Turkey Hunting

Who may Participate in Missouri Turkey Hunting

Youth Spring Turkey Season  

The youth hunter must be:  1. A Missouri resident   2. Age 15 or younger on season opening day

Season Dates:  April 4 – April 5, 2009

Shooting Hours:     1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset Central Daylight-Saving Time

Valid Permits:  Youth hunters must possess one of the three following permits:

 1.Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit, if age 6–15. While hunting, the youth must be in the immediate presence of a properly licensed adult who has a valid hunter education certificate card; find out more

 2. Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit, if age 11–15 and hunter education certified.

 3.Resident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit, if age 15 or younger and an immediate household member of a resident landowner or qualifying lessee

Youth Season Limit:   One male turkey or turkey with visible beard. See restrictions below:

Youths who take a turkey on a Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit may not harvest another bird during the regular spring turkey season.

Youths who take a turkey on a Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit may harvest a second bird, but not until the beginning of the second week of the regular season. This is because the bird taken during the youth season counts as the first bird for the first week of the regular season.

Regular Spring Turkey Season

Season Dates:
April 20 –May 10, 2009

Shooting Hours:   1/2 hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. Central Daylight-Saving Time

Valid Permits:  Resident or Nonresident

Spring Turkey Hunting Permit / Resident or Nonresident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit / Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit

Permit Requirements:
Hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1967, must be hunter education certified to purchase a Resident or Nonresident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit.

Season Limit:
Two male turkeys or turkeys with visible beard may be taken during the season, with the following restrictions:

You may only take one turkey during the first week from April 20 –26.

If you do not take one during the first week, then you may take two during the second or third week from April 27–May 10, but you may not take them both on the same day.

Valid Permits  Permit Cost
Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit $17
Resident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit no cost
Nonresident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit $175
Nonresident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit $75
Youth Deer & Turkey Hunting Permit $17

 Methods:

The following are allowed during the spring firearms turkey hunting season:

• a shotgun with shot not larger than No. 4
• a longbow or compound bow. Hand-held string releasing devices,
• illuminated sights, scopes and quickpoint sights are allowed.

The following are prohibited:

• shotguns holding more than 3 shells in magazine and chamber combined
• shot larger than No. 4 (in use or in possession)
• a bow fastened to a stock or other device that maintains the bow in a drawn position
• any sighting device that casts a beam of light on the game 
• use of dogs, recorded calls or live decoys
• use of bait, which includes grain or other feed placed or
  scattered so as to attract turkeys.

 An area is considered baited for 10 days even after complete removal of the bait. A hunter can be in violation even if they did not know an area was or is baited. It is illegal to place bait in a way that causes others to be in violation of the baiting rule.

Tagging and Checking:
All turkeys must be tagged immediately after harvest and checked by 10 p.m. on the day taken using the Telecheck system.

Safety Sticker Requirement:
All hunters using a shotgun must affix the “Be Safe” sticker to the receiver of their gun so it will be in their line of sight when shooting. The sticker must be maintained on the gun while hunting. Stickers are available wherever permits are sold.

Note:

Any hunter who kills or injures a turkey must make a reasonable effort to retrieve and include it in their season limit, but this does not authorize trespass.

It is a violation to wantonly leave, abandon or waste commonly edible portions of game.
 
Anyone using a turkey call to assist another hunter must be properly licensed with either a filled or unfilled spring turkey hunting permit.