Regional Strut Update: Get Expert Reports on Early Turkey Hunting

This is the first installment of the Regional Strut Update, our weekly report on turkey activity and hunter successes across the country. This week's report includes:

• In the South, Josh Honeycutt reports that while many turkeys in the South are strutting, gobbling and courting hens, other areas still have birds bunched up with some hens checking out potential nest sites. Honeycutt says this is the time to be in the woods either turkey hunting or scouting.
• In the Midwest, Brandon Butler says that with much of the Midwest still a week or more out from opening day of turkey season, things are looking great for another bumper crop of turkeys this spring. 
• In the West, Andrew McKean reports that most states in the West are set to open in about two weeks, but a mild winter may disperse winter flocks earlier than normal.
• In the East, Doug Howlett says that even though most opening days are still a few weeks out, the birds are following the same timetable as last spring’s turkey hunting season. Now is the time to hit up your favorite hunting spots and scout for where the birds fly down. 

SOUTH REPORT

Southern Longbeards are Strutting, Gobbling and Courting Hens

• Current gobbler activity varies across the South.

By Josh Honeycutt

It’s difficult to believe, but another spring turkey season is upon us. While it isn’t open everywhere yet, it soon will be. Southern longbeards are strutting, gobbling and courting hens. In some states, hunters are already in the field. Even where it isn’t open, it’s important to scout and prep for the season. Here are some recent turkey hunting reports from the South.

Alabama: Turkey for Tomorrow’sTes Jolly is turkey hunting in east-central Alabama. “The social breeding flocks have formed and are covering ground each day,” she said. “This is when hens are checking out nesting habitats. The toms are hanging with them through most of the day. Gobbling has been strong on the roost; not so much on the ground with plenty of available hens. I am seeing two single hens daily that may already be establishing their clutches. They avoid the hen flocks.”

Arkansas: Phillip Vanderpool, a longtime hunting show host, says the birds are still bunched up. Furthermore, they aren’t gobbling much on the roost or on the ground.

“I’ve noticed that the gobblers are starting to strut closer to the hens,” Vanderpool said. “So, I think the mating rituals will begin anytime. I think the pecking order is already established.”

Florida: Josh Dahlke, with HuntStand, recently went turkey hunting in Florida. “The south Florida Osceolas are in full swing,” he noted. “Lots of hens are running solo and starting to nest, but gobblers are still aggressively seeking receptive hens at dawn. Waiting for the classic late-morning resurgence in action is critical right now. Let the gobblers tend to their hens at fly-down and then expect some action after 9 a.m. as they break off and start seeking more love.”

Georgia: Terry Rohm, who is on the board of directors for Turkeys for Tomorrow (TFT), said this past weekend was youth season in south central Georgia. There, the turkeys were still grouped up. Even so, turkeys were acting right. They saw jakes yelping, full-fan strutters chasing them around and more.

“Georgia turkeys are starting to bust up with hens,” said Backwoods Life’s Michael Lee. “Lots of strutting on trail cams right now, for sure.”

Woodhaven Custom Calls’ Scott Ellis, a champion turkey caller, is in Georgia as well. He says the gobblers are on fire in the Peach State. “We had 20 youth hunters and seven kills last weekend,” Ellis said. “Toms are responding well to a call and actively looking for hens. Get out there!”

Mississippi: BC Rogers III, also a TFT board member, started the Mississippi season strong. He had two gobbling birds in range on two different setups. Even so, no shots have been fired.

“One was just over 50 yards, a shot that is inside of my setup’s effective range, but I try not to take,” he said. “The second was a near-perfect 30 yards out and needed to take two more steps to clear a tree for a clean shot. As they are known to do, the bird just vaporized. No matter how many times it happens, it always leaves me asking: How can a 20-plus-pound bird that is so close just vanish as if he was never there?”

Oklahoma: Brad Clay, another board member for TFT, was recently turkey hunting in Oklahoma. “Rios in central and western Oklahoma are actively strutting and competing for hens,” Clay said. “They are both actively strutting and gobbling. Also, I’m happy to report that there has been a great hatch with lots of jakes as well as good numbers of 2- to 3-year-olds in the flocks I’ve observed.”

