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Wild turkey hunting in Missouri
The 2026-27 MDC rules for wild turkeys, with harvest figures and public land.
Photo: Robert Taylor (CC BY 2.0)
This guide follows the 2026-27 MDC regulations for wild turkeys: the first legal day is Sep 15, 2026 and the last is Jan 15, 2027, each row with its source.
Wild Turkey at a glance
- Bag limit: Fall: 2 either sex. Spring: 2 bearded (nonresident permit 1).
- Methods: Fall archery Sept 15-Jan 15 (not Nov 14-24); fall firearms Oct 1-31 (107 counties); spring 2027 dates not yet set.
MDC source (as of Jun 16, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.
GearHeading out for turkey season? Turkey gear checklist →
When wild turkeys are open in Missouri
These are the 2026-27 turkey rows; conservation areas and managed hunts can add their own limits. Rows marked past are spring 2026; the 2027 spring booklet is due in March 2027.
| Segment | Area | Limit | First day | Last day | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall archery | Statewide | See the limits | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 | 60 | |
| Fall archery, part 2 | Statewide | As above | Nov 25, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 52 | |
| Fall firearms | 107 open counties | See the limits | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | 31 | |
| Spring youth season (2026, past) | Statewide | 1 male or bearded turkey | Apr 11, 2026 | Apr 12, 2026 | 2 | Past |
| Spring season (2026, past) | Statewide | See the limits | Apr 20, 2026 | May 10, 2026 | 21 | Past |
| Spring 2027 seasons | Statewide | – | Not set yet |
Fine print for wild turkeys
- Longbows, compound, recurve bows, crossbows, atlatls
- Second archery segment Nov 25, 2026-Jan 15, 2027 (same row values). Hours 1/2 hr before sunrise-1/2 hr after sunset.
- Shotgun (incl. .410) with shot no larger than No. 4; no rifles/handguns
- Closed counties: Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot, Scott. Hours 1/2 hr before sunrise-sunset. No possession of both a firearm and a bow/crossbow/atlatl.
- Shotgun shot no larger than No. 4, bows, crossbows, atlatls
- Ages 6-15. Successful resident youth may take a second bird during the first week of the regular season. Spring 2027 dates not yet published.
- Hours 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1 p.m. CDT on public land, to sunset on private land. Only 1 turkey before April 27 and 1 per day.
- Not yet published on 2026-10-29: the Code (3 CSR 10-7.455) still carries the 2026 dates and the 2027 Spring Turkey booklet is due in March 2027.
From Spring Turkey booklet p. 3, Fall Deer and Turkey booklet p. 22 and Wildlife Code of Missouri, checked October 29, 2026.
Turkey seasons by county
Seven counties sit out the fall firearms portion: the Bootheel plus McDonald and Newton.
| Closed to fall firearms turkey |
|---|
| Dunklin County |
| McDonald County |
| Mississippi County |
| New Madrid County |
| Newton County |
| Pemiscot County |
| Scott County |
Flood closure gauges
| Zone | County | Closes when | Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott | Mississippi River at or above 35 ft on the Thebes, IL gauge | spring turkey, fall deer and turkey |
| 2 | Mississippi | 43 ft on the Cairo, IL gauge | spring turkey, fall deer and turkey |
| 3 | New Madrid and Mississippi | 34 ft on the New Madrid, MO gauge | spring turkey |
| 3A | New Madrid and Mississippi | 34 ft on the New Madrid gauge | fall deer and turkey |
| 3B | New Madrid and Mississippi | 36 ft on the New Madrid gauge | fall deer and turkey |
| 3C | New Madrid and Mississippi | 40 ft on the New Madrid gauge | fall deer and turkey |
| 4 | Pemiscot | 32 ft on the Caruthersville, MO gauge | spring turkey, fall deer and turkey |
| 5A | Dunklin | St. Francis River at or above 21 ft on the St. Francis, AR gauge | spring turkey, fall deer and turkey |
| 5B | Dunklin | 15.5 ft on the Holly Island gauge | spring turkey, fall deer and turkey |
fall turkey page, Wildlife Code flood zones, checked October 29, 2026.
Spring and fall turkey harvest
Regular spring harvest went from 43,991 in 2015 to 45,482 in 2026.
