Turkey Season Prep Time

Across the Midwest, hunters are looking ahead to spring turkey seasons with cautious optimism, buoyed by strong production in some areas during 2024, which could mean more two-year-old gobblers. In Missouri, the 2025 spring harvest was the largest since 2006, with hunters taking 51,011 turkeys, an 8% increase from 2024. Wisconsin also saw a significant jump, with a preliminary total of 50,287 birds harvested in the 2025 spring season, a 14% increase from the five-year average. Other states reported strong 2025 harvests as well, setting the stage for 2026. Minnesota hunters set a new record with 16,903 turkeys harvested in the spring of 2025. Ohio hunters checked 16,014 birds, up from 15,535 in 2024, and Michigan hunters harvested an estimated 36,300 turkeys. In Iowa, a total of 15,767 turkeys were harvested across both spring and fall seasons in 2025. The 2026 spring seasons are set across the region. In Iowa, seasons will run in segments from April 13 to May 17. Michigan has simplified its structure to three large zones, with seasons starting April 18. Minnesota's various seasons run from April 15 to May 31, and Ohio will have a south zone opening April 25 and a northeast zone opening May 2. Conservation efforts are a key focus for maintaining these opportunities. The National Wild Turkey Federation's "Roots to Roost" initiative aims to restore and enhance 1.2 million acres of turkey habitat across nine Midwestern states, including a goal to improve an additional 250,000 acres over the next decade. In Missouri, the Department of Conservation is partnering with the NWTF on a Turkey Habitat Initiative focused on improving nesting and brood-rearing cover. For deer hunters, recent harvest numbers show stable to increasing populations in many areas. During the 2025-2026 season, Missouri hunters harvested a final total of 301,954 deer, while Ohio hunters checked 232,142. Minnesota's 2025 harvest saw a 9% increase from the previous year, with 186,203 deer taken. The strategy of managing deer travel corridors is crucial for success. These corridors are natural or man-made pathways that connect key areas like bedding and feeding zones. Hunters can create or enhance these paths by clearing trails 2-3 feet wide and using techniques like hinge-cutting trees to provide screening cover, encouraging deer to move past their stands. Effective use of these corridors involves identifying natural funnels in the landscape, such as saddles between ridges, creek bottoms, or the edges of thick cover. Topography plays a significant role, as deer often travel about three-quarters of the way down a ridge to avoid being silhouetted against the skyline. By understanding and manipulating these paths of least resistance, hunters can significantly increase their odds.