Texas: “Youth season kicked off in the north season in Texas,” HuntStand’s Will Cooper said. “Found success with my youth hunter, but it wasn’t easy. Birds are gobbling on the roost but then the jakes and toms stick together in giant groups. Not real receptive to calls yet. Did witness some toms solo with a hen. We could make hens mad; calling a hen in that had a gobbler behind her. We got lucky and got a shot on one. The recent rains and storms should have these birds fired up in one to two weeks.”

Looking Ahead: The above sources shed some light on the coming days and weeks. That said, what should turkey hunters expect? Of course, that depends on location. But hunters can rest assured that, as March gives way to April, no matter where you are in the South, turkeys are doing turkey things. If seasons are open, get out there. If not, scout and patiently wait for opening day.

TAGGED OUT

A Florida Double

• Hunter: Michael Lee
• Date: March 15
• Location: Florida
• Method: Shotgun
• Stats: Double-beard (7-inch beard, 4-inch beard, 2.5-inch beard) / 16 pounds / 1-inch spurs

Backwoods Life’s Michael Lee says Florida turkeys “were henned-up bad last week for the opener, but I managed to tag out on opening day getting five gobblers to come into a strutter decoy around 3-4 p.m.”

Two of those birds went home with Lee. They were multi-bearded, too.

HIGH-TECH TURKEY HUNTING

Why You Should be Using Trail Cams to Turkey Hunt

For hunters to best understand turkey behavior throughout the season, trail cameras help stitch together where they are, what they are doing and give a good understanding of what is to come. 

Click to read more on the advantages afforded by using trail cams for turkeys

MIDWEST REPORT

Now is Time to Ready Hunting Gear and Get Into the Field to Find Birds

• Sources report Midwest hunters should see more turkey due to previous years' production and favorable weather.

By Brandon Butler

With the archery portion of Nebraska’s spring turkey season now open, Midwest turkey hunting is off and running for 2025. Most Midwestern states are still a week or more away from their season opener. Giving you a just little time left to prepare. If you haven’t patterned your shotgun yet or tuned up the old box call, you’re down to the wire. So, take the turkey-hunting storage box off the shelf, lay out your clothes, load up your vest and make sure your blind is set up at your opening morning starting spot. We’re kicking off the wild ride of Midwestern spring turkey hunting.

Nebraska: Tyler Brown, the owner of Tooth and Whisker Outdoors in Valentine, Nebraska, said he expects this to be a great season in the Sand Hills, with some saying the turkey numbers are as high as they’ve ever seen.

“We’ve had a few great years of hatches, and our turkey numbers look to be very healthy around Valentine. Birds are where we usually see them; there just seems to be more of them. I think we’re about to experience a special year,” Brown said.

When asked if he believes the limited number of non-resident tags has helped the local turkey population, Brown said, “I don’t think so. I think we’ve had a few good years of production and weather. Personally, I would rather see more out-of-state permits issued than limit them. I think there are plenty of turkeys out there, and our region really benefits economically from nonresident hunters coming to town.”

If you hunt in the Valentine area and find success, swing by Tooth and Whisker Outdoors to enter the long beard competition. There are divisions for youth and adult hunters.

Missouri: In Missouri, youth hunters are set to kick off the season on April 12 for the two-day special season reserved for hunters 15 years old or younger. The regular opener isn’t until April 21. Reports from last year show turkey hunters in Missouri tagged a total of 43,380 birds during the 2024 spring season, which was a 3 percent increase over 2023. If recent trends stay true in Missouri, we should experience another spring with more than 40,000 turkeys hitting the dirt.

With time left to prepare, turkey hunting legend and Missouri native Ray Eye says, “Spend as much time as you can scouting. You don’t have to go on 10-mile hikes. Just get up before work and drive out to your spots. Sit and listen and enjoy some coffee. One of your spots is going to have more gobbling going on than the rest. That’s where you start opening day.”

Kansas: Kansas hunters get the second crack at turkeys in the Midwest, with the Youth/Disabled Season opening on April 1. Don’t let the date fool you. Kansas turkey hunting is no joke. In 2024, 21,737 turkey hunters killed 11,134 birds. With 51 percent of hunters filling a permit, those are serious odds of success. The regular Kansas season opens April 16 and closes May 31.

With a couple of weeks to go before the regular season opening day, Wichita hunter, Heath Hazen, said, “I’m taking inventory of my goods and enjoying the process of being prepared. All my stuff is laid out in my shop, so I can inspect the quality of what I have on hand, plan for any necessary repairs or replacements, and figure out what additions are needed. I’m adding fresh batteries to electronics, like headlamps, and making sure my calls are right and ready to talk.”