Spring turkeys since 2015
| Year | Spring youth | Spring | Fall firearms | Fall archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 4,441 | 43,991 | ||
| 2016 | 4,167 | 44,207 | 3,698 | 2,304 |
| 2017 | 4,102 | 39,254 | 2,901 | 2,426 |
| 2018 | 1,729 | 34,072 | 2,170 | 2,055 |
| 2019 | 2,546 | 36,249 | 1,953 | 2,406 |
| 2020 | 2,724 | 38,734 | 2,350 | |
| 2021 | 2,795 | 34,595 | 1,836 | 2,516 |
| 2022 | 2,894 | 33,359 | 1,844 | 2,054 |
| 2023 | 2,566 | 41,977 | 2,220 | 2,201 |
| 2024 | 3,739 | 43,388 | 1,861 | 1,148 |
| 2025 | 4,449 | 46,569 | 1,950 | 1,273 |
| 2026 | 5,274 | 45,482 |
Where the most spring birds were checked
| County | Spring 2026 | Spring 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Macon County | 979 | 796 |
| Callaway County | 926 | 873 |
| Franklin County | 879 | 956 |
| Osage County | 786 | 858 |
| Sullivan County | 780 | 728 |
| Ste. Genevieve County | 760 | 739 |
| Adair County | 723 | 537 |
| Miller County | 698 | 752 |
| Harrison County | 691 | 730 |
| Putnam County | 688 | 699 |
MDC turkey harvest summaries, checked October 29, 2026.
Wild Turkey: limits, permits, prices
Missouri calls hunting licenses permits; the turkey permits below come from the 2026 MDC price list, and the permit year runs March 1 to the end of February.
| Limit type | Text |
|---|---|
| Wild turkey (fall) | 2 turkeys either sex, archery and firearms portions combined; 2 may be taken the same day. |
| Wild turkey (spring 2026) | 2 male/bearded turkeys (residents, landowners); 1 on a Nonresident Spring Turkey permit; 1 per day; only 1 before April 27. |
Permits for wild turkeys
| Permit | Residency | Who | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Turkey | resident | Age 16+ | $15 | Fall turkey season |
| Fall Turkey | resident | Age 6-15 | $7.50 | Fall turkey season |
| Landowner Fall Turkey | resident | Landowner 20+ acres | No cost | Fall turkey season |
| Fall Turkey | nonresident | Age 16+ | $176.50 | Fall turkey season |
| Fall Turkey | nonresident | Age 6-15 | $7.50 | Fall turkey season |
| Landowner Fall Turkey | nonresident | Landowner 75+ acres | $111 | Fall turkey season |
| Spring Turkey | resident | Age 16+ | $19.50 | Spring season (regular and youth) |
| Spring Turkey | resident | Age 6-15 | $9.75 | Spring season |
| Landowner Spring Turkey | resident | Landowner 20+ acres | No cost | Spring turkey season |
| Spring Turkey | nonresident | Age 16+ | $304.50 | Spring season |
| Spring Turkey | nonresident | Age 6-15 | $9.75 | Spring season |
| Landowner Spring Turkey | nonresident | Landowner 75+ acres | $190.50 | Spring season |
| Archer's | resident | Age 16+ | $22 | Archery deer and fall turkey seasons |
| Archer's | resident | Age 6-15 | $11 | Archery season |
| Landowner Archer's | resident | Landowner 20+ acres | No cost | Archery season |
| Archer's | nonresident | Age 16+ | $360 | Archery season |
| Archer's | nonresident | Age 6-15 | $11 | Archery season |
| Landowner Archer's | nonresident | Landowner 75+ acres | $225 | Archery season |
From Spring Turkey booklet p. 3, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 11, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8 and Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, checked October 29, 2026.
Places to hunt wild turkeys
575 public areas in this guide list turkey hunting, the group that covers wild turkeys; the biggest by acreage are below.
| Area | County | Acres | Methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem district (Mark Twain National Forest) | Reynolds County | 195,986 | Ranger district |
| Rocky Creek Conservation Area | Shannon County | 42,184 | Archery and Firearms |
| Bull Shoals Lake lands | Ozark County | 34,736 | Archery and Firearms |
| Current River Conservation Area | Carter County | 29,371 | Archery and Firearms |
| Upper Mississippi Conservation Area | Lewis County | 14,912 | Archery and Firearms |
| Clearwater Lake Management Lands | Reynolds County | 12,659 | Archery and Firearms |
| Truman Reservoir lands (Upper Tebo Creek) | Henry County | 7,736 | Archery and Firearms |
| Duck Creek Conservation Area | Bollinger County | 6,319 | Archery and Firearms |
| Pomme De Terre Lake lands | Polk County | 4,804 | Archery and Firearms |
| B. K. Leach Memorial CA | Lincoln County | 4,308 | Archery and Firearms |
| Fourche Creek Conservation Area | Ripley County | 3,768 | Archery and Firearms |
| Big Buffalo Creek CA | Benton County | 3,612 | Archery and Firearms |
| Pony Express Lake CA | DeKalb County | 3,290 | Archery and Firearms |
| Truman Reservoir lands (Brush Creek) | Benton County | 3,201 | Archery and Firearms |
| Kind of land | Areas |
|---|---|
| Conservation Area | 402 |
| Public Access Area | 72 |
| Corps lake lands | 24 |
| Towersite | 22 |
| MRAP tract | 17 |
| Natural Area | 11 |
| Cooperative Area | 8 |
| Ranger district | 6 |
| MDC region | Areas |
|---|---|
| Southwest | 90 |
| Kansas City | 85 |
| Northwest | 84 |
| Southeast | 75 |
| Central | 72 |
| Northeast | 65 |
| Ozark | 64 |
| St. Louis | 40 |
Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.
Wild Turkey hunting rules
- When to shoot: Fall firearms turkey ends at sunset, while fall archery turkey runs to a half hour after sunset like deer.
- Hunter orange rule: Turkey hunters are not exempt from orange during the firearms deer portions.
- Baiting law: Salt and mineral blocks are allowed for wild turkeys only where the feed ban does not apply, and never on MDC areas.
- Checking game: Notch the turkey permit at once, then report through Telecheck by 10 p.m.
Legal methods for wild turkeys
| Methods | Rule |
|---|---|
| Legal | Shotguns (incl. .410) with shot no larger than No. 4; also bows, crossbows, atlatls in spring. |
| Not legal | Rifles, handguns, single-projectile firearms, shotguns holding more than 3 shells (fall), larger shot, electronic calls, live decoys, bait, dogs. |
Tree stands and blinds on MDC areas: Portable stands Sept 1-Jan 31 only, labeled, no nails or screw-in steps; blinds removed daily; no mineral blocks or salt on MDC areas.
shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.
Wild Turkey legal hours on key dates
The turkey window on key dates, computed from the MDC table for six counties from Nodaway to Cape Girardeau.
| Date | County | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:29 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:13 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Greene County | 6:25 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Boone County | 6:21 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:10 a.m. | 7:07 p.m. |
| Sep 15, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:31 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. |
| Nov 25, 2026 | Jackson County | 6:40 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. |
| Nov 25, 2026 | St. Louis County | 6:24 a.m. | 4:43 p.m. |
| Nov 25, 2026 | Greene County | 6:36 a.m. | 4:55 p.m. |
| Nov 25, 2026 | Boone County | 6:32 a.m. | 4:51 p.m. |
| Nov 25, 2026 | Cape Girardeau County | 6:21 a.m. | 4:40 p.m. |
| Nov 25, 2026 | Nodaway County | 6:42 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. |
MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Answers about wild turkeys
How many counties allow fall firearms turkey?
Open in 107 counties and closed in 7: Dunklin, McDonald, Mississippi, New Madrid, Newton, Pemiscot and Scott. Fall turkey counties.
What are the 2026-27 turkey dates in Missouri?
Fall archery Sep 15 to Nov 13, 2026; Fall archery, part 2 Nov 25, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027; Fall firearms (107 counties) Oct 1 to Oct 31, 2026.
What possession limit applies to wild turkeys?
2 turkeys either sex, archery and firearms portions combined; 2 may be taken the same day. 2 male/bearded turkeys (residents, landowners); 1 on a Nonresident Spring Turkey permit; 1 per day; only 1 before April 27.
What permit do I need for wild turkeys?
For wild turkeys, the resident Fall Turkey permit costs $15 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting wild turkeys pays $176.50 for the Fall Turkey permit. Buy turkey permits at mdc.mo.gov, in the app or at a vendor; phone sales add $1.
Which firearms and bows are legal for wild turkeys?
Shotguns (incl. .410) with shot no larger than No. 4; also bows, crossbows, atlatls in spring. Not legal: Rifles, handguns, single-projectile firearms, shotguns holding more than 3 shells (fall), larger shot, electronic calls, live decoys, bait, dogs.
What hours apply to turkey hunting?
Fall firearms turkey ends at sunset, while fall archery turkey runs to a half hour after sunset like deer.
What orange rule applies to wild turkeys?
Turkey hunters are not exempt from orange during the firearms deer portions.
How many public areas allow turkey hunting?
575 public areas in this guide list wild turkeys or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Mark Twain National Forest, Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) and Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest). Every area posts its own turkey rules.
How is a turkey harvest recorded?
Notch the turkey permit at once, then report through Telecheck by 10 p.m.
Is Sunday turkey hunting legal?
Yes. MDC prints no Sunday closure, so the turkey season includes every Sunday.
Are the 2027 spring turkey dates out?
Not published when checked on October 29, 2026. The 2026 seasons, now past, were youth April 11-12 and regular April 20-May 10, 2026; the Code still carries those dates and the 2027 booklet is due in March 2027.