Turkey

Tom
New
  • Bag limits in Units 3, 5, and 6 (Northeast, Southcentral, and Southeast) have been reduced from two turkeys to one turkey. This change is effective beginning with the spring 2020 season.
  • Game tags – which allow the take of a second turkey – will not be valid in Units 3, 5, and 6. This change is effective beginning with the spring 2020 season.
  • The fall season has been reduced to 41 days in all open units. The 2020 fall season will run Oct. 1-Nov. 10, 2020. Unit 4 remains closed to fall hunting.

For details, view the full news release here: https://ksoutdoors.com/KDWPT-Info/News/Weekly-News/12-4-19-KDWPT-Working-to-Combat-Declining-Turkey-Numbers/KDWPT-Working-to-Combat-Declining-Turkey-Numbers

Wild turkeys were reintroduced into Kansas in the 1960s, and the program has been a great success. Today, huntable populations of turkeys exist in nearly every county. The Rio Grande subspecies dominates the western two-thirds of the state. Low numbers in the southwest provide only limited hunting. Hybrid Rio Grande/Eastern birds are found in the northcentral region. The Eastern subspecies is common in the northeast and far southeast regions, where numbers have grown tremendously in recent years.

Season Information
Current Seasons
Fall Turkey - Units 1,2,3,5,6 (Unit 4 CLOSED)

Dates: 10/01/2022 - 11/10/2022

Fall Turkey - Archery/Shotgun

  • Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sun- rise to sunset.
  • Legal Equipment: Shotguns using shot sizes 2-9; long, recurve or compound bows and crossbows
  • Permit Limit: Each hunter may obtain no more than one turkey permit. Fall turkey permits are valid for both male and female turkeys. Dogs may be used in fall season. 
  • Bag Limit: One turkey, either sex, per permit.
Upcoming Seasons
Spring Turkey - Youth/Disabled - Unit Specified on Permit

Dates: 04/01/2023 - 04/11/2023

Spring Turkey - Youth/Disabled; open to any person having a valid turkey permit or second turkey game tag who is 17 years of age or younger, while under the immediate supervision of an adult who is 18 years of age or older and any person with a disability as defined in K.S.A. 8-1,124.

Spring Turkey - Archery Only - Unit Specified on Permit

Dates: 04/03/2023 - 04/11/2023

Spring Turkey - Archery Only

  • Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
  • Legal Equipment: Recurve or compound bows and crossbows.
  • Permit Limit: To be determined
  • Bag Limit: One turkey with a visible beard per permit or game tag.
  • Dogs may not be used in spring season.
Spring Turkey - Regular (firearm/archery) - Unit Specified on Permit

Dates: 04/12/2023 - 05/31/2023

  • Shooting Hours: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
  • Legal Equipment: Shotguns using shot sizes 2-9; long, recurve or compound bows and crossbows.
  • Permit Limit: To be determined
  • Bag Limit: One turkey with a visible beard per permit or game tag.
  • Dogs may not be used in spring season.
Regulations
115-04-02 (PDF - 95.57 kB)

Big Game and Wild Turkey - General provisions

115-18-07 (PDF - 7.95 kB)

Use of crossbows for big game hunting by persons with disabilities - Application, Permit, and General Provisions

115-25-05 (PDF - 16.04 kB)

Turkey - Fall Season, Bag Limit, and Permits.

115-04-04a (PDF - 12.27 kB)

Wild turkey; legal equipment and taking methods.

115-25-06 (PDF - 92.85 kB)

Turkey; spring season, bag limit, permits and game tags.

115-04-11 (PDF - 84.72 kB)

Big Game and Wild Turkey - Permit Applications.

E-Tagging
Kansas Tagging Information
Enlarge Image

Hunters who choose e-tags will keep the big game permit and e-tag on their mobile device.

To validate an e-tag when an animal is killed, open the “HuntFish KS” mobile app and record the date and time of kill and enter a photograph of the entire carcass with sufficient clarity to display the species and whether it is antlered or antlerless.

Once the data and photo are submitted, a confirmation number will be displayed within the app and must be kept on the mobile device during transport and retained by the hunter until the meat is consumed, given to another or otherwise disposed of.

An e-tag confirmation number will work the same as electronic registration for a hunter wanting to bone out an animal taken with antlerless-only permit and transport only meat.

To download the HuntFish KS mobile to your Android device, visit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aspiraconnect.hf.ks 

To download the HuntFish KS mobile to your Apple/iOS device, visit: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/huntfish-ks/id1456586235?ls=1

Click HERE to view a PDF of all available big game tagging methods in Kansas.