Once the season is open in Kansas, hunters have the unique Midwestern opportunity to try and tagged a Rio Grande subspecies, which is the main bird found in the western two-thirds of the state. Gaining permission on private land through the state’s Walk-In Hunting Access Program is your best bet for much of the western portion of the state.

North Dakota: North Dakota doesn’t have a youth season and doesn’t allow non-resident spring turkey hunting. So, for all the residents hoarding their birds up there, spring turkey season kicks off all at once on April 13. Turkey hunting isn’t widespread in North Dakota but does seem to be growing in popularity. A record harvest of 3,336 turkeys was taken by 6,847 hunters in 2024. This 49-percent hunter success rate is worth noting.

For residents looking to fill a turkey tag this year but without a spot to go, the Bureau of Land Management manages about 70,000 acres in North Dakota. These public lands are mainly in the western part of the state. Some hold quite a few birds in river and creek bottoms.

TAGGED OUT

Nebraska Early-Season Success

• Hunter: Kyle Carroll
• Date: March 26
• Location: Pawnee Country, Neb.
• Method: Mathews Switchback Compound with Magnus broadheads

Kyle Carroll has been slipping over the border to Nebraska from Missouri for years to take advantage of the Cornhusker State’s early archery opener. He wrapped his tag on a jake the first morning he hunted in 2025.

“I couldn’t make it over for the opening morning hunt but was in my blind that evening in time to watch a gobbler work his way across a field to roost. That was all I needed to boost my confidence for the next morning,” Carroll said.

Just after his first turkey season sunrise of 2025, Carroll spotted two jakes entering the field he was set up in. He likes seeing jakes together because they act tougher coming in together. Carroll uses a decoy when bowhunting turkeys because he says when a bird is engaged with the decoy, you can draw. That’s what happened when he called the two jakes across the field to him. While one was pecking the decoy, he sent an arrow through the other one watching.

Carroll said gobbling was pretty good on the roost with four different birds going. He thinks two of them were the jakes. The gobbling slowed after fly down and ended all together within the first hour of light. He saw six hens in the field.

“I’ve never discriminated on taking jakes,” Carroll said. “If they strut and give me the whole show, I’m going to shoot them with my bow. The only real difference to me is about 10 pounds.”

WEST REPORT

Mild Winter Equals Early Action

• Across the West, birds should disperse from winter ranges earlier than normal, though in the Southwest, water will determine distribution.

By Andrew McKean

What a strange winter it’s been across the Intermountain West, with generally good snow in the high country but fleeting and worrisome levels of snowpack on the Plains and even interior valleys.

What does that mean to a turkey hunter? It means that in much of the core of Merriam’s country—from eastern Montana through eastern Wyoming to southwest Colorado—wintering flocks of birds should break up and start dispersing out of privately owned winter ranges earlier than normal. In some cases, maybe even a month earlier.

The caveat to any predictions of behavior of either weather or the animals that respond to it is that a major springtime blizzard could drop in on the region at any moment and reset all expectations. But based on preseason scouting, interviews with sources and consultation with long-term weather trends, it looks like this could be an early turkey season around the West.

That’s a departure from the past two Aprils when snow still locked up mid-elevation habitats and kept turkeys in lower-elevation livestock feedlots, and in places where either humans cleared snow, or where south-facing slopes naturally bared off earliest.

We’re still a fortnight away from opening day in most states across the West. Wyoming has one of the earliest openers, April 1 for a limited-entry, permit-only hunting district in the northeastern corner of the state. And California, not a state known for its expansive hunting opportunities, opens its general season on March 29. The best action will be in the Central Valley, Napa County and many of the more temperate habitats that aren’t influenced by winter weather.

Most Western states open their seasons on April 15, give or take a few days. But the instructive detail about this year’s mild winter is that many hunters have let the opening week go by in recent years because they’ve come to expect that most wild turkey flocks in the West are still ganged up and relatively unhuntable. That may change this year, with a mild winter followed by a generally mild spring. Birds may disperse earlier than usual, and hunters should move up their hunting plans accordingly.

“I generally don’t get too excited about getting after gobblers until close to May 1, because they’re henned up and calling is generally unproductive,” says Montana turkey hunter Dale Tribby, a former BLM wildlife biologist who was state’s technical representative to the National Wild Turkey Federation for years. “But this year we could see earlier breeding activity, earlier nesting and generally earlier peak gobbling.”

