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Kentucky Wild Turkey Seasons and Limits, 2026-27
Where and when wild turkeys may be taken in Kentucky this license year, with sources on every table.
Photo: Joseph Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Quick facts on Kentucky wild turkeys
The 2026-27 KDFWR rules give wild turkeys 5 rows of dates, the last one closing January 18, 2027. The species summary for wild turkeys notes: fall seasons statewide; spring 2027 dates pending. A turkey hunter may use the following: shotgun, archery, crossbow.
Source: Guide p. 24 and 301 KAR 2:142 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Wild Turkey season dates in Kentucky
Dates below are the KDFWR dates for wild turkeys; a WMA or other public area can be shorter, so check its own page as well.
| Hunt type | Area | Calendar | Bag | Fine print | Today? | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Archery | Statewide | Sep 5–Jan 18, 2027 | 2 turkeys per fall season (1 per day): only 1 with a beard 3 in. or longer and only 1 with no beard or beard under 3 in. | Guide p. 24 | ||
| Fall Crossbow | Statewide | Oct 1–18, 2026 Nov 14–Dec 31, 2026 | 2 turkeys per fall season (1 per day): only 1 with a beard 3 in. or longer and only 1 with no beard or beard under 3 in. | Guide p. 24 | ||
| Fall Shotgun | Statewide | Oct 24–30, 2026 Dec 5–11, 2026 | 2 turkeys per fall season (1 per day): only 1 with a beard 3 in. or longer and only 1 with no beard or beard under 3 in. | Dogs may be used to locate and flush turkeys in fall. | Guide p. 24 | |
| Spring 2027 | Statewide | Not yet published | 2 legal turkeys per season, 1 per day, 1 per WMA | KDFWR had not published 2027 dates when checked. | No dates | 301 KAR 2:142 |
| Youth spring 2027 | Statewide | Not yet published | 1 legal (bearded or male) turkey per day | KDFWR had not published 2027 dates when checked. | No dates | 301 KAR 2:142 |
Wild Turkey counts from the Harvest Results app
36,448 wild turkeys were checked in spring 2026. The best year in the series is spring 2026 (36,448), and Graves County led the latest count.
| Rank | County | spring 2026 | KDFWR region |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graves | 778 | Purchase |
| 2 | Muhlenberg | 746 | Green River |
| 3 | Breckinridge | 662 | Green River |
| 4 | Pulaski | 659 | Southeast |
| 5 | Christian | 640 | Purchase |
| 6 | Hopkins | 636 | Green River |
| 7 | Ohio | 593 | Green River |
| 8 | Hardin | 566 | Green River |
| 9 | Grayson | 549 | Green River |
| 10 | Logan | 538 | Green River |
Fall turkey numbers
| License year | Fall turkeys |
|---|---|
| 2016-17 | 2,606 |
| 2017-18 | 1,898 |
| 2018-19 | 2,369 |
| 2019-20 | 1,744 |
| 2020-21 | 2,104 |
| 2021-22 | 1,577 |
| 2022-23 | 2,075 |
| 2023-24 | 1,013 |
| 2024-25 | 1,469 |
| 2025-26 | 1,225 |
Source: Harvest app and Harvest app (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Wild Turkey limits in KDFWR wording
Group lines appear when KDFWR prints wild turkeys together with other species.
| Group | Bag |
|---|---|
| Wild turkey (fall) | 2 turkeys per fall season (1 per day): only 1 with a beard 3 in. or longer and only 1 with no beard or beard under 3 in. |
| Wild turkey (spring) | 2 legal (male or bearded) turkeys per season, 1 per day, 1 per WMA |
Source: Guide p. 24 and 301 KAR 2:142 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Lawful gear for wild turkeys
Kentucky sets method rules by season group; the lines that apply to wild turkeys are below, with a few general rules every hunter follows.
| Method group | Allowed | Not allowed |
|---|---|---|
| Fall turkey | Shotguns .410-10 ga (breech-loaders plugged to 3), lead or non-toxic shot No. 4 or smaller; bows and crossbows with non-barbed 7/8 in. broadheads. | Rifles; electronic calls; live decoys. |
| Subject | What KDFWR says |
|---|---|
| Wanton waste | Reasonable effort to recover big game and upland birds and remove edible parts. |
| Roosting and decoys (turkey) | No shooting roosting turkeys; no live turkey decoys. |
| Suppressors | Suppressors may be used to hunt legal game with a valid license. |
In one line, wild turkeys may be taken with: shotgun, archery, crossbow.
