The sight and sound of a turkey’s mating display is enough to quicken the pulse of even the most experienced hunter— and makes calling in a spring tom as exciting as calling in a bull elk. So don’t miss this year’s spring turkey hunting season opening April 15.
Last year’s spring harvest of 4,229 turkeys was up 9 percent from the previous year and the highest since 2010. This year’s season could be even better.
“With the mild winter, more turkeys survived the season, particularly in areas of eastern Oregon where winter weather can be a limiting factor,” says David Budeau, ODFW upland bird coordinator.
Mikal Moore, Pacific Northwest regional biologist with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), agrees. “Expanding turkey populations coupled with favorable over-wintering conditions should make for a very exciting wild turkey season this spring,” she said.
All you need to spring turkey hunt is camo, a call, and a shotgun. A hen or jake decoy can also improve your odds. You can hunt for six weeks (April 15-May 31) anywhere in the state, and buy up to three turkey tags in some areas. There is no deadline to purchase a tag, just get one before you go hunting.
Visit ODFW’s Spring Turkey Hunting Forecast for tips and tactics, suggestions on where to hunt, and reports on conditions from districts statewide.
Budeau encourages kids to hunt the youth-only season this weekend (April 11-12), noting last year’s success rates. “There is a high level of harvest of turkeys from kids in general, and many of those were taken during the youth-only season last year,” he said. (Youth tag holders took 781 turkeys, 290 of those on the youth-only weekend.)
This weekend’s hunt is reserved for kids age 17 and under who are hunter education certified. Kids who hunt must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older. See the Oregon Game Bird Regulations for details.