Hunters across the West should still expect to deal with possessive hens. That’s the situation faced by many opening-week hunters who find flocks of mixed hens and gobblers, then try to call to gobblers only to find that the hens lead the males away from perceived rivals. That’s simply because those hens probably haven’t been bred yet. If breeding season is a week or two earlier this year, due to the mild winter and spring, then aggressive calling might work on opening day, or at least earlier than normal.

“I’d say hunters should watch the reaction of hens to their calls,” says longtime Oregon turkey hunter Lane Simpson. “If hens start to get nervous and drift away from your calls, then they’re probably not ready to let those gobblers go just yet. You can also tell if the gobblers are still mixed up with hens in the middle of the day. Once hens are bred, they’ll start to leave the gobblers to sit on nests.”

Until the flocks break up into stag gobblers and maybe a few juvenile jakes, the most productive calling will be hen yelps, trying to get a dominant hen to drag the whole flock — gobblers included — into shotgun range. Once the hens are bred and sitting on nests, gobblers will be much more responsive to hunters’ calls. But that’s the topic of the next installment of this blog.

Opening Dates, Spring Turkey Seasons in the West 2025

• Arizona – April 19
• California – March 30
• Colorado – April 13
• Idaho – April 15
• Montana – April 15
• New Mexico – April 15
• Oregon – April 15
• Utah – April 13 (permit)/April 29 (general)
• Washington – April 15
• Wyoming- April 1 (permit)/April 20 (general)

TAGGED OUT

Blast From the Past

• Hunter: Dale Manning
• Date: Spring 2024
• Location: Montana
• Method: Shotgun
• Stats: 8-inch beard, 3/4-inch spurs 

With seasons in the West still closed for a couple more weeks, here is a look back to a nice tom taken by Montana hunter Dale Manning who took this eastern Montana Merriam's by ambushing it in a tributary to a prairie stream. Manning had called in the gobbler but was unable to get a clean shot. The bird drifted away, allowing Manning to use terrain to get ahead of it and take the bird with a single shot from his 12-gauge loaded with #5s.

Click to read "Top 20 U.S. Counties for Turkey Hunting"

EAST REPORT

Eastern States Await Season Openers

• See the latest in turkey behavior and future hunting forecasts for the East in our next Regional Strut Update coming April 10.

By Doug Howlett

Last year, just a month and a half before turkey seasons began across much of the Northeast, it felt like spring had come early, and some hunters worried the birds would do their thing early and be played out come opening day. I’ve never actually seen that happen, regardless of the weather, which is a good thing because many hunters found success last year. Despite a seasonable chill that has persisted across much of the region, even as the calendar tells us it is technically spring, the birds are still out doing their thing.

A drive down any country highway in the afternoon right now through my home state of Virginia is bound to provide plenty of promising views of what’s to come—the turkeys are flocked up and out and about. I’ve seen several groups with multiple strutters all “blowed up” as they used to say. It’s hard not to get excited. That said, a scan of state reports from last year, forecasts for this year, and a few texts among a network of hunters up and down the Atlantic seaboard from Virginia north, suggests hunters across the Northeast have plenty to look forward to this spring.

While the shotguns have already been booming across many states south, the first seasons in the Northeast have yet to begin but are only a few weeks away. Here’s what you have to look forward to:

Delaware and Virginia will kick things off as the first states to open in the region, with a start date of April 12. In Delaware, a new Sunday hunting allowance and consistent harvests in Kent and Sussex counties make the First State an attractive option—especially with one of the highest spring harvests on record in 2024. Locals across the state will be looking to keep the momentum going. Meanwhile, in Virginia, despite fewer 2-year-olds expected, strong populations have been visible in the ag fields of eastern Virginia as well as the forests of the Shenandoah Valley. The first two weeks will end each day at the traditional noon hunting close, but after that, All-day hunting rules the final three weeks of the season, making for some successful setups in the afternoons as lonely toms go on the prowl.

Maryland hunters hit the woods next on April 18. While 2-year-old gobblers may be down more than is optimal, older birds and jakes should carry the season. The western and southern regions reportedly offer the best action, though if you have a good piece of land on the Eastern Shore, it should hold some birds.

West Virginia opens on April 21. With solid harvest trends and extensive public lands, the Mountain State remains a top pick for adventurous hunters who don’t mind hiking up and down steep hillsides. Hunting is challenging in the state but rewarding for those who put in the effort.

