The eastern wild turkey is a large game bird present throughout most of north carolina. For more information on obtaining licenses, permits and regulations, visit the. Floridas osceola season is one of the first spring hunts of the year. North carolinas turkey hunters never had it so good. During both spring and fall seasons, you must report taking a turkey within 7 days, via the decals online harvest reporting system or by calling 18664263778. Nc hunting season deer, turkey, bear, boar and small game. The eastern wild turkey thrives best in areas with a mix of forested and open. Small game license not required of residents under age 16 and general game and habitat license.
The commission is the regulatory agency responsible for the enforcement of nc fishing, hunting, trapping and boating laws. Game tags which allow the take of a second turkey will not be valid in units 3, 5, and 6. Hunters 6 to 15 years old may harvest one jake as part of their twobird limit during the season including the youth hunt. Each recommendation includes specifics on conservationrelated work with wild turkeys, and other game animals, in mind.
Fish and wildlife service photo hunting season for eastern wild turkey opens in south carolina. When we had a short winter season, we killed fewer turkeys in the open areas than a single county does in the spring these days. Information and hunting resources on turkey in georgia. Certain counties have different season lengths, and counties also have different guidelines for limits, tagging and weapons. Combination license includes small game, general game and. Wildlife resource commission is urging hunters to take. The fall season has been reduced to 41 days in all open units. Hickoff, 57, is realtrees online turkey hunting editor, and current turkey calls columnist for the nwtfs turkey country magazine.
The decline was primarily due to unregulated and heavy market hunting, rapid. South carolina makes big changes for 2020 turkey seasons. It was also an increase of 5 percent over the 2016 harvest of 17,932 turkeys. Bag limits, special seasons and hunting regulations for north carolina hunting seasons do vary based on animal and seasons. North carolina hunting seasons, 20192020 hunting season hq.
North carolina turkey hunting the wild turkey zone. Upland game bird hunting california department of fish. Spring turkey hunters needed for ruffed grouse drumming survey. One male turkey or turkey with visible beard youths who take a turkey during the youth season may not harvest a second bird until april 27. Although the nc wildlife resources commission promotes outdoor recreational pursuits they should be done in a manner consistent with cdc social distancing. Tennessee turkey season regulations and information. Nwtf north carolina will open hunting access to 63,000 additional acres in the. Approximately 50,000 turkey hunters take to the woods annually in south carolina with hopes of harvesting a wily gobbler, and the 2019 spring turkey season was no exception. Hunters in nc will find just about any kind of game they desire.
With an estimated harvest of 15,783 adult gobblers and 1,591 jakes for a total of 17,374 birds, the spring turkey harvest was down a little more than 3 percent from 2018. South carolinas turkey hunting season expected to be. For a full list of regulations and legal descriptions see the w ildlife conservation order. Wild turkey season is open in north carolina by bob townsend april 15, 2014 at 6. Canadian hunters see rules for importing firearms for hunting. As one of three of north carolinas big game species, this majestic. When does turkey season open in north carolina 2011. Turkey season on wildlife manage area lands will open april 1. When is turkey hunting season in north carolina answers. Due to habitat loss and over hunting during the early 1900s, turkey populations declined dramatically. Safety, social distancing urged during turkey season. This change is effective beginning with the spring 2020 season. C wildlife resources commission will open the statewide wild turkey season april 11 through. Turkey hunting is going to be a little different in south carolina next year.
With springturkey season open in all 100 counties, at least 100 birds were taken in 48 different counties. Licenseexempt youths should report their harvest using a big game harvest report. North carolina allows hunting of 16 small game species. It was a new harvest record, beating the former harvest record of 18,409 birds set in 20. Id say we have plenty enough turkeys, just too many corn piles with high power rifles on watch from mid oct till jan. Detailed information about spring turkey regulations, management units, hunting hours and more can be found in the s pring turkey digest. Unlawful to shoot any turkey between 30 minutes after official sunset and 30 minutes before official sunrise. Cherokee, clay, graham, jackson, macon and swain sept. In all cases, a hunting license is required, and local laws may overrule state laws.