Source: Guide p. 24, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Wild Turkey license and permit fees
Prices are the 2026-27 KDFWR fees for what a turkey hunter may carry; the license year runs March 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027.
| Permit | In-state | Out-of-state | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $31.71 | $116.27 | two turkeys | |
| $31.71 | $116.27 | two turkeys | |
| $10.57 | $15.86 | ages 12-15, one turkey spring or fall | |
| $100.42 | Not sold | Combination hunting/fishing license, statewide deer permit, spring and fall turkey permits, Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit and trout permit; shooting range permit (must register). |
A turkey hunter aged 12 to 15 buys the youth license or permit where one exists; children under 12 need none.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Before you hunt wild turkeys
What KDFWR expects of turkey hunters in the field, from what to wear to what to report.
| Rule | Text |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | Orange applies to wild turkeys too: head, back and chest in solid orange in daylight during every deer gun and muzzleloader season and the firearm elk and bear seasons. |
| Ground blinds | During gun deer seasons on WMAs, in state parks and on gun quota hunts, attach a solid orange hat or vest to a ground blind visible from all sides; occupants still wear orange. |
| Telecheck | Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log. |
| Deadline | By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. |
| Bait | No bait; no fall hunting within 600 feet of a baited site or for 30 days after bait is removed (includes deer bait). |
| Public land bait | No baiting on WMAs, Big South Fork NRRA, Daniel Boone NF, Jefferson NF, Land Between The Lakes or state parks open to hunting. |
| Hunter education | If you were born on or after January 1, 1975, carry proof of hunter education on a turkey hunt, or buy the free one-year exemption permit and stay with a licensed adult. |
Source: Guide p. 10, Guide p. 8 and Guide p. 9 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Wild Turkey: wildlife areas, forests and refuges
71 public areas in the KDFWR land records list wild turkeys or open them on the 2026-27 WMA chart; the twelve largest are below.
| Area | Kind | Counties | Acres | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National forest | 710,298 | Chart: open | ||
| Ranger district | 209,423 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 183,503 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 170,938 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 146,434 | Listed species | ||
| Recreation area | 107,594 | Listed species | ||
| WMA | 40,744 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 38,788 | Chart: open | ||
| River and rec area | 30,300 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 24,033 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,351 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,019 | Chart: open |
Source: KDFWR land records and Guide p. 30 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Packing for a hunt in Kentucky wild turkeys
Kentucky wild turkeys cards match the seasons listed above.
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Box call
Fall and spring turkey hunters across Kentucky rarely leave a box call at home.
Wild Turkey shooting light by date
Kentucky clocks fell back on November 1, 2026 and spring ahead on March 14, 2027, so turkey times jump an hour across those dates.
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset for most species (deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, groundhog).
| Date | Owensboro (Daviess) | Frankfort (Franklin) | Somerset (Pulaski) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | 5:51 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. CDT | 6:42 a.m. to 8:35 p.m. EDT | 6:41 a.m. to 8:33 p.m. EDT |
| Oct 1, 2026 | 6:13 a.m. to 7:03 p.m. CDT | 7:04 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. EDT | 7:02 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. EDT |
| Oct 24, 2026 | 6:34 a.m. to 6:31 p.m. CDT | 7:26 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. EDT | 7:23 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. EDT |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 6:30 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. CST | 7:22 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. EST | 7:18 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. EST |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula for each county seat on its own clock (KDFWR prints no sunrise table, so sunrise and sunset are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for the exact point, on Central Time in the 41 western counties and Eastern Time elsewhere, with daylight time ending November 1, 2026 and starting March 14, 2027.); checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Wild turkey gobbler in full strut in the Elk and Bison Prairie at Land Between the LakesPhoto: Curtis Fowler (posted by Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wild turkey gobbler strutting in green grass in the Elk and Bison PrairiePhoto: Deborah Kimes (posted by Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wild turkeys in a fall wildlife planting along the Woodlands Trace in Lyon CountyPhoto: Jason Lupardus (National Wild Turkey Federation, posted by Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wild Turkey, answered
Hunter orange and wild turkeys: what applies?
Orange applies to wild turkeys too: head, back and chest in solid orange in daylight during every deer gun and muzzleloader season and the firearm elk and bear seasons.
What are legal shooting hours for wild turkeys?
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset for most species (deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, groundhog). Turkey hunters east of the time line use Eastern Time, west of it Central Time.
Does Kentucky allow bait for turkey hunting?
No bait; no fall hunting within 600 feet of a baited site or for 30 days after bait is removed (includes deer bait).
Must wild turkeys be reported to KDFWR?
By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log.
How many public places have wild turkeys?
The land records show wild turkeys on 71 areas, from WMAs to federal ground; start with the table on this page.
Is the spring 2027 turkey calendar published?
KDFWR had not published spring 2027 turkey dates when this page was checked; the spring rows are listed without dates until it does.
How is the turkey limit counted?
Kentucky counts wild turkeys like this: 2 turkeys per fall season (1 per day): only 1 with a beard 3 in. or longer and only 1 with no beard or beard under 3 in.; 2 legal (male or bearded) turkeys per season, 1 per day, 1 per WMA.
When does turkey season start in Kentucky?
Fall Archery (Statewide): Sep 5, 2026 to Jan 18, 2027; Fall Crossbow (Statewide): Oct 1 to Oct 18, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 31, 2026; Fall Shotgun (Statewide): Oct 24 to Oct 30, 2026; Dec 5 to Dec 11, 2026.
Which methods may be used on wild turkeys?
Shotgun, archery, crossbow. Shotguns .410-10 ga (breech-loaders plugged to 3), lead or non-toxic shot No. 4 or smaller; bows and crossbows with non-barbed 7/8 in. broadheads.
What paperwork goes with a turkey hunt?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; Fall Turkey Permit $31.71 resident, $116.27 nonresident; Spring Turkey Permit $31.71 resident, $116.27 nonresident; Youth Turkey Permit $10.57 resident, $15.86 nonresident. The full turkey price list is above.