By the early 1900s, unrestricted market hunting and drastic reductions in habitat had eliminated wild turkeys in Iowa. For many years, the thunderous gobbles of the wild turkey were absent from Iowa's woodlands and forests.
This silence was broken in 1966 when the Iowa Conservation Commission, now the Department of Natural Resources, initiated a program to return the wild turkey to Iowa. Wild turkeys were released at several sites across the state, with the first release occurring in Lee County, Iowa.
Since these early days, turkey populations have expanded across the entire state of Iowa.
Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license and habitat fee in addition to a turkey hunting permit, in order to hunt wild turkeys in Iowa.
Resident permits cost $28.50
Nonresident permits cost $119.00
General small game hunting licenses are $22.00 for residents and $131.00 for nonresidents respectively.
A $15.00 habitat stamp fee is also required for both residents and nonresidents.
Permit Limits
For the fall turkey season, residents may purchase up to two turkey permits. Nonresidents may not purchase permits for the fall turkey season.
For the spring turkey season, residents may purchase up to 2 permits (one permit for the youth season for those under 16, or season 1, 2, or 3; and a second permit for season 4). Both permits may also be purchased during season 4. Nonresidents may purchase one permit for any of the four seasons, but not during the youth season.
Each summer the Iowa DNR asks for volunteers to participate in the July-August Wild Turkey Survey. It is a simple process: as you work and play in Iowa this July and August keep an eye out for wild turkeys. Learn more about turkey brood reporting (.pdf) via Indiana DNR to get started.
Explore some common questions and topics about turkey hunting in Iowa.
Hunters may determine their drawing status online. Please do not call the DNR as your drawing status will not be provided over the phone. To look up your drawing status information, you must now go to the online purchasing site. After logging in, please click on the ‘View Application Status’ option on the right side of the page.
If any license quota has not been filled, the excess licenses will be sold online or through the telephone ordering system, until the quotas are filled or the last day of the respective season, whichever comes first.
Currently we have one youth season (3 days prior to season 1) and four regular seasons which are 4, 5, 7, and 19 days in length (35 days total).
The first season begins on the second Monday of April. For current season dates please review the Hunting and Trapping Regulations.
How old is my turkey? To differentiate between adults and juveniles, examine the tip of the last 1 or 2 primary (large) wing feathers. Adults have rounded tips with white barring extending all the way to the tip. Juveniles have narrow pointed feathers with no white bars on the last 2 inches. In addition, the tail fan on an adult has a regular contour of tail feathers, while a juvenile has an irregular contour.
To further estimate the age of your (male) turkey, examine the spurs on the leg and the turkey’s beard. Generally, 1 year-old turkeys have a spur length of 1/2” or less and a beard length of 2-5”; 2 year-old turkeys have spurs between 1/2” and 7/8” and a beard between 6” and 9” in length; 3 year-old turkeys have spurs between 7/8” and 1” and beards over 10” in length; turkeys 4 years-old and greater have spurs greater than 1” and beards over 10” in length.
What sex is my turkey? Males have black tipped breast feathers, beards and leg spurs, although spur length varies with age. Female turkeys have buff-tipped breast feathers and no leg spurs. Females may have a small beard present, but it not typical.
Measuring Beards Beards must be measured from the center of the beard (where beard is attached to the skin) to the longest portion of the beard tip. Pull the beard straight out when measuring and measure to the longest beard strand.
Measuring Spurs Measure each spur in inches and report the longer of the two measurements. Spurs must be measured along the bottom curve, from where the spur protrudes from the leg to the tip of the spur. A flexible tape provides the most accurate measurement.
Scoring Your Wild Turkey Information on measuring spurs, beards and scoring your turkey and entering your turkey into the record books can be found on the National Wild Turkey Federation's site under " How to Score Your Wild Turkey."
Yes, commercial decoys are legal, however, live decoys are not legal.
The only legal firearms for turkey hunting are .410, 28-, 20-, 16-, 12- and 10-gauge shotguns or muzzleloading shotguns shooting shot no smaller than size 10 through size 4 , lead or nontoxic. Muzzleloading rifles may not be used to hunt turkeys.
In addition to firearms, archery equipment including longbows, recurves and compound bows can be used to hunt wild turkeys in Iowa. Arrows must be at least 18 inches long and must be tipped with broadheads, or with bluntheads with a minimum diameter of 9/16 of an inch.
A resident hunter having a valid license for one of the spring turkey seasons may accompany, call for or otherwise assist anyone having a valid turkey license for any of the seasons.
A nonresident may assist other hunters only in the zone and season indicated on their license.
The person helping can not shoot a turkey or carry a bow or firearm unless they have a valid license and unused transportation tag for the current season. No one may shoot a turkey for someone else, or tag a turkey shot by someone else.
Yes.
You must apply a transportation tag to the leg of the turkey immediately upon harvest and in such a way that the tag is visible and cannot be removed without being mutilated or destroyed. The transportation tag must bear the license number of the hunter, year of issuance and date of harvest. The tag shall be the hunter’s proof of possession of the turkey.
The harvest report tag, with the confirmation number properly recorded, must be attached to the leg of the turkey after reporting the harvest and before the turkey is processed.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources no longer registers trophy wild turkeys.
However, the National Wild Turkey Federation invites you to register your turkey through their official wild turkey records program. Entry rules and an application can be obtained by visiting NWTF Wild Turkey Records site, writing the National Wild Turkey Federation, P.O. Box 530, Edgefield, SC, 29824-0530 or by calling (803) 637-3106.
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