 

Printable Version Email Page

Management Units

Turkey Management Unit Map

Turkey Management Unit Map

Turkey Management Unit Map

Printable Version Printable Version Email Page Email Page

Trophy Turkey Award & Top 20 Turkey Records
Trophy Turkey Award Application (PDF 35.00 kB)

Kansas Top 20 Turkey Records

Name Co. of Harvest Year Score Weight Spurs Score Beards Score
Rick Pritchard, Little Rock AR Franklin 2008, spring 158 6/8 27 0/8 22 4/8 109 2/8 (8)
Andy Stafford, Shawnee KS Crawford 2006, spring 156 6/8 23 0/8 20 0/8 113 6/8 (7)
Erik Hertzel, Sabetha, KS Nemaha 2009, spring 152 6/8 22 2/8 23 6/8 106 6/8 (7)
Tim Fidler, Maumelle, AR Shawnee 2018, spring 151 0/8 25 4/8 35 0/8 90 4/8 (7)
Todd Workman, Topeka, KS Jackson 2012, spring 150 4/8 22 0/8 20 0/8 108 4/8 (9)
Robert Nelson, Neosho Falls, KS Woodson 2004, spring 149 4/8 23 0/8 23 6/8 102 6/8 (6)
Landon L. Boss, Osage City, KS  Osage 2016, spring 149 4/8 21 6/8 17 4/8 110 2/8 (7)
Bradley T. Hamm, Perry KS Jefferson 2008, spring 149 3/8 26 3/8 20 0/8 103 0/8 (8)
Jason Hay, Arma, KS Crawford 2002, spring 149 1/8 21 5/8 20 0/8 107 4/8 (8)
Chris Silva, Alma, KS Wabaunsee 2002, spring 146 0/8 26 4/8 31 2/8 88 2/8 (5)
Josh Powell, Bentonville AR Montgomery  2014, spring 145 6/8  17 2/8  18 6/8  109 6/8 (8) 
Jody Dalton, Arma, KS Crawford 1991 144 7/8 23 3/8 20 0/8 101 4/8
Dylan Smith, Maple Hill, KS Pottawatomie 2005, spring 142 4/8 19 4/8 18 6/8 104 2/8 (7)
Scott Morstorf, Topeka, KS Shawnee 2009, spring 142 0/8 25 0/8 25 0/8 91 4/8 (6)
Richard Diehl, Iola, KS Woodson 1994, spring 141 0/8 20 2/8 25 0/8 95 6/8
Brooks Hartman, Chanute KS Bourbon 2014, spring 140 1/8  20 1/8 25 0/8  95 0/8 (6)
Galen Wiltz, Sabetha, KS Brown 1998, spring 140 0/8 20 4/8 25 0/8 94 4/8 (6)
Stuart Nelson, Olathe, KS Jackson 2015, spring 138 6/8 24 2/8 17 4/8  97 0/8 (6) 
Robert A. Baker, Des Moines, IA Pottawatomie 2007, spring 138 4/8 22 6/8 23 6/8 92 0/8 (5)
Josh Meuller, Iola, KS Allen 2015, fall 138 20 2/8 20 97 6/8

Kansas Top 20 Turkey Records

Name Co. of Harvest Year Score Weight Spurs Score Beard Score
Bobby Robinson, Eupora, MS Franklin 2007, spring 88 4/8 26 4/8 27 4/8 34 4/8
Brooks C. Henderson, Hoyt, KS  Jackson 2018, spring 87 6/8 26 2/8 32 4/8 29 0/8
Steve Miller, Lansing, KS Atchison 2007, spring 87 5/8 25 5/8 35 0/8 27 0/8
Austin Rickabaugh, Chanute, KS  Wilson 2017, spring 87 1/8 25 1/8 37 4/8 24 4/8
E. Warren Walker, Bastrop, LA Anderson 2010, spring 86 0/8 26 0/8 30 0/8 30 0/8
David Stites, St. John, KS Stafford 2009, spring 85 0/8 32 0/8 30 0/8 23 0/8
Tim Brady, Lovelane, CO Miami 2007, spring 84 6/8 24 2/8 30 0/8 30 4/8
Gregery T. Martinez, KS Graham 2010, spring 84 4/8 31 0/8 32 4/8 21 0/8
Stephen J. Capizzi, Junction City, KS Geary 2017, spring 84 4/8 22 4/8 40 0/8 22 0/8
Terry Topham, Fulton, IL Wilson 2000, spring 84 2/8 30 2/8 30 0/8 24 0/8
Garrett Cox, Lyndon, KS Waubaunsee 2001, spring 84 0/8 29 0/8 32 4/8 22 4/8
Hunter Grady, Topeka, KS  Shawnee 2018, spring 83 6/8 29 2/8 32 4/8 22 0/8
Brent Heiman, Baileyville, KS Nemaha 2005, spring 83 6/8 24 4/8 36 2/8 23 0/8
Bernard J. Helget, Manhattan, KS Pottawatomie 1994, spring 83 2/8 28 0/8 33 6/8 21 4/8
Joe Warren, Topeka, KS Shawnee 1996, spring 83 1/8 30 5/8 32 4/8 20 0/8
Luther A. Britton, Garden City, KS Wabaunsee 2007, spring 83 1/8 28 3/8 31 2/8 23 4/8
Mark Brown, Okla. City Lyon 2003, spring 83 0/8 23 2/8 37 4/8 22 2/8
Jon Hawkinson, Manhattan, KS Pottawatomie 1990 83 0/8 28 4/8 32 4/8 22 0/8
Jeff Roberts, Concordia, KS Phillips 2009, spring 82 6/8 25 0/8 36 2/8 21 4/8
Brad Schrick, Smithville, MO Leavenworth 2009, spring 82 5/8 27 1/8 30 0/8 25 4/8