Double D Hunting | Missouri Turkey Season
Missouri spring turkey season runs April 20 – May 10, 2026, with a youth weekend April 11–12 and a fall firearms season October 1–31.
Missouri runs two turkey seasons each year: a heavily anticipated spring gobbler season and a quieter fall season. This guide lays out the missouri turkey season 2026 dates, bag limits, permits, and the calling tactics that turn a gobble on the roost into a bird in the field. Wondering when is turkey season in Missouri? The dates below cover both spring and fall.
Part of our full Missouri hunting seasons guide — see also deer, duck, squirrel, rabbit, and gigging seasons. All dates follow Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) regulations; verify current rules at mdc.mo.gov before you hunt.
Quick answers for the most-searched missouri turkey season questions. Dates below are for 2026 and follow MDC regulations. Shooting hours and county-specific rules can change, so confirm the current numbers before opening morning.
Here is the full missouri turkey season 2026 calendar in order, spring through fall:
The missouri spring turkey season is the headline event for Missouri turkey hunters. The regular season runs April 20 – May 10, 2026, opening the Monday after the youth weekend.
The season limit is 2 bearded turkeys; no more than 1 may be taken in the first week, and only 1 bird per day. That first-week restriction keeps pressure honest and rewards hunters who scout instead of racing the calendar. Spring is the most popular season, so scouting roost sites and strut zones starting in March pays off when birds get call-shy under pressure.
Shooting hours in spring vary between public and private land. Do not guess on this one — confirm the exact hours for your land type on MDC before you head out.
Missouri holds a dedicated spring youth turkey season on April 11–12, 2026, the weekend before the regular opener. It gives eligible young hunters first crack at unpressured, vocal gobblers and is one of the best on-ramps into spring turkey hunting.
Youth hunters should review current eligibility, supervision, and permit requirements on MDC, since these details are set by the agency and can change year to year.
The fall turkey season is the lower-key half of the year, but it overlaps prime deer time and suits hunters who like flexibility. The fall firearms turkey season runs October 1–31, 2026, with a limit of 2 turkeys of either sex — a notable difference from the bearded-only spring rule.
Fall archery turkey follows the deer archery dates in counties open to fall turkey hunting, so a bowhunter in the stand for whitetails can often fill a turkey tag on the same sit. Because fall turkey availability is set county by county, check whether your county is open before you hunt.
Spring hunters need a spring turkey hunting permit; fall hunters need a fall turkey hunting permit. These are separate permits for separate seasons, so make sure you are carrying the right one.
Hunter education is required for hunters born on or after January 1, 1967, unless they are hunting under the Apprentice Hunter Authorization. Permit prices, availability, and any landowner provisions are set by MDC, so confirm current requirements there before buying.
Calling is where turkey hunting earns its reputation. Most hunters carry a mix of mouth (diaphragm) calls for hands-free finishing, slate (pot) calls for soft, realistic yelps, and box calls for volume on windy mornings or to reach a distant gobbler. Carry more than one so you can switch voices if a tom hangs up.
Start scouting in March: locate roost sites by listening for gobbling at first and last light, then mark the strut zones where toms display once they fly down. Set up tight to the roost without bumping birds, use a hen or jake decoy to pull a hung-up gobbler that last 40 yards, and call sparingly — pressured spring birds often respond better to less. The same patient approach carries into the fall season, where breaking up a flock and calling birds back is a classic tactic.
When is turkey season in Missouri? Missouri has two turkey seasons. Spring turkey season runs April 20 – May 10, 2026, with a youth weekend April 11–12. Fall firearms turkey season runs October 1–31, 2026, and fall archery turkey follows the deer archery dates in counties open to fall turkey hunting.
Missouri spring turkey season runs April 20 – May 10, 2026, with a youth-only weekend April 11–12. The season limit is 2 bearded turkeys; no more than 1 may be taken in the first week, and only 1 bird may be taken per day.
Missouri fall firearms turkey season runs October 1–31, 2026, with a limit of 2 turkeys of either sex. Fall archery turkey follows the deer archery dates in counties open to fall turkey hunting.
In the spring season the limit is 2 bearded turkeys, with no more than 1 taken in the first week and only 1 bird per day. In the fall firearms season the limit is 2 turkeys of either sex. Always confirm current limits on MDC before you hunt.
Missouri's spring youth turkey season is April 11–12, 2026, the weekend before the regular spring season opens on April 20. It is open to eligible youth hunters and counts toward the spring season limit.
Yes. Spring hunters need a spring turkey hunting permit and fall hunters need a fall turkey hunting permit. Hunter education is required for hunters born on or after January 1, 1967, unless hunting under the Apprentice Hunter Authorization. Confirm current permit rules on MDC.
Knowing the dates is step one; finishing a hung-up gobbler is step two. Double D Hunting stocks the calls, decoys, blinds, and optics that turn a long-spurred tom into a tag filled — for both the spring woods and the fall flock-bust.
Calling is the heart of spring turkey hunting, and no single call does it all. Browse our turkey calls for diaphragm (mouth) calls that keep your hands free when a gobbler closes the gap, slate and pot calls for soft, realistic yelps and purrs, and box calls for cutting through wind and reaching distant birds. Carrying all three lets you change a bird's mind when he hangs up just out of range.
A hen or jake decoy can pull a strutting tom that last stubborn 40 yards into the open. Pair it with a low-profile setup from our hunting blinds to hide movement from a turkey's famously sharp eyes — especially valuable for youth hunters and run-and-gun fall hunts where staying still is the hard part.
Good glass shortens the scouting season. A quality binocular lets you confirm beards and spurs from a distance and watch fly-down behavior in strut zones without bumping birds. If you also chase deer and predators, browse our broader optics selection to cover the rest of the calendar.
Missouri turkey season dates, bag limits, shooting hours, and county rules can change. This 2026 guide follows MDC regulations for reference only. Complete hunter education if required, then confirm current spring and fall turkey season dates, limits, permits, and which counties are open for fall turkey on the Missouri Department of Conservation website before you go.
Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Always consult official Missouri hunting rules and regulations before you hunt. Double D Hunting is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in season dates or regulations, and will not be held liable for any decisions made based on this information.