Turkey Hunting in Kansas
Few sounds raise a hunter’s heart rate like the gobble of a wild turkey, and no place in the world is better to hear it than right here in Kansas! Wild turkeys were re-introduced in Kansas starting in the 1960s, and the success of the program has brought populations to every county in the state.
The Rio Grande subspecies tends to dominate the western two-thirds of the state. Towards the central regions is where you can run into hybrids of the Rio Grande and Eastern subspecies. In the far eastern counties is where you'll notice the Eastern subspecies is more commonly spotted. If you'd like more information on where to find turkeys in Kansas, check out the Hunting Atlas!
Kansas has turkey hunting for the spring season, which usually runs through April-May. For the most up-to-date information on turkey seasons, please visit the Kansas Wildlife & Parks website.
Turkey Season Dates
Spring 2024
- Youth/Disabled:
- Archery:
- Regular:
New for 2024!
Resident hunters may obtain a spring turkey permit – valid for one turkey with a visible beard – in Units 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6; Spring turkey permits for Unit 4 are available only by lottery draw.
Non-resident hunters may obtain a spring turkey permit by lottery draw for Units 1, 2, 3, 5, or 6. Non-resident permits are only valid in the Unit indicated. The application period is 01/09/24 – 02/09/24. Any leftover non-resident spring turkey permits will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
There will be no additional game tags (valid for a second turkey) available in 2024 for resident and non-resident hunters (Credit: KDWP).
The Rio Grande subspecies dominates the western two-thirds of the state. Low numbers in the southwest provide only limited hunting. Hybrids of the Rio Grande/Eastern birds are found in the state's two central regions. Nearer the Kansas-Missouri border the turkeys are of the Eastern subspecies, the same basic birds of the Appalachians and Ozarks, only larger and louder. Every spring, many hunters come to Kansas to take one of each, Rio Grande and Eastern, filling half of the coveted "Grand Slam" of America’s four main turkey subspecies.
Hunting Outfitters & Lodges
