Take a peek at the spring turkey season

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The spring turkey application deadline is Feb. 14, and there will be more opportunities this spring for turkey hunters in North Dakota.

“We raised turkey tags 10% or just a little over 700 tags this year compared to last year. Populations are doing well. We had good production, and then success has been good. And landowner tolerance is kind of getting down so we need to increase those turkey licenses so we can take more off the landscape,” said RJ Gross, NDGF Upland Game Biologist.

Most of the increases this spring are in western North Dakota where there’s plenty of habitat for turkeys.

“Western North Dakota like units 13, 27, Killdeer, Watford City areas, there’s plenty of turkeys out there. And beautiful area, and landowners are more than willing to let you out there. So we encourage people to go out there,” said Gross.

There are differences between the spring and fall turkey seasons in North Dakota.

“Spring is our recreation season. Bearded, traditionally tom only. Whereas fall is population control, that’s where we can take the hens. Kind of different styles of hunting, mainly in the spring you are using decoys, trying to get them to come to you. Fall, you are kind of chasing them type of thing,” said Gross.

If you harvest a turkey and notice it has a leg band, call the Game and Fish Department at 701-328-6300 and report the band number.

“And then also we have a turkey study going on with NWTF and the University of North Dakota, take a look, if there’s a backpack on there, a little transmitter, the band and a transmitter, and please report those right away,” said Gross.

There are opportunities for youth turkey hunters, too.

“If you’ve never had a turkey tag, and you’re 15 or under, you can get a guaranteed turkey tag. And that’s not unit specific, that’s a statewide tag so you can go anywhere in the state,” said Gross.

Hunters can help biologists better manage turkeys in North Dakota by providing feathers if they harvest a bird.

“If you’re successful, please send in three tips of the longest wing feathers. And then a couple feathers from right along the breastbone. Put those in your envelope and send that into us,” said Gross.

The spring turkey season opens on April 13 and runs through May 19.

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