New Jersey continues its staggered weekday periods starting April 21. With a healthy bump in jake numbers, expect high success, especially in southern zones where harvests have long been strong.

Rhode Island opens on April 24. Expect a repeat of recent strong harvests, especially in the northwest around Glocester and Burrillville.

Maine’s season starts April 28 (youth on April 26) and has traditionally run the latest of any season in the U.S., not closing until the first week of June. But this year it ends May 31, similar to other states in the region. While fewer 2-year-olds are expected due to poor 2023 reproduction, southern and central zones remain turkey-rich according to the game department there. Two-bird limits apply to most WMDs.

In Massachusetts, consistency is the name of the game. With April 28's opening day, expect another steady season, especially in zones with solid historical harvests. In other words, if you see and kill birds in an area year in and year out, just keep doing what you’re doing.

Connecticut opens on April 30 and runs through May. With slightly better brood numbers in 2024 and plenty of acorns on the ground, hunters should expect a stable, possibly improved season, though a few hunters I’ve spoken with say don’t bet on it. Still, even the ones that come off negative tend to work birds and take one or two each year, though it may take some work, particularly on crowded public land.

New Hampshire opens statewide on May 1. The 2024 hatch improved, which means jakes should be plentiful for the kids and newer hunters. For those willing, let ‘em live a year and enjoy the real longbeard action when they are 2. Southern zones like H1 and K are reportedly the hotbeds of potential.

New York sees its regular season open May 1 (youth: April 26–27). Above-average reproduction in 2024 sets the stage for a solid season this year. Focus efforts on the Catskills, St. Lawrence Valley and even the Adirondacks, though I prefer the southern and western rural counties.

Vermont also kicks off May 1, with solid prospects statewide despite a pretty cold winter that could translate into some longbeards looking like jakes from where their beards froze off. Look for that full fan as they strut if you’re picky about shooting a mature gobbler. Franklin County and the Champlain Valley reportedly offer strong early bets.

Last, but not least, Pennsylvania hunters must be the patient ones with a May 3 opener. That said, the season should deliver as the state’s populations always do. With numbers trending up in most WMUs, and four years of strong reproduction, hunters should see plenty of action—especially in the southwest and north-central regions, making their wait worth it.

Wherever you plan to hunt this spring, now is the time to get out and start some light scouting, particularly when you are two to three weeks out from your opener. Leave the calls at home, but bring the boots, binoculars and maybe a jacket. Get to your usual hunt spots early and listen for gobbles at daybreak to determine where toms are spending the night. Then keep your presence low-key and make that opening day plan. Barring big changes to the breeding cycle, the birds should be right where you hear them come opening morning.

TAGGED OUT

Youth First-Timer

• Hunter: Brantley Parah
• Date: Spring 2024
• Location: Vermont
• Method: 20-gauge shotgun
• Stats: 9-inch beard, 35/8-inch spurs, 19 pounds 

Many hunters this season will be hoping to enjoy the experience 9-year-old Brantley Parah of Swanton, Vermont, enjoyed last year during the state’s youth hunting day. It was on that day when Brantley shot his first-ever gobbler—a 19-pounder with a 9-inch beard and 5/8-inch spurs. Brantley was hunting with his uncle, Jake Babcock. Brantley is the stepson of Michael Wheeler, who regularly contributes his observations to the Strut Report.

The young hunter, with stepdad supervising, was hunting a farm he had been permitted to scout just the night before. Brantley and his uncle put three gobbling birds to bed, so they knew just where to go the next morning. At first light, they set up in a fresh timber cut nearby. The turkeys—two jakes and a longbeard—flew down close and lit up the woods with gobbles. They came right into Uncle Jake’s calls, but Brantley passed on the shot, not feeling he was in a steady enough position to make an accurate shot.

The birds began to drift away into a small valley where a hen was walking around feeding when the two jakes started fighting. As the fighting wound down, Brantley’s uncle hit his slate call and the big tom immediately turned and came charging back up the hill—splitting away from the jakes, gobbling and fanned out. When it got to within 20 yards, Brantley settled in behind his 20-gauge and made the shot count, dropping the bird clean. It’s the type of hunt that will make a kid a turkey hunter for life and is the type of experience nearly everyone reading this hope to recreate this coming season.

WHEN TO HUNT TURKEYS THIS SPRING

Game & Fish Best Hunt Times

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