Indiana Spring Turkey Season 2011

Seasons and Bag Limits

Spring - The 2011 spring season will be April 27-May 15. The bag limit is one bearded or male turkey for the spring season. Spring turkey hunting is allowed statewide


License and Regulations
To hunt wild turkey, Indiana residents need a resident turkey hunting license and a valid game bird habitat stamp privilege. Those that have a lifetime comprehensive hunting, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing, or youth hunt/trap license can hunt turkey and do not need to purchase the game bird habitat stamp, because it is included with those license types. Game bird habitat stamp privileges are good for both spring and fall seasons in the same calendar year.
Non-resident hunters wishing to hunt turkeys in Indiana must purchase a non-resident turkey license and a game bird habitat stamp. In addition, if an Indiana resident is required to purchase another license in order to hunt turkeys in a non-resident’s state, the non-resident must purchase an annual non-resident hunting license in order to hunt turkeys in Indiana. Here are the license requirements for residents of surrounding states:

• Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio residents must purchase an annual non-resident hunting license, a non-resident turkey license and a game bird habitat stamp.
• Wisconsin and Michigan residents must purchase a non-resident turkey license and a game bird habitat stamp

Youth Season
Youth age 17 years or younger can hunt wild turkeys during a special season on April 23 and 24, 2011. The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow. The adult accompanying the youth hunter must be at least 18 years of age, must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field, and does not need to possess a turkey hunting license. The youth hunter may take only one bearded or male wild turkey during the spring season, inclusive of the youth and regular spring turkey seasons. The youth must be properly licensed to take a wild turkey and comply with all tagging and check-in requirements.

Tagging
A temporary transportation tag is no longer provided with the turkey hunting license. All hunters must immediately tag the turkey with a paper stating the hunter’s name, complete address and date of kill before transporting it from the field. The feathers and beard of a wild turkey must remain attached while the turkey is in transit from the site where taken. For fall turkeys, you must include the sex of the bird

Checking
If you are successful in bagging a turkey, you must have it checked at an official tur­key check station within 48 hours of harvest or before leaving the state. While at the official turkey check station, you must attach a permanent transportation tag or seal provided at the check station. The tag or seal must remain on the turkey until processing begins.
Legal Equipment
Turkeys can be hunted only with:

• A 10-, 12-, 16- or 20-gauge shotgun loaded with pellets of size No. 4, 5, 6, 7 or 7½.
• A muzzleloading shotgun not smaller than 20-gauge and not larger than 10-gauge, loaded with pellets of size No. 4, 5, 6, 7 or 7½. Combination loads using shot sizes other than these are illegal.
• Bow and arrow
• A crossbow

Hunting Hours
Wild turkeys may be hunted only from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. All FWAs, J. Edward Roush, Mississinewa and Salamonie lakes have spring season hunting hours one-half hour before sunrise until noon for properties on CDT and until 1 p.m. for properties on EDT.  Call the property for additional information.