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Eastern wild turkey in Louisiana: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt
The 2026-27 LDWF rules for wild turkeys, with public land and computed legal light.
Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (CC BY 2.0)
Eastern Wild Turkey in Louisiana, 2026-27
The first turkey day this season is March 26, 2027, and the last dated row ends May 2, 2027 (4 rows in all). On limits, the species summary reads "One adult gobbler daily, two per season; youth one jake". One more note on wild turkeys: 2026 validated harvest 4,024 (record in tagging era); survey estimate 8,300.
- Dates and methods (turkey): Spring Apr 3, 2027 (Areas A-C, private land; close May 2/Apr 25/Apr 18); youth & physically challenged Mar 26-28. Shotgun or archery only.
- Bag rule (turkey): One adult gobbler daily, two per season; youth one jake.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 32, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 33 and LDWF Wild Turkey Program report 2026, checked November 4, 2026.
GearHeading out for turkey season? Turkey gear checklist →
Turkey Areas for wild turkeys
| Turkey Area | Season | All in | Part in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Area A | Apr 3–May 2 | 22 | 12 |
| Turkey Area B | Apr 3–Apr 25 | 3 | 0 |
| Turkey Area C | Apr 3–Apr 18 | 6 | 10 |
| Closed | No season | 16 | – |
Outside the three areas, these parishes are closed: Acadia, Assumption, Cameron, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion and West Carroll.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 32 and LDWF turkey area map, checked November 4, 2026.
Eastern Wild Turkey dates, 2026-27
Each turkey row with its zone, length in days and limit, as LDWF printed it.
| Season | Covers | Opening | Closing | Span | Today | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Turkey Area A | Apr 3, 2027 | May 2, 2027 | 30 | Full limit | |
| Spring | Turkey Area B | Apr 3, 2027 | Apr 25, 2027 | 23 | Full limit | |
| Spring | Turkey Area C | Apr 3, 2027 | Apr 18, 2027 | 16 | Full limit | |
| Youth and challenged | Turkey Areas A to C | Mar 26, 2027 | Mar 28, 2027 | 3 | Full limit |
Eastern Wild Turkey season notes
- Turkey note: private lands only; WMAs, national wildlife refuges and federal lands have separate schedules.
- Turkey note: no hunting within 200 yards of a baited area (baited for 15 days after bait removal).
- Turkey note: restricted to youths 17 and under and wheelchair-confined physically challenged hunters; private lands only.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 32, checked November 4, 2026.
How many wild turkeys are taken in Louisiana
Leading turkey parishes, 2026
| Parish | Turkeys 2026 | Turkey Area |
|---|---|---|
| Washington Parish | 313 | A |
| Claiborne Parish | 278 | A |
| Vernon Parish | 268 | A |
| Livingston Parish | 222 | A |
| Winn Parish | 209 | A |
| Tangipahoa Parish | 186 | A |
| Sabine Parish | 179 | A |
| East Feliciana Parish | 170 | A |
| St. Helena Parish | 168 | A |
| Natchitoches Parish | 160 | A |
| Jackson Parish | 149 | A |
| Union Parish | 145 | A |
| Bienville Parish | 140 | A |
| West Feliciana Parish | 137 | A |
| Rapides Parish | 101 | A |
No earlier year is published by parish; the bars above are statewide.
From LDWF Wild Turkey Program report 2026, checked November 4, 2026.
The Louisiana turkey bag
Limits for wild turkeys: general rows first, then rows that print a different bag.
| Bag row | What it allows |
|---|---|
| Wild turkey | One adult gobbler per day; two gobblers per season. Licensed youth under 18 may take one jake (beard under 6 in.) per season. One turkey per hunter on WMA lottery hunts. |
| Spring, Turkey Area A | One adult gobbler per day; two gobblers per season. Licensed youth under 18 may take one jake (beard under 6 in.) per season. |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 33, checked November 4, 2026.
Licenses and permits for wild turkeys
Licenses for wild turkeys are sold at LouisianaOutdoors.com, LDWF headquarters and license vendors, and can be shown on LA Wallet.
| License | Who | Price | Valid | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Hunting | Resident | $20 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Basic Hunting | Nonresident | $200 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Basic Hunting | Native nonresident, 10 days | $20 | 10 consecutive days | – |
| Basic Hunting | Nonresident, 5 days | $65 | 5 days | – |
| Sportsman's Paradise | Resident | $100 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Sportsman's Paradise | Nonresident | $400 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Sportsman's Paradise | Native nonresident, 10 days | $100 | 10 consecutive days | – |
| Sportsman's Paradise | Nonresident, 5 days | $120 | 5 days | – |
| Youth Hunting | All | $5 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Turkey | Resident | $12 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Turkey | Nonresident | $50 | 365 days from purchase | – |
| Turkey | Native nonresident, 10 days | $12 | 10 consecutive days | – |
| Turkey | Nonresident, 5 days | $35 | 5 days | – |
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 8, LDWF hunting licenses page and LDWF fee list, checked November 4, 2026.
