Hunting News

Fall turkey hunting opens Sept. 20

Fall turkey hunting opens Sept. 20

By Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

The fall wild turkey hunting season begins Sept. 20, and youth day is Sept. 18. With a bag limit of up to 5 turkeys in some Wildlife Management Districts, there is plenty of opportunity for wild turkey hunting this fall.

Wild Turkey Hunting: Hunting Laws & Rules: Hunting & Trapping: Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
The most challenging aspect of hunting fall turkeys is finding them. Unlike the spring, turkeys are not as vocal.

They're not showing off, they're interested in food. Fall flocks range over a wider area in their search for food, sometimes not returning to the same spot for days.

As the weather cools, turkeys will seek out remaining soft and hard mast to eat, such as acorns and beechnuts, along the treeline. Look for their food source and evidence they've been around, such as scratching, droppings, and feathers.

Fall turkey hunting overlaps with deer hunting, if you're already heading out to scout for deer, keep an eye out for turkey and turkey sign. Just make sure you are in a Wildlife Management District (WMD) open to turkey hunting.

For those who hunt deer in October, fall wild turkey could be game of opportunity while in your blind or treestand, crossing your path before you see a deer. However, if you're just looking for turkey, a more proactive method is breaking up a flock. In Maine, you can do this on foot or with a trained dog in the fall season. You can use soft yelps, kee-kees, or clucks as calls to try and regroup the turkeys. When the turkeys regroup, you'll be waiting.

New in 2021, wild turkey harvested in the fall season ONLY do not need to be registered or have a label attached for transport. All wild turkeys harvested in the spring season must still be registered and have a label attached for transport.

Hunters who harvest a banded wild turkey are asked to report it by calling (844)234-9237 or online.

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