It starts on the first saturday in april every year. Wild turkey restoration is now complete in north carolina. Central oregon, units 3638, 40, 4350, 54, 55, 65 and 67. Possession and season limit 2, only one of which may be taken during the youth season youth season male or bearded turkey only. In north carolina, its illegal, game laws specifically state, to. Turkey hunting nc deer hunting north carolina outfitter. With awareness of issues affecting turkey populations and effective population restoration and habitat management, wild turkeys are again abundant. Wild turkey north carolina wildlife resources commission.
In addition, shotgun gauges 10 through 28, including. No more than one legal turkey may be taken per day. Wildlife resources commission has suspended the sale of. Residents must also purchase a bear management estamp to hunt bear. Non residents hunting bear must also purchase the bear hunting license and bear management estamp. The date of the season was based on the earliest time a season could be opened and still provide some protection of wild turkey hens. The fourth monday of april spring gobbler season opening date was designed to protect the wild turkey hen resource in west virginia and to permit spring hunting recreation on bearded wild turkeys. Hunting this species can be the most exciting and challenging fowl hunting available. Use any type of handgun or rifle to hunt wild turkey. To comply with the governors stay at home order and help prevent the spread of covid19, the n. South carolina, like most southeastern states, has been experiencing a decline in wild turkey since a record harvest in 2002. Unlawful to take wild turkey from a watercraft sc 5011500.
Advanced spring turkey hunting tips hunting, turkey tips. Take wild turkeys from an area in which bait has been placed. The 2018 spring hunt guide provides you with all the useful information needed for turkey hunting in your state, plus public land recommendations from nwtf regional biologists. North carolinas 60,000 wild turkey hunters harvested 18,819 birds in the spring season of 2017. The second saturday of april marks the opening of the general turkeyhunting season across. Deer season eastern archeryseptember 7 september 27. From a fledgling flock in the 1970s, the statewide wild turkey population stands at more than 150,000, with a new population study underway that will likely show an overall increase.
Even the most avid vagabond gobbler geek can only chase his spring passion for about weeks assuming an early start in florida and a june finish in maine. Statewide except in areas where there is a closed firearm season on turkey. Licenseexempt youth should report their harvest using a big game harvest report card for licenseexempt hunters. The spring wild turkey hunting season is open statewide. Unlawful to take or attempt to take a wild turkey from a vehicle on a public road. This is because the bird taken during the youth season counts as the first bird for the first week of the regular season. There have been no changes to north carolina hunting or fishing license requirements, seasons, or bagcreel limits. Statewide turkey season opened april 14 and will run through may 12. In preparation for the big day in western north carolinas trout fishing world opening day of trout season the first saturday in april the n. An area is considered baited until 10 days after the bait has been consumed or otherwise removed. A person can use shotgun gauges 10 through 20, using shot sizes 4 through 6 or mixed loads that include shot sizes 4 through 7.
Sagegrouse hunting for general, archery, and falconry seasons is by permit only. Turkey, duck waterfowl and predators hunts like bobcat and coyotes are also popular hunts throughout the region. Some areas of north carolina limit hunting to particular dates. Seasons calendar department of natural resources division. The ndgf plots program provides for the enrollment of private lands for public hunting.
Go here for some of these north carolina wild turkey studies. Hunting seasons and limits north carolina wildlife. The 2009 spring gobbler harvest of 12,579 set a record, topping the former record of 11,706 that was set in 2006. Hunting season for eastern wild turkey opens in south carolina. Nwtf funding has helped the north carolina wildlife resources. When does turkey season open in north carolina 2011 answers. The 2020 forecast indicates a stable population of birds statewide. Hes been hunting the majestic birds since he was an impressionable 12yearold back in 1971, in his native pennsylvania. North carolina hunting guides world class outdoors. An estimated 50,000 hunters will try to bag eastern wild turkeys in south carolina this spring. The nc wildlife resources commission wrc works to conserve and sustain the states fish and wildlife resources through research, scientific management, wise use, and public input. All tennessee counties are open to spring turkey seasons. Starting next spring, south carolina will implement several new hunting regulations in an effort to reverse the decline of the wild turkey population not only did the state agree to return to split spring turkey hunting seasons, but it also decided on a onebird bag limit within the first 10 days of the season.