Turkey season in Tennessee starts two weeks late

TENNESSEE (WDEF) — Turkey season in Tennessee is starting soon. Starting two weeks later than usual, opening day will be Saturday, April 15.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) said they reduced the bag limit from three to two birds. In addition, only one can be a juvenile or jake.

They state that the Commission made these changes to benefit Tennessee’s wild turkey population. The TWRA previously heard reports of a decrease in turkey populations across the state.

The delayed start is also a result of the efforts to help the declining population.

They added, “New turkey regulations will be in effect on select Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and hunters are reminded to check each WMA they hunt in the 2022-23 Tennessee Hunting and Trapping Guide.”

WMAs now prohibit fanning and reaping turkeys as well, due to safety concerns.

For the fourth season, hunters tag their game in the field before moving. They use the TWRA on the Go app to do so. Hunters could also use temporary transportation tags instead.

“This spring season is shaping up to be a good one,” said Roger Shields, Wild Turkey Program Coordinator for the TWRA. “We had very good production across the state in 2021, so now we are seeing a lot of 2-year-old birds coming into maturity. If we have decent weather during the early part of the delayed season, we should have excellent hunting.”

To learn more about the TWRA and the 2023 turkey season, visit tn.gov.