Louisiana public land with turkey seasons
35 areas are open to wild turkeys; each WMA follows its own schedule in the pamphlet.
| Place | Type | Parishes | Size (acres) | Lottery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kisatchie NF | Nat. forest | Grant, Natchitoches +5 | 607,483 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District | Forest district | Rapides, Vernon | 183,020 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Winn District | Forest district | Winn, Natchitoches +1 | 166,792 | – |
| Kisatchie NF, Catahoula District | Forest district | Grant, Rapides | 122,860 | – |
| Fort Polk-Vernon WMA | WMA | Vernon | 105,545 | Yes |
| Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie District | Forest district | Natchitoches | 102,489 | – |
| Tensas River NWR | Refuge | Madison, Tensas | 80,904 | Yes |
| Fort Polk North WMA | WMA | Natchitoches, Sabine +1 | 74,309 | Yes |
| West Bay WMA | WMA | Allen | 59,189 | Yes |
| Upper Ouachita NWR | Refuge | Morehouse, Union | 56,553 | – |
| Clear Creek WMA | WMA | Vernon | 52,559 | Yes |
| Red Dirt NWMP | Forest preserve | Natchitoches | 38,000 | – |
| Catahoula NWMP | Forest preserve | Grant, Winn | 36,000 | – |
| Pearl River WMA | WMA | St. Tammany | 35,619 | Yes |
| Bodcau WMA | WMA | Bossier, Webster | 33,766 | – |
From this site’s public land records (LDWF area pages, the 2026-27 WMA schedules and federal rules), checked November 4, 2026.
Legal weapons and methods for wild turkeys
| Season | Legal gear | Illegal gear |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Turkey: Shotguns (incl. muzzleloading) 10 ga or smaller with #2 lead/#2 non-toxic/BB steel or smaller; bows and crossbows. | Not for turkey: rifles, handguns, dogs, bait, electronic calls, live/motorized decoys, shotguns holding more than 3 shells, shooting from vehicles. |
- Baiting (turkey): Banned on WMAs, for turkey (200 yd) and migratory birds; restricted seasonally in CWD Management Zones; allowed for bear permit holders Nov 1 to close.
- Tagging and validation (turkey): Deer and turkey tagged before moving and validated within 72 hours (text, web, LA Wallet or phone).
- Dogs (turkey): Deer may be hunted with dogs only in designated "with or without dogs" segments; archery and primitive seasons and still-hunt areas are dog-free; One leashed/GPS-collared tracking dog may trail wounded deer on private land; Coyote running with dogs banned in turkey areas during turkey season.
- WMA rules (turkey): WMA Access Permit and self-clearing permit; no bait, drones, permanent stands, tree spikes, organized deer drives; still hunting only for deer; stands removed within a day of the WMA deer season close; no firearms during closed seasons except ranges/transport.
Statewide, no turkey may be shot from a public road or right-of-way, or across one.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 34, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 52, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 24 and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 27, checked November 4, 2026.
Rules in the field for wild turkeys
- Blaze orange, turkey hunters: The orange rule (La; R.S. 56:143: 400 square inches hunter orange or blaze pink; cap/hat alternative on privately owned, legally posted land; class one violation.) applies during firearm deer seasons; On privately owned land a hunter orange or blaze pink cap or hat may be worn instead; not required in elevated stands on private land (but required walking to and from stands where firearms are allowed) or for archers where the landowner bars firearm hunting.
- Tags and wild turkeys: Before moving a harvested deer or turkey, attach the carcass tag (or tag electronically), record date and parish, and validate within 72 hours by text-to-tag (225-267-9988), the LouisianaOutdoors.com web portal (also through LA Wallet) or phone 225-267-9998; Tags stay attached at camp and in transit to home or cold storage; Tags may not be shared; lost tags can be reprinted free online.
- Bait distance: No hunting turkey by aid of bait, on or over a baited area, or within 200 yards of a baited area; an area stays baited 15 days after all bait is removed.
- Youth turkey areas: Youth & physically challenged (wheelchair-confined) turkey Mar 26-28, 2027 on private land; WMA youth turkey on Big Lake, Bodcau, Hutchison Creek, J.C. Sonny Gilbert, Lake Ramsey Savannah, Pearl River and Tangipahoa Parish School Board (new: Hutchison Creek, Lake Ramsey, TPSB).
- Eastern Wild Turkey: hunter education: Anyone born on or after Sept 1, 1969 must complete an LDWF-approved hunter education course before hunting, unless under direct supervision (voice and sight) of a licensed hunter born before Sept 1, 1969 or an 18+ adult with proof of hunter education.
