Georgia hunters are preparing for the start of spring turkey season, with the statewide opener on private land set for Saturday, March 28, 2026.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, turkey season on public lands, including Wildlife Management Areas and National Forest land, will open one week later on Saturday, April 4. The season will close statewide on May 15 for both private and public land hunters.

State wildlife officials say this spring may bring better hunting opportunities than in recent years. Wildlife Resources Division Wild Turkey Project Coordinator Emily Rushton said Georgia’s statewide turkey reproduction rate in 2024 averaged 1.8 poults per hen, tying 2021 for the highest production year of the past decade. That could mean more 2-year-old birds in the woods this spring and a possible increase in hunter success.

Rushton said turkey production was above average in every region of the state in 2024. The Piedmont region posted the strongest estimate at 1.9 poults per hen, a promising sign for hunters because that part of Georgia includes many of the state’s turkey hunters and has historically lagged behind other regions in production.

Wildlife officials also said it is still too early to know exactly how turkey regulation changes adopted in 2022 have affected the overall population. While Georgia saw a record reproductive year in 2024 and a slight increase in harvest rate since 2022, officials say more years of data are needed to get a clearer picture because weather, food supply, and insect availability can all play major roles in poult production.

The daily bag limit remains one gobbler per hunter per day, with a season total of two gobblers. On Wildlife Management Areas and National Forest land outside of WMAs, the limit is one gobbler per area.

State officials are also reminding hunters that everyone pursuing turkeys in Georgia must have a free harvest record each season, including hunters younger than 16, landowners, and holders of honorary, lifetime, and sportsman licenses. Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters must record the date and county on that harvest record. The harvest must also be reported through Georgia Game Check within 24 hours.

Resident youth hunters younger than 16 do not need a hunting license. Hunters age 16 and older, including adults accompanying youth hunters, must have both a hunting license and big game license unless they are hunting on their own private land.

Officials noted that license purchases and turkey hunting equipment also help fund wildlife conservation work across Georgia through the Wildlife Restoration Program, supporting habitat management, species research, and other wildlife management efforts statewide.