North Dakotan turkey shooters are excitedly awaiting the opening of the 2023 hunting season. Because of the state’s diverse terrain and large population of turkeys, hunters have many chances of pursuing these elusive species. The North Dakota turkey season is bound to be exciting and challenging, whether you’re a seasoned expert or a beginner just starting started. This article will examine the forthcoming hunting season in more detail, covering crucial dates, regulations, and hunting guidance.
The North Dakota Game and Fish Department will issue fewer wild turkey permits for the forthcoming spring shooting season than last year. A junior turkey season will be held on particular days during the season, which will last for several weeks. Each unit has a different number of permits accessible than the previous year, with some units having more, some having fewer, and some having the same amount. North Dakota does not allow nonresidents to shoot a turkey, but some allowances are made for nonresidents on native grounds.
Spring Turkey Season
| ND Turkey Seasons | Hunting Start Date | Hunting End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Regular Season | April 8, 2023 | May 14, 2023 |
Note: All open units.
Youth Turkey Season
| ND Turkey Seasons | Hunting Start Date | Hunting End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Spring - Youth Season | April 8, 2023 | May 14, 2023 |
Note: All open units.
Fall Turkey Season
| ND Turkey Seasons | Hunting Start Date | Hunting End Date |
|---|---|---|
| Fall - Regular Season | October 14, 2023 | TBC |
Note: All Open units. According to ND Game and Fish, the deadline may alter; consult the regulations for the most recent information. (https://gf.nd.gov/hunting/season-dates.)
Bag Limit
Spring Turkey
Each license bearer may take and keep one bearded or male wild turkey. Party hunting is not allowed.
Fall Turkey
Each license bearer may take and keep one wild turkey of any species or age, up to a maximum of five permits per individual. Party hunting is not allowed.
Licenses Units
Spring Turkey Units
| Spring Unit | Available License |
|---|---|
| 2 | 275 |
| 3 | 75 |
| 4 | 125 |
| 6 | 50 |
| 13 | 700 |
| 17 | 400 |
| 19 | 350 |
| 21 | Closed |
| 25 | 800 |
| 27 | 850 |
| 30 | 825 |
| 31 | 100 |
| 37 | 750 |
| 40 | 50 |
| 44 | 150 |
| 45 | 150 |
| 47 | 30 |
| 50 | 450 |
| 51 | 450 |
| 53 | 150 |
| 98 | 450 |
| 99 | 225 |
| Total Units | 7,405 |
Fall Turkey Units
| Fall Unit | Available Licenses |
|---|---|
| 2 | 35 |
| 3 | 35 |
| 4 | 200 |
| 6 | 20 |
| 13 | 750 |
| 17 | 150 |
| 19 | 200 |
| 21 | Closed |
| 25 | 500 |
| 27 | 350 |
| 30 | 400 |
| 31 | 50 |
| 37 | 300 |
| 40 | 20 |
| 44 | 75 |
| 45 | 125 |
| 47 | 25 |
| 50 | 225 |
| 51 | 200 |
| 53 | 50 |
| 98 | 200 |
| 99 | 65 |
| Total Units | 3,975 |
License Fees
| Licenses | Fees |
|---|---|
| Fall Wild Turkey (Nonresident) | $80 |
| Spring Wild Turkey (Resident) | $15 |
Note: For Complete details on ND Turkey license, you Visit gf.nd.gov
Hunting Regulations
Spring Turkey Regulations
- Hunting is from 30 minutes before dawn to dusk daily.
- With some exclusions, North Dakota hunters born after December 31, 1961, must finish an approved state or regional hunter education course.
- Spring turkey hunters under 15 must be supervised by a parent, relative, or approved adult.
- Game wardens and other law enforcement officers must see licenses upon inquiry.
- 15-year-old hunters can get one spring pass for any open area.
- After subtracting free permits, weighted random issues regular licenses.
- North Dakota citizens who grow or graze in an open hunting area on at least 150 acres receive free permits.
- Hunting wild turkeys requires a fishing, hunting, furbearer permit, a general game and ecology ticket, and a small game or combo license. (gratis license holders exempt).
- Hunting solely on Indian lands within an Indian territory needs a tribe license, while hunting in nontribal areas requires a state license.
- After killing a turkey, a hunter must tag it with the month and day from the license tag and affix it to its leg.
- Without a tag, a turkey cannot be owned or transported.
