Spring Wild Turkey Hunting season begins in Iowa this month; however, 60 years ago, the wild turkey population in the state had to be replenished, according to Iowa DNR. By the early 1900s, drastic reductions in habitat had eliminated wild turkeys in Iowa. In 1966, the Iowa Conservation Commission, now the Department of Natural Resources, initiated a program to return the wild turkey to Iowa. Wild turkeys were released at several sites across the state, with the first release occurring in Lee County, Iowa.
Iowa’s Spring 2026 turkey hunting season runs April 10 – May 17 with a youth season (April 10-12) for residents age 15 years and under. Youth are allowed to bag 1 bearded bird per hunter. Those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult, licensed hunter who cannot carry a weapon.
There are four regular wild turkey hunting periods and an archery only season which runs through all four periods, April 13 – May 17th. Access the Iowa DNR website for specific dates of each period.
Gun shooting hours are a half hour before sunrise to sunset with bow hunters allowed to hunt until a half hour after sunset. Hunters who harvest a turkey are required to report that harvest by midnight on the day after it was tagged.