A spring turkey hunter pictured in a Stephens State Forest Wildlife Management Area in south central Iowa. PHOTO COURTESY OF IOWA DNR

IOWA – A mild winter followed by timely spring rains has Iowa forests and woodlots leafing out ahead of spring turkey season, possibly tipping the playing field in favor of the gobblers, after a record harvest of more than 16,000 birds in 2024.

The first of Iowa’s four regular spring turkey seasons opens on April 14.

“We are greening up ahead of schedule,” Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), said. “For anyone hunting second season or later, it could be a jungle out there.”

Winter turkey flocks are breaking up and birds are spreading across the landscape. Turkey production has been above the five-year average for three of the past four years, providing good numbers of birds, especially two-year-old jakes.

“Jakes will usually respond to calls more easily than toms and have been known to come in in groups – if a group of jakes come in, make sure you have a clean shot at one bird,” Coffey said.

Although Iowa has set spring turkey harvest records twice since 2020, Coffey said it’s important to remember that historically, only one in five hunters will tag a bird.

“Success should be determined by time spent outside, watching the sunrise as the timber comes alive around you, the experience in the woods, not by bagging a turkey,” he said. “Spring turkey hunting is a close, intimate sport, where the excitement is happening in less than 30 yards. And with the early leaf out this year, it could be even closer.”

To improve the chances of bagging a turkey, Coffey said hunters should go through their equipment to make sure it all works and gear still fits before hiking into the timber on opening morning. He also said that the ticks are already out so plan accordingly.

Iowa’s first of four turkey seasons opens on the second Monday in April each year, and this year, that’s the middle of April, aligning turkey hunting with mushroom hunting season.

“If we get rain and a little heat – it should be a good year for mushroom hunting – which also means we need to be aware of other people in the woods – hunters need to identify their bird, make sure it has a beard, and what’s beyond it,” Coffey said.

One final tip, Coffey said, don’t overlook Iowa’s smaller woodlots, as they are typically good places to hunt.

Successful hunters are required to report their harvest by midnight of the day after it is recovered by going online at www.iowadnr.gov, calling the toll free phone number printed on the tag, at any license vendor during regular business hours, by texting your registration number to 1-800-771-4692 or through the Go Outdoors Iowa app.

“Best way for turkey hunters to help with conservation is to report your harvest,” he said.

Youth-only season is April 11-13

Youth turkey season is designed to provide a strong mentoring experience for the youth hunter. It is restricted to Iowa residents only.

“Turkey hunting is an intimate sport and mentoring is a way to learn from other’s mistakes,” Coffey said. “With only about one-in-five hunters tagging a turkey, failure is part of the process. A successful hunt should be gauged on the adventure and experience of being in the woods not placing a tag on a bird.”

Youth tags are sold through the end of youth season on April 13. Youth tags are valid for youth season and each of the four regular seasons until filled or when the season four closes on May 18.

Licenses are not sold after the youth season closes.

2025 spring turkey season dates

-Youth Season, residents only, age 15 and younger – April 11-13

-Season 1 – April 14-17

-Season 2 – April 18-22

-Season 3 – April 23-29

-Season 4 – April 30 – May 18

The youth season license is good until filled, but it must be purchased before the youth season closes.

Around 50,000 turkey licenses will be purchased this year. Hunters may purchase two turkey tags, with at least one for season four. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset.