Arkansas Turkey Hunters Enjoy Bumper Crop in 2025

State sees 22% increase in spring turkey harvest, with strong gobbler carryover for 2026 season

Mar. 30, 2026 at 5:57pm

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An abstract, out-of-focus photograph in warm, earthy tones depicting the silhouette of a turkey hunter in a wooded setting, conceptually representing the joy and anticipation of the upcoming turkey hunting season in Arkansas.Arkansas's turkey hunters are enjoying a banner year, with a 22% increase in the 2025 spring harvest and strong gobbler carryover for the 2026 season.Ozark Today

Arkansas turkey hunters checked a record 11,332 birds during the 2025 spring season, a 22% increase over the previous year. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Turkey Program Coordinator David Moscicki attributes the surge to strong reproduction in 2021-2023 and favorable hunting conditions, with a high number of mature gobblers available for the upcoming 2026 season.

Why it matters

Turkey hunting is a major part of Arkansas's outdoor recreation and conservation economy. The state's growing turkey population and high gobbler carryover are positive signs for the future of the sport, which relies on sustainable management practices.

The details

The 2025 harvest was the first time Arkansas broke the 10,000-turkey mark since 2017. Moscicki noted that the 'No Jakes' rule, which prohibits hunters from taking immature male turkeys, has been effective in boosting the number of mature gobblers available. In 2025, only 4% of the harvest was jakes, compared to nearly 25% in 2003. The Ouachita and Ozark regions saw the biggest increases in 2025, up 34% and 37% respectively from 2024.

  • The 2026 regular turkey season dates are: Zone 1: April 20-May 10, Zone 1A: April 20-28, Zone 2: April 13-May 3, Zone 2A: April 13-21, and Zone 3: April 6-26, 2026.
  • The 2025 spring turkey hunting season saw a 22% increase in harvest over 2024.

The players

David Moscicki

Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Turkey Program Coordinator, who provided insights on the state's turkey population trends and management strategies.

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What they’re saying

“Except for youth hunters, turkey hunters are chasing 2-year-old and older gobblers. Youths are allowed one jake in their seasonal limit of two birds, but we see very low jake harvest within that subgroup of hunters as well.”

— David Moscicki, Turkey Program Coordinator, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

“The 'No Jakes' rule has had an excellent effect on our gobbler carryover, and we may be seeing the ethical standards of taking these immature birds shift, even within that segment of the hunting population who can legally do so. The science of conservation is more available to our hunters today than 20 years ago, and as we learn, our hunters are eager to follow suit.”

— David Moscicki, Turkey Program Coordinator, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

“Barring any unforeseen events, the spring 2026 hunting season looks even brighter yet. I encourage everyone to help the AGFC's management efforts by reporting their hunting experiences through the online Turkey Hunters' Survey. We use information such as the number of hunting days, gobbles heard, gobblers and hens seen to help complete the picture of turkey populations in Arkansas and direct critical habitat work to best benefit the state's turkey flock.”

— David Moscicki, Turkey Program Coordinator, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission

What’s next

The 2026 Turkey Hunter Survey is available at https://www.agfc.com/turkeysurvey, where hunters can report their experiences to help the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission better manage the state's turkey population.

The takeaway

Arkansas's turkey hunting community is embracing sustainable management practices, leading to a resurgence in the state's turkey population and a bright outlook for the 2026 season. This trend highlights the importance of science-based conservation efforts and engaged sportsmen in maintaining healthy wildlife populations.