2020 Turkey Season?

[HD]

Are you ready?

Minnesota firearm hunters can purchase over-the counter licenses for all spring turkey seasons



Minnesota hunters hoping to bag a tom turkey with a firearm this spring will no longer be restricted to a single permit area. With the exception of three major wildlife management areas, a spring turkey license will provide the opportunity to hunt all permit areas in the state.

Beginning March 1, all spring turkey hunters can also purchase a license over-the-counter. Firearm hunters used to have to apply through a lottery for hunt periods during the beginning part of the spring season.

The Minnesota DNR is announcing the season details now so hunters can apply for permits drawn in a lottery for the three wildlife management areas.

“We’re making it easier to hunt wild turkeys in Minnesota,” said Leslie McInenly, wildlife populations program manager with the DNR. “Turkey restoration has been a great success for the state and, over time, we’ve been able to relax and simplify hunting regulations.”

The DNR annually monitors hunter participation and turkey harvest. In 2019, the agency considered recent season participation, hunter interest in lotteries, harvest levels and public comment on potential season changes.

Public input indicated high levels of hunter support for greater flexibility in hunting location as well as increased opportunities to purchase licenses over-the-counter rather than through the lottery.

Turkey season runs from April 15 to May 31 and is divided into six hunt periods (dates are in table below). Firearms hunters 18 and older must choose their hunt period when they purchase a license. Firearms turkey hunters can participate in Hunt “F” from May 20-31 if they have an unused tag from one of the earlier hunt periods.

Firearms turkey hunters ages 18 and older who are interested in a permit to hunt in Mille Lacs, Carlos Avery or Whitewater wildlife management areas during A through C seasons will be required to apply for a lottery. The deadline to apply for those high-demand areas is Jan. 24. Successful applicants may hunt statewide, in addition to their selected wildlife management area.

Archery-only license holders may still hunt statewide for the entire season (April 15-May 31). Hunters cannot purchase both a firearms and archery-only license.

Licensed hunters ages 17 and younger may hunt statewide for the entire season (April 15-May 31) with firearms or archery equipment.

Because there is no lottery for spring wild turkey licenses, the landowner and tenant drawing, which set aside a percentage of lottery licenses for landowners with qualifying land, has been discontinued, and landowners and tenants can purchase licenses like other turkey hunters.

Turkey lottery applications for the Mille Lacs, Carlos Avery or Whitewater wildlife management areas cost $5 and can be purchased online at mndnr.gov/buyalicense, by phone at (888) 665-4236, or in person from a license agent. Successful applicants will receive a notice in the mail by mid-February and can purchase their hunting license starting March 1.

More information about turkey hunting in Minnesota can be found on the DNR website.

2020 Spring turkey hunt periods
Hunt A: April 15-21.

Hunt B: April 22-28.

Hunt C: April 29-May 5.

Hunt D: May 6-12.

Hunt E: May 13-19.

Hunt F: May 20-31.

[HD]

I picked B season, and I'm already done at 8 am....and no Glenn, I didn't shoot it under the bird feeder    I got it on a different property all together.

[glenn57]

  nice going!!!!!!!!!

you had boar sit under the feeder, right...…….and he missed!!!!!!!

[LPS]

Nice HD.  It's great when a plan comes together like that!!!  Congrats!

[mike89]

congrats!!  nice lookin bird!!

[glenn57]

Nice HD.  It's great when a plan comes together like that!!!  Congrats!

i'm still trying to figure out which ones the real turkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HD]

Nice HD.  It's great when a plan comes together like that!!!  Congrats!

i'm still trying to figure out which ones the real turkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FINE! I'll say it for you "The dickhead with a gun" 

[glenn57]

Nice HD.  It's great when a plan comes together like that!!!  Congrats!

i'm still trying to figure out which ones the real turkey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FINE! I'll say it for you "The dickhead with a gun" 

your a good sport.

[Outdoors Junkie]

Congrats HD!

[deadeye]

Very nice bird indeed.  Looks like a great thick beard.  Cool.  Any story?

[HD]

Not really much of a story....
My sister in-law has a 40 acre plot that I lease from her and grow hay. The nephews and nieces hunt it during deer season. Anyways, my great nephews have been showing interest in turkey hunting. So, I put up a blind for them last year and this year. The oldest great nephew shot his first turkey last year. This year, the youngest great nephew got his first turkey. They're season ended when mine started....so I sat out there opening morning for my season. It was pretty windy, so they weren't talking to much. But, around 8:00am I had a hen walk through, the 5 minutes later, a Tom come walking through...so I blasted him.

The picture is my youngest great nephew with his bird....

[LPS]

Perfect hunt! 

[glenn57]

damn that is a big bird!!!!!! good for him!!!!!!

[deadeye]

HD, that's my kind of turkey hunt.