- Shotguns must be 10 gauge and hold no more than three rounds in the cylinder and chamber, with an 18-inch barrel length. Automatic weapons are banned.
- For turkey hunting, bows and arrows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds, a metal broadhead with at least two keen cutting edges, and a 3/4-inch cutting width.
- Only the Game and Fish director can enable crossbows.
- In national parks, weapons must be empty and sealed, and intoxicated people cannot hunt.
- Hunting on neighboring land, even less than 440 yards from an active house, is legal without the owner’s permission.
- Trail cams must have an apparatus registry number or an individual’s name, address, and phone number to be placed on private property.
- Only the owner or approved people can put land for no hunting, with their name on each sign.
- Unauthorized hunting on listed land results in a one-year ban on hunting, fishing, and trapping rights.
- Hunting unharvested grain and soybean crops without the landlord’s permission is illegal.
- Defacing, removing, or destroying signs is illegal.
- Hunting permits are forfeited for not closing gates.
- Except for spring-season National Wildlife Refuges and school trust areas open to nonvehicular public access, federal and state assets marked no trespassing or hunting are closed to hunting.
- Department wildlife management areas, USUS Fish and Wildlife Service national wildlife refuges and waterfowl production areas, U.S. Forest Service national grasslands, USUS Army Corps of Engineers managed lands, and all North Dakota state trust, state park, and state forest service lands prohibit bait hunting.
- License users must move their wild turkey or send it with a bill of lading.
Note: For complete Spring Turkey regulation, read on the ND Game and Fish Department Website.
Fall Turkey Regulations
- Hunting is limited to the fall season and the license unit.
- Thirty minutes before dawn to sundown are the designated hunting hours.
- The first draw is only open to residents of North Dakota. Nonresidents may register if there are still open permits after the first draw.
- With some exclusions, people born after December 31, 1961, must have a Hunter school qualification.
- There is no minimum age to shoot turkeys, but minors using weapons must be under adult supervision.
- After free licenses have been subtracted from the total, permits are distributed using a weighted random method.
- Residents of North Dakota who own or contract at least 150 acres of property for farming use are eligible for free permits.
- Residents who shoot must have a small game or combo license, and all sportsmen must have a general game and environment registration.
- Hunting with a lure is banned in some territories and wildlife control zones.
- The shooter must remove the proper date from the tag when the turkey is killed and fasten it around the bird’s limb to prevent removal.
- The meat tag must be transported with the consumable tissue; it is forbidden to use any previously given tags again.
- Shotguns are limited to 10 gauge and can only contain three rounds in the barrel and clip.
- Only muzzleloading long firearms are permitted for shooting wild turkeys; rifles are not.
- Compound, recurve, and longbows must be hand-pulled and have a draw weight of at least 35 pounds. Arrows must also be at least 24 inches long with a metal broadhead with a minimum striking width of 3/4 inch.
- Handguns with a size of.35 or higher and a barrel length of at least 4 inches are permitted.
- Crossbows are illegal except with permission from the Game and Fish superintendent.
- In national forests, it is against the law to shoot with a bow and arrow or a gun while inebriated.
- Except for shooting on property held by neighbors, it is forbidden to enter 440 yards of an inhabited structure without permission.
- Private property owners must grant written approval to install trail cams and provide a device registration number or contact information.
- Wild turkey shooting is prohibited on federal, state, or military lands such as refuges, reserves, military facilities, parks, and heritage places.
- Be aware of recovery limitations when foraging close to the borders of restricted refuges, preserves, military facilities, parks, or historic areas.
- Unless otherwise marked with NDND Department of Trust grounds signage, public access to school trust grounds, including shooting entry, is available for nonvehicular use.
- Only the proprietor, renter, or a person with the owner’s permission may place a sign on the property stating that shooting is not allowed there.
- Physical signage should be prominently positioned, legible from the outside of the property, and no more than 880 yards apart.
- Without the owner’s or tenant’s consent, hunting in listed areas is prohibited and is penalized by a minimum one-year prohibition of one’s rights to hunt, fish, and capture.
- Any individual may access lawfully posted property without a gun or a bow to retrieve a game that was shot or slain on the property where they had a legitimate hunting license.
- Without the landowner’s permission, hunting in unharvested grain and legume fields, including germinated winter wheat, alfalfa, clover, and other plants cultivated for seed, is forