We’re on the cusp of another spring turkey season in Texas. Depending on where you hunt, the show may have already begun.
Texas is a massive state with multiple spring turkey hunting zones — North, South and East. Spring harvest is limited to gobblers and bearded hens in the North and South Zones, gobblers only in the East Zone. The spring regular season dates in 176 Texas counties are as follows: * North Zone (119 counties): March 29 May 11 * South Zone ( 36 counties): March 15 April 27 * Special One Turkey Bag Limit (19 counties): Bastrop, Brewster, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of I35), Fayette, Guadalupe (north of I10), Hays (east of I35), Hill (east of I35), Jackson, Jeff Davis, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, McLennan (east of I35), Pecos, Terrell, Travis (east of I35), and Wharton : April 1-30 * East Zone (12 counties) Bowie, Cass, Fannin, Grayson, Jasper, Lamar, Marion, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Red River and Sabine. Note: Those portions of Fannin, Lamar, Red River, and Bowie Counties south of HWY 82 are closed to protect brood stock from recent restocking efforts along the Sulphur River. : April 22 – May 14 * North Zone Youth Only: March 22-23; May 17-18 * South Zone Youth Only: March 8-9; May 3-4
The Big Show
I call spring turkey hunting a show, because that is exactly what it is. Anyone who has ever played the game is sure to agree. Witnessing a love sick gobbler at close range — strutting, dancing, spitting and gobbling in a haughty display of self importance — is truly one of Mother Nature’s grandest performances.
Spring is the breeding season for wild turkeys. Each year, hunting seasons are scheduled to occur after the majority of the hens are bred and locked on nests.
Gobblers are still revved up on testosterone at this point and most responsive to calling. Hunters use assorted calls to tap into the birds’ distinctive line of communication. The idea is to make sexy sounds to fool a gobbler into thinking you are a hen that is playing hard to get, and to ultimately lure him into shotgun range — 30 yards or less.
One shot. Lights out.
If there is one truth about spring turkey hunting, it is that no two hunts are ever the same. Things are forever changing out there, including the moods of tom turkeys.
There are days when calling a mature gobbler into shotgun range on a crisp spring morning hardly seems like a challenge. Other days it won’t seem so easy, even when the conditions are seemingly perfect.
Yelps, purrs, clucks and cackles are the most common hen sounds hunters throw at long beards. It’s easy to get excited when a tom turkey takes the bait and hammers back at a seductive yelp with a raspy gobble. Sort of like it is easy to get discouraged when a gobbler goes silent for no apparent reason and seemingly melts into landscape without ever showing himself.
Any spring turkey hunter who says they haven’t experienced the latter is either fudging the truth or they haven’t spent much time in turkey woods.
It happens all the time. Especially during periods when hens are still receptive to breeding, and on public hunting areas that see a lot of hunting pressure.
It is next to impossible to sucker a gobbler when he is “henned up.” If you suspect a bird is with hens, it is usually best to move on and look for one that isn’t, or to wait him out until all the hens are tended.
Another common problem encountered by spring turkey hunters is the stubborn gobbler that answers their calls repeatedly, but refuses to come closer. A bird behaving in this manner may already be entertaining hens. There also is a chance he could be “hung up” on the opposite side of a creek, fence, fallen log some other obstacle he is unwilling to cross or pass through.
I was turkey hunting on a ranch in Kinney County several years ago when a gobbler sounded off through the scrub brush. I could tell by direction of the sound that the bird was in the vicinity of a windmill, about 200 yards away.
I stopped and called occasionally as I closed the gap. The bird liked what he was hearing. But it was obvious it wasn’t moving any closer.
I had moved to within 75 yards of the windmill when I saw the gobbler in the middle of an open road at a fenceline crossing. He was in full strut.
The 12-foot gate was wide open. But for some reason the wary gobbler refused to pass through the gap. Instead, he gobbled repeatedly for another 5-10 minutes before finally losing interest and walking away in the opposite direction.
Season Outlook
Texas Parks and Wildlife recently released it 2025 spring turkey season forecast. The outlook is promising.
Texas has lots of turkeys. TPWD estimates the Rio Grande turkey population at around 587,000 birds. Easterns are less plentiful, about 5,000 birds.
TPWD wild turkey program leader Jason Hardin says Rio hunters can expect to see good numbers of two-year-old gobblers and jakes (immature gobblers) the field this season thanks to solid production and recruitment over the last two years.
The biologist pointed out that two year olds are typically the most fun birds to hunt, mainly because they aren’t shy about gobbling and haven’t been educated by other hunters in the past. As good as early season hunting may be, it’s not uncommon to stumble across hot gobblers willing to cooperate later on, Hardin said.
“The middle and later portions of the season usually have fewer hunters in the woods, and you never know when you will strike a tom in the mood to strut and gobble,” Hardin said. “Go early and go often.”
Hardin says spring hunters need to remember it is now a legal requirement to report every turkey harvest to the department within 24 hours of harvest. Harvests can be reported using the Texas Texas Hunt and Fish mobile app or online.
Tips to Ponder
* Wild turkeys have incredibly good eyesight. Always wear full camo and stay still as possible. Take advantage of shade and cover.
* Any 12, 16 or 20-gauge shotgun equipped with a full choke is sufficient for killing turkeys. The tight choke restricts the shot pattern so more pellets are likely to find the kill zone.
* Never attempt to shoot a turkey in the body, or while flying or running, even at close range. Aim at the base of the neck.
* Use quality shotshells with plenty of knock down power. No. 6 high velocity turkey loads are ideal.
* Never try to shoulder a shotgun if you can see a turkey’s head. If you can see the turkey’s head, it can see you. Wait until the bird’s vision is blocked by a bush, tree or its fan before raising the shotgun.
* Spend as much time in the woods as possible. In addition to listening for birds, you should look for sign such as scratching areas, feather drops, fresh droppings, tracks and dusting areas.
* Learn the lay of the land and use it to your advantage. Know where drainages and creeks are, and always set-up in a manner that creates a path of least resistance between you and the gobbler. Location means everything in turkey hunting.
* Turkeys make a variety of sounds when communicating among themselves. Learn to yelp, putt and purr and you can call turkeys successfully.
* A turkey vest or backpack is handy for carrying spare calls, ammunition, food, water, bug spray, a knife and other essentials.
* If you know an area is holding turkeys, but the but the birds aren’t gobbling, it can pay off to be patient. Pick a spot and hunker down, calling occasionally.
* A gobbler coming to a call is constantly looking for the source. Hen decoys can work wonders, particularly on reluctant longbeards. Whenever possible, place the decoy in an opening so it can be seen from a distance.
* Protect yourself from mosquitoes and other vectors by wearing a good insect repellant. The best repellants contain the chemical DEET.
