Iowa Gears Up for Promising Wild Turkey Hunting Season

Early signs point to plentiful bird populations across the state this spring.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 3:13pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A highly stylized, brightly colored silkscreen illustration of a wild turkey repeated in a tight grid pattern, conceptually representing the abundance of turkeys available to hunters in Iowa this season.Iowa's turkey hunters can look forward to an active spring season as the state's wildlife biologists report healthy bird populations across the region.Burlington Today

The upcoming wild turkey hunting season in Iowa is expected to be a good one, according to state wildlife biologist Jim Coffey. After a couple of strong breeding seasons, turkey populations are thriving, setting the stage for an active spring hunting period with multiple seasons scheduled from April through mid-May.

Why it matters

Wild turkey hunting is a popular outdoor activity in Iowa, providing both recreational opportunities for residents and economic benefits to rural communities. A robust turkey population allows the state to offer extended hunting seasons that can draw in more participants and generate tourism revenue.

The details

Coffey attributes the healthy turkey numbers to recent dry summers that have been favorable for ground-nesting birds like turkeys, pheasants, and quail. The youth-only wild turkey season will run from April 10-12, followed by four additional seasons through May 17, as well as an archery-only season from April 13 to May 17.

  • The youth-only wild turkey season opens April 10 and runs through April 12.
  • Season 1 is April 13 through April 16.
  • Season 2 is April 17 through April 21.
  • Season 3 is April 22 through April 28.
  • Season 4 is April 29 through May 17.

The players

Jim Coffey

A wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources who oversees turkey population monitoring and management.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've had a couple of three back-to-back good brood seasons or summer brooding seasons, so that should result in some good numbers of turkeys on the landscape across most of the state this year.”

— Jim Coffey, Wildlife Biologist

The takeaway

Iowa's turkey hunters can look forward to ample opportunities this spring, as the state's wildlife biologists report healthy breeding populations across much of the state. This should translate to an active and successful hunting season for both novice and experienced turkey hunters.