When Is the Indiana Turkey Season? A Hunter's Guide

With Spring and Fall seasons on offer, hunters can prepare, gear up, and choose a time that best suits them and their hunting style. 

Today, we look at the specifics of the turkey hunting season in Indiana, including dates, regulations, bag limits, and insider strategies to help you make the most of your Indiana adventure. 

Turkey Hunting in Indiana 

The geography and combination of fields and forest landscapes provide a robust habitat for Indiana turkeys to thrive. Birds can be found in all 92 Counties, although some zones are stronger than others due to environmental factors or hunting pressure. 

Turkey hunting and restrictions are administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which also closely monitors and tracks turkey numbers through various surveys and indexes, including the Archer's Index and Turkey Brood Survey. The DNR also regulates and limits the turkey season for both Spring and Fall.

We've pulled together some turkey season specifics below to help you plan your hunt. 

Spring Indiana Turkey Season

Budding greens and the sounds of early morning insects herald the arrival of the Spring turkey season, which typically starts in late April and runs through most of May. 

• Season dates: The 2024 season dates run from April 24 to May 12. 
   
• Youth Season: The youth turkey hunting season provides a window for young hunters to get involved in the turkey hunt. This usually occurs the weekend before the regular Spring season. In 2024, this will be April 20-21. 
   
• Bag limits and regulations: To maintain population numbers and ecological balance, the DNR established bag limits for turkey harvesting. Currently, the limit is one bearded or male turkey per hunter per season. 
   
• Hunting hours: The hours are half an hour before sunrise to sunset during spring.

A valid spring turkey hunting license and game bird habitat stamp privilege are required to hunt legally during the spring season. However, individuals possessing a lifetime comprehensive hunting or resident youth/hunt trap license will not be required to purchase the Game Bird Habitat stamp. 

Fall Turkey Season Dates

The fall season is much awaited for archers looking to take advantage of the more generous openings surrounding firearm types. 

• Season dates: The fall season generally opens in early October and can run until early November; however, it can depend on the region. The two current Fall openings are: 
  • Fall Archery: October 1 – 27 and December 7 – January 5
  • Fall Firearm: October 16 – 27
     
• Firearm choices: During the Fall period, hunters can use a wider range of firearms, including a crossbow, bow and arrow, muzzleloading shotgun, and more. Check the DNR website for more specific regulations regarding the varied firearm allowance. 
   
• Bag limits: The bag limit for the Fall season is one bird of either sex, making it a more flexible allocation than the Spring options. 
   
• Hunting hours: Hunting hours are from half an hour before sunrise to sunset, during the same window provided for the spring season. 

To hunt in the fall, hunters must have a valid license and follow tagging procedures. These procedures involve checking in the bird using the online portal and following transportation tagging requirements for temporary transit. 

Indiana Turkey Hunting Tips

With the season information we've provided, you're ready to get out and hunt! Apply the following insights to maximize your Indiana turkey hunt and bag a bird. 

Scout Locations Early

Blended locations are always turkey hotspots, meaning a mixture of mast-producing hardwood trees, open fields, green pastures, and access to waterways. These environments are denser for turkeys as they provide the necessary roosting, feeding, and water access. 

Don't be afraid to do some off-season scouting, noting turkey movement patterns and agricultural yields and asking around local insiders such as DNR officers or in-the-know locals.

Use HuntWise for mapping and access to private landowner details. By researching promising private lands and reaching out with an honest and respectful request, you might just open up a whole new zone for turkey hunting with a lot less pressure! 

Take the Right Gear

Whether you're a new hunter or a seasoned veteran, having a checklist of essential gear is always a solid idea. 

Some must-have items for Indiana turkey season include: 
 

• Camouflage clothing
• Blaze orange (obligatory when turkey season overlaps with muzzleloader deer season) 
• Turkey calls
• Decoys
• Proper ammunition
• First aid essentials 

If it's time to update your kit, explore our partners. HuntWise subscribers can save hundreds on trusted brands at the forefront of hunting tool development. 

Safety Tips for a Successful Hunt

Always remember the fundamentals of gun safety and hunter safety. Be aware of other hunters in the area, tell someone about your intended hunting route, remember sun protection and hydration, and check for weather patterns that could create dangerous conditions for your hunt.

Note: Never follow turkey calls, as this could put you in another hunter's line of fire. 

Make the Most of Your Turkey Time in Indiana With HuntWise

Whether you're a fan of the challenging bow hunt in the Fall season or prefer the adrenaline-pumping hunts of Spring, Indiana caters to every turkey hunter's preferences. 

With HuntWise, your hunt is not just a possibility; it's a promising adventure. The user-friendly mapping features and landowner information increase your chances of a successful hunt, helping you bring home a big bird.

Explore every feature free for a week after downloading the app for the first time. You'll have access to multiple map layers, 3D mapping, WindCast and HuntCast forecasting, markers, and more.