Turkey
Turkey hunting in Missouri
Missouri has two turkey seasons. The spring season is for gobblers, and it kicks off with a youth-only weekend before the regular season opens for everyone. The fall season comes later in the year. Whichever you hunt, you may use a shotgun or a bow — never a rifle — and putting out bait to draw turkeys in is off-limits.
A quick vocabulary note. A bearded turkey is one with the long, hair-like tuft of feathers (a "beard") sticking out of its chest. Almost all of these are toms (males), which is why the spring season is described as a hunt for bearded birds. The fall season is more flexible about which birds you may take.
Seasons
Turkey dates — 2026 / 2026–27
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| Fall Archery | Sept. 15 – Nov. 13, 2026 and Nov. 25, 2026 – Jan. 15, 2027 |
| Fall Firearms | Oct. 1–31, 2026 Open counties only. |
| Spring Youth | See the current Spring Turkey booklet 2026 spring youth was April 11–12; 2027 spring dates publish in the booklet. |
| Regular Spring | See the current Spring Turkey booklet 2026 regular spring was April 20 – May 10; 2027 dates publish in the booklet. |
Dates change every year — confirm on MDC Seasons.
How many turkeys
Your turkey limits
Public vs. private
Spring turkey hours depend on the land you're on
On the regular spring season, when you must stop differs by land type.
On public land
- Public land (regular spring season): one-half hour before sunrise to 1:00 p.m.
On private land
- Private land (regular spring season): one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Youth spring season: one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Methods
What you may hunt with
Shotguns (shot, not slugs) and archery only — no rifles. Bait, electronic calls, and live decoys are illegal; mouth and hand calls are fine.
Permits
Turkey permit prices
| Permit | Resident | Nonresident | Nonres. landowner | Youth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Turkey | $19.50 | $304.50 | $190.50 | $9.75 |
| Fall Turkey | $15 | $176.50 | $111 | $7.50 |
Resident landowners get no-cost deer and turkey permits on their own land. Full list: MDC Hunting Permits.
Tag & report
After you shoot a turkey
Telecheck is how you report a deer, turkey, bear, or elk after you take it — by 10 p.m. that day, online, by phone, or on the free MO Hunting app.
| Species | Right away | Report / check | Keep with the meat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Notch your permit; attach to the leg if you leave the bird | Telecheck by 10 p.m. the same day | Keep the confirmation number |
How to Telecheck: MDC Tagging & Telecheck.
Is my county different?
Fall firearms turkey — closed counties
Fall firearms turkey is closed in these counties (verify yearly):
- Dunklin
- McDonald
- Mississippi
- New Madrid
- Newton
- Pemiscot
- Scott
Before you hunt
Missouri Porch explains; the MDC decides.
Data current for the 2026 / 2026–27 season. Last checked against MDC: 2026-06-18. Dates, prices, quotas, and county rules change every year. Confirm with MDC before you hunt.
This is a plain-English summary, not the law. Always check the current MDC regulations before you hunt. As MDC puts it, the booklet is NOT a legal document and regulations are subject to revision during the year.
- MDC Turkey Hunting
- MDC Seasons — current dates
- MDC Hunting Permits — prices
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