From 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 26, 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 24 and 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations, PDF p. 12, checked November 4, 2026.
Legal hours for wild turkeys
Sunrise on the Sabine comes later than on the Pearl, so the turkey hours below are computed parish by parish.
The turkey hours rule: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
| Day | Marker | Parish | Sun up | Sun down | Hunting window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 26, 2027 | Opener | Caddo Parish | 7:13 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. |
| Mar 26, 2027 | Opener | Ouachita Parish | 7:06 a.m. | 7:24 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. |
| Mar 26, 2027 | Opener | Rapides Parish | 7:08 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. |
| Mar 26, 2027 | Opener | Calcasieu Parish | 7:11 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. |
| Mar 26, 2027 | Opener | St. Tammany Parish | 6:58 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. |
| May 2, 2027 | Season closes | Caddo Parish | 6:28 a.m. | 7:56 p.m. | 5:58 a.m. to 8:26 p.m. |
| May 2, 2027 | Season closes | Ouachita Parish | 6:22 a.m. | 7:49 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 8:19 p.m. |
| May 2, 2027 | Season closes | Rapides Parish | 6:25 a.m. | 7:49 p.m. | 5:55 a.m. to 8:19 p.m. |
| May 2, 2027 | Season closes | Calcasieu Parish | 6:30 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. to 8:21 p.m. |
| May 2, 2027 | Season closes | St. Tammany Parish | 6:16 a.m. | 7:37 p.m. | 5:46 a.m. to 8:07 p.m. |
Rules from the 2026-2027 Louisiana Hunting & WMA Regulations and La. R.S. 56:116.1; sunrise and sunset worked out with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 4, 2026. Legal hours for all 64 parishes.
Wild turkey gobbler fanned out in courtship display at a grassy woods edge. Photo: Martin Jambon (CC BY 2.0)
Wild turkey gobbler strutting with tail fanned. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Wild turkey hen standing in dry winter grass. Photo: peterichman (CC BY 2.0)
Answers about wild turkeys
What paperwork follows a turkey harvest?
Before moving a harvested deer or turkey, attach the carcass tag (or tag electronically), record date and parish, and validate within 72 hours by text-to-tag (225-267-9988), the LouisianaOutdoors.com web portal (also through LA Wallet) or phone 225-267-9998. Tags stay attached at camp and in transit to home or cold storage. Tags may not be shared; lost tags can be reprinted free online.
Can I hunt wild turkeys on Sunday in Louisiana?
Yes, on statewide dates. Public land is the exception: some WMA and federal schedules for wild turkeys name the days.
Where can I not hunt turkey?
16 parishes are closed: Acadia, Assumption, Cameron, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lafourche, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Vermilion and West Carroll.
How close to bait can I hunt turkeys?
No hunting turkey by aid of bait, on or over a baited area, or within 200 yards of a baited area; an area stays baited 15 days after all bait is removed.
How popular is turkey hunting in Louisiana?
Spring 2026: 4,024 validated turkeys and a survey estimate of 8,300.
What days are open for wild turkeys this season?
From March 26 to May 2, 2027, split into 4 rows. Coming next: March 26, 2027.
What bag limit applies to wild turkeys?
One adult gobbler per day; two gobblers per season. Licensed youth under 18 may take one jake (beard under 6 in.) per season. One turkey per hunter on WMA lottery hunts.
What permits go with turkey hunting?
Turkey hunters buy: Basic Hunting $20 resident, $200 nonresident; Sportsman’s Paradise $100 resident, $400 nonresident; Youth Hunting $5; Turkey $12 resident, $50 nonresident. Residents who hunt wild turkeys can fold Basic Hunting into the $100 Sportsman’s Paradise license.
Is archery legal for wild turkeys?
Turkey rules for wild turkeys: Shotguns (incl. muzzleloading) 10 ga or smaller with #2 lead/#2 non-toxic/BB steel or smaller; bows and crossbows.
Is blaze orange or pink required for wild turkeys?
The orange rule (La. R.S. 56:143: 400 sq. in. hunter orange or blaze pink; cap/hat alternative on privately owned, legally posted land; class one violation.) applies during firearm deer seasons. On privately owned land a hunter orange or blaze pink cap or hat may be worn instead; not required in elevated stands on private land (but required walking to and from stands where firearms are allowed) or for archers where the landowner bars firearm hunting.
Which public places are best for wild turkeys?
Start with Kisatchie NF, Kisatchie NF, Calcasieu District and Kisatchie NF, Winn District, the largest of 35 public areas for wild turkeys. Public land dates are often shorter.
How early can I shoot wild turkeys?
Hours for wild turkeys: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. On March 26, 2027 sunrise and sunset in East Baton Rouge Parish are 7:02 a.m. and 7:19 p.m. (NOAA solar formula).
Other photos on this page: Martin Jambon (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); peterichman (CC BY 2.0).