card
Quick reference printable card.
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Iowa Waterfowl Hunting Maps
Waterfowl, metropolitan goose, and canada goose hunting maps.
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Get Your Hunting License Online
Purchase your hunting and fishing licenses now.
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Resident Licenses & Applications
Resident licensing applications, requirements, dog trials, establishing residency in Iowa, and more.
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Nonresident Hunting & Applications
Nonresident hunting guide, maps, forms, & more.
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Interactive Hunting Atlas
Our interactive hunting atlas makes it easier to find areas open to public hunting.
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Hunting Atlas Boundaries for Google Earth (*.kmz)
Hunting Atlas Boundaries for Google Earth, downloadable file
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Find a Hunter Education Class
A person who is 11 years old or older may enroll in a course.
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Turn In Poachers
If you see poaching, call 1-800-532-2020.
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Report Your Harvest
Submit your harvest online, call 1-800-771-4692, or text and follow the prompts.
Turkey Hunting Season Dates
List items for Calendar - Iowa Hunting Seasons, Turkey
Turkey Seasons | Dates |
---|---|
Fall, Gun-Bow | Oct. 13-Dec. 5 |
Fall, Archery | Oct. 1-Dec. 5 & Dec 22-Jan 10, 2026 |
Spring Youth | April 10-12, 2026 |
Spring Gun-Bow Season 1 | April 13-16, 2026 |
Spring Gun-Bow Season 2 | April 17-21, 2026 |
Spring Gun-Bow Season 3 | April 22-28, 2026 |
Spring Gun-Bow Season 4 | April 29-May 17, 2026 |
Spring Archery Only | Apr. 13-May 17, 2026 |
We work hard to keep our calendars current, but always refer to the Iowa Hunting, Trapping, & Migratory Game Bird Regulations for official, legal season dates.
Turkey Hunting FAQs
List items for Turkey Hunting FAQs
Explore some common questions and topics about turkey hunting in Iowa.
Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license and habitat fee in addition to a turkey hunting permit, in order to hunt wild turkeys in Iowa.
- Resident permits
- Nonresident permits
- General small game hunting licenses for residents and for nonresidents.
- A habitat stamp fee is also required for both residents and nonresidents.
For the fall turkey season, residents may purchase up to two turkey permits. Nonresidents may not purchase permits for the fall turkey season.
For the spring turkey season, residents may purchase up to 2 permits (one permit for the youth season for those under 16, or season 1, 2, or 3; and a second permit for season 4). Both permits may also be purchased during season 4. Nonresidents may purchase one permit for any of the four seasons, but not during the youth season.
Nonresident spring turkey application period is January 1 to the last Sunday in January. The application is available in December.
For zone map information and season dates be sure to download our Nonresident Turkey Application Guide.
Hunters may determine their drawing status by going online to the online purchasing site. After logging in, please click on the ‘View Application Status’ option on the right side of the page. Please do not call the DNR as your drawing status will not be provided over the phone.
If any license quota has not been filled, the excess licenses will be sold online or through the telephone ordering system, until the quotas are filled or the last day of the respective season, whichever comes first.
Iowa has a spring and a fall hunting season.
The spring season consists of one youth season (3 days prior to season 1) and four regular seasons which are 4, 5, 7, and 19 days in length (35 days total).
The first season begins on the second Monday of April. For current season dates please review the Hunting and Trapping Regulations.
How old is my turkey?
To differentiate between adults and juveniles, examine the tip of the last 1 or 2 primary (large) wing feathers. Adults have rounded tips with white barring extending all the way to the tip. Juveniles have narrow pointed feathers with no white bars on the last 2 inches. In addition, the tail fan on an adult has a regular contour of tail feathers, while a juvenile has an irregular contour.
To further estimate the age of your (male) turkey, examine the spurs on the leg and the turkey’s beard. Generally, 1 year-old turkeys have a spur length of 1/2” or less and a beard length of 2-5”; 2 year-old turkeys have spurs between 1/2” and 7/8” and a beard between 6” and 9” in length; 3 year-old turkeys have spurs between 7/8” and 1” and beards over 10” in length; turkeys 4 years-old and greater have spurs greater than 1” and beards over 10” in length.
What sex is my turkey?
Males have black tipped breast feathers, beards and leg spurs, although spur length varies with age. Female turkeys have buff-tipped breast feathers and no leg spurs. Females may have a small beard present, but it not typical.
Measuring Beards
Beards must be measured from the center of the beard (where beard is attached to the skin) to the longest portion of the beard tip. Pull the beard straight out when measuring and measure to the longest beard strand.
Measuring Spurs
Measure each spur in inches and report the longer of the two measurements. Spurs must be measured along the bottom curve, from where the spur protrudes from the leg to the tip of the spur. A flexible tape provides the most accurate measurement.
Scoring Your Wild Turkey
Information on measuring spurs, beards and scoring your turkey and entering your turkey into the record books can be found on the National Wild Turkey Federation's site under " How to Score Your Wild Turkey."
Males have black tipped breast feathers, beards and leg spurs, although spur length varies with age. Female turkeys have buff-tipped breast feathers and no leg spurs. Approximately 5% of adult females will display a small thin beard.
Beards must be measured from the center of the beard (where beard is attached to the skin) to the longest portion of the beard tip. Pull the beard straight out when measuring and measure to the longest beard strand.
Measure each spur in inches and report the longer of the two measurements. Spurs must be measured along the bottom curve, from where the spur protrudes from the leg to the tip of the spur. A flexible tape provides the most accurate measurement.
Information on measuring spurs, beards and scoring your turkey and entering your turkey into the record books can be found on the National Wild Turkey Federation's site under "How to Score Your Wild Turkey."
Yes, artificial decoys are legal, however, live decoys are not legal.
Firearms for turkey hunting include bore sizes .410 through 10 guage shotguns or muzzleloading shotguns shooting shot no smaller than size 10 through size 4 , lead or nontoxic. Muzzleloading rifles may not be used to hunt turkeys.
In addition to firearms, archery equipment including longbows, recurves and compound bows can be used to hunt wild turkeys in Iowa. Arrows must be at least 18 inches long and must be tipped with broadheads, or with bluntheads with a minimum diameter of 9/16 of an inch.
Yes.
You must apply a transportation tag to the leg of the turkey immediately upon harvest and in such a way that the tag is visible and cannot be removed without being mutilated or destroyed. The transportation tag must bear the license number of the hunter, year of issuance and date of harvest. The tag shall be the hunter’s proof of possession of the turkey.
The harvest report tag, with the confirmation number properly recorded, must be attached to the leg of the turkey after reporting the harvest and before the turkey is processed.
A resident hunter having a valid license for one of the spring turkey seasons may accompany, call for or otherwise assist anyone having a valid turkey license for any of the seasons.
A nonresident may assist other hunters only in the zone and season indicated on their license.
The person helping can not shoot a turkey or carry a bow or firearm unless they have a valid license and unused transportation tag for the current season. No one may shoot a turkey for someone else, or tag a turkey shot by someone else.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources no longer registers trophy wild turkeys.
However, the National Wild Turkey Federation invites you to register your turkey through their official wild turkey records program. Entry rules and an application can be obtained by visiting NWTF Wild Turkey Records site, writing the National Wild Turkey Federation, P.O. Box 530, Edgefield, SC, 29824-0530 or by calling (803) 637-3106.