Page 44 - 2023_2024_Regulations

TURKEY REGULATIONS

TURKEY carcass disposal, more than one method of take in the field, tracking with dogs, field tag-
For requirements on hunter orange, legal means of taking, public lands, shooting hours,
ging and checking requirements, see Big Game Regulations on pages 35-36.

BAITING FIELD TAGGING & CHECKING ROOST SHOOTING
Turkeys may not be hunted or taken within 100 All hunters (including lifetime license hold- Roost shooting is prohibited.
yards of any bait. Baiting is the placing, expos- ers) who harvest a turkey (fall or spring) must
ing, depositing, distributing or scattering of immediately attach a field tag, securely to the SHOOTING HOURS
shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or carcass, with their name, customer ID number One-half hour before official sunrise to official
other grain or other feed so as to constitute for and date and time of harvest. sunset.
such birds a lure, attraction or enticement, on A field tag can be any item, so long as the
or over any area where hunters are attempt- tag contains the required information. This
ing to take them. The taking of turkey over information along with evidence of sex (one TOM TURKEY DEFINITION
standing crops, grain crops, properly shucked leg with foot or beard) must remain with the Any bearded turkey, regardless of sex.
on the field where grown or grain found scat- carcass until the turkey is checked in. Beards
tered solely as the result of normal agricultural on hens must remain intact and not removed HUNTER ORANGE
operations is permitted. See page 52 for rules from the turkey until the bird has reached its For hunter orange requirements, see page 35.
about baiting on Department managed lands. final destination.
DECOYS & RECORDED CALLS PUBLIC LANDS
Artificial decoys are permitted. Live decoys Seasons on public lands may vary from state-
and recorded calls are prohibited. It is illegal wide seasons. Consult public hunting lands
to use a smartphone as an electronic call dur- special regulations on page 55.
ing turkey season.

FALL TURKEY Jan. 1-15: Must possess hunting license & LEGAL MEANS OF TAKING
fall turkey license for current calendar year.
Unfilled fall turkey license (Jan. 1-15) may be • Archery: Equipment described as legal for
used the following fall season. big game. See page 35.
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS • Shotgun: Conventional or muzzleloading,
using shot no larger than BB (.180 of an inch
• Resident: Resident hunting license & fall SEASON DATES & LIMITS in diameter) are legal.
turkey license, unless exempt from either. • One tom turkey regardless of method
• Nonresident: Nonresident annual hunting of take.
license & fall turkey license, unless exempt • Archery: Oct. 1, 2023 - Jan. 15, 2024, state-
from either. wide.
• Gun: Nov. 4 - Nov. 17

SPRING TURKEY Credit: Kelsie Harris

LEGAL MEANS OF TAKING • Nonresident youths under 14 years of
• Archery: Equipment described as legal for age: Exempt from a hunting license, but
must possess a turkey license or proof of
big game. See page 35. exemption.
• Shotgun: Conventional or muzzleloading, • Nonresident youths 14-17 years old: Must UNFILLED SPRING TURKEY LICENSE
using shot no larger than BB (.180 of an inch possess a nonresident annual hunting li- Youth hunters who do not harvest a turkey
in diameter) are legal. cense and a turkey license for each bird to during the spring youth turkey season may use
• Illegal Firearms: Rifles and handguns may be hunted unless otherwise exempt. their unfilled turkey license during the regular
not be used during the spring seasons. spring turkey season.
• Nonresident lifetime license holders:
YOUTH SPRING TURKEY Must purchase a nonresident annual hunt- SPRING TURKEY
ing license and turkey license.
AGE REQUIREMENTS The nonresident 5-day hunting license is not LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
17 years old and younger. All youth hunters valid for hunting turkey. • Resident: Resident hunting license & spring
must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of turkey license, unless exempt from either.
age or older. The adult may not hunt or possess DATES & OPEN AREAS • Nonresident: Nonresident hunting license
any archery equipment or firearms. • April 13-14: statewide. & spring turkey license, unless exempt from
either.
LICENSE REQUIREMENTS SEASON LIMIT
• Resident youths under 16 years of age: Ex- One tom turkey statewide regardless of DATES & OPEN AREAS
empt from a hunting license, but must pos- method of take. • April 16 - May 16: statewide
sess a turkey license or proof of exemption. A turkey taken during the youth spring sea-
• Resident youths 16 and 17 years old: Must son counts toward the regular spring turkey SEASON LIMIT
possess a hunting license (see page 4) and a season limit of one turkey. • One (1) tom turkey; harvest of non-bearded
turkey license or proof of exemption. turkeys is prohibited.

42 2023-2024 OKLAHOMA FISHING & HUNTING REGULATIONS