SPRING TURKEY SEASON RUNS MARCH 19 – APRIL 24

March 18, 2005
CONTACT: Stan Kirkland (850) 265-3676

Deer hunters have their time of year and duck hunters theirs, but this is the time of year spring turkey hunters live for.

In the northern two-thirds of Florida, which includes the state’s Central and Northwest management zones, the spring turkey season is March 19 – April 24. According to regulations of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), hunters are allowed to bag one bearded turkey or gobbler per day, two for the spring season.

Florida is unique among states because we’re home to two of the five subspecies of wild turkeys found in North America. The Eastern subspecies is found throughout most of the Florida panhandle. The Osceola subspecies occupies most of peninsular Florida and is found nowhere else in the United States.

As with all states Florida’s five-week season ideally coincides with the peak of gobbling and breeding activity. On a perfect hunt, a hunter calls a gobbler in close and bags the bird. However, turkey hunting often takes place under less than perfect conditions and more times than not, the gobbler “wins” and the hunter goes home empty handed.

While any variety of manually operated turkey calls are legal and used by hunters, electronic calls are prohibited in Florida.

On private lands turkey hunters can hunt from 30 minutes before sunrise until legal sunset. On wildlife management areas, hunting is allowed until 1 p.m. on open hunting days.

In Holmes County turkey hunting remains closed. FWC Commissioners recently approved a three-day spring season for 2006.

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