Wild turkey surveys over the past 3 years show good production, and you can expect a bounty of 2 and 3-year old gobblers this spring.

“For spring turkey hunters, 2-year-old gobblers are probably the most fun birds to hunt,” says our Wild Turkey Program Leader Jason Hardin. “They gobble readily and are not jaded by past turkey-hunter efforts.

“When the rains come and the landscape begins to green up, hens will initiate nests, which should increase hunter success on lonely gobblers. One tactic hunters may employ early in the season is to call in hens, which will often lead to a gobbler following her into your setup.”

Find more info about the forecast in our press release “Go Early and Go Often” — Fair Number of Gobblers, Jakes on the Landscape for the 2026 Spring Wild Turkey Season.

Your need-to-know for hunting spring turkey this season:

• NEW regulation change: In the Hill Country, IH35E now serves as the zone boundary line for wild turkeys.
• Upland Game Bird Endorsement and hunting license are required.
• You must report ALL wild turkey harvests with the Texas Hunt & Fish app or online.
• Keep evidence of proof of sex with any harvested wild turkey.
• All turkeys must be securely tagged immediately with a tag from your license. If you have a digital license and tags, refer to Digital Licenses and Tagging for tagging instructions. Watch the short video How to Tag a Turkey for instructions on paper tagging and proof of sex.
• It is illegal to take any hen in 1-bird-limit counties, or to take non-bearded hens in the North and South Zones.
• It is illegal to hunt roosting turkeys by any means at any time.
• All hunters born after Sept. 1, 1971 must have proof of Hunter Education – access proof of your certificate with the Outdoor Annual app. Refer to the Outdoor Annual for all your wild turkey regulations.

Hunting the wily wild turkey is not only fun but challenging. Turkeys are very aware of their surroundings, making stealth a necessary part of your hunt. Enter the E-bike – near-silent transportation for the field.

Electric bikes allow you to move quickly, quietly and without a lot of energy. Plus, you can use E-bikes on public lands where gas-powered vehicles are banned.

Find out how one turkey hunter makes the most of his E-bike in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story Texas Hunters Are Hopping on E-bikes to Stalk Deer, Turkeys and More.

TPWD keeps tabs on Texas’ wild turkey populations – populations that go up and down over time. Most Texas land is privately owned, so we must rely on our turkey-hunter citizen scientists to provide population data needed for wild turkey tracking and management. Thank you for reporting your wild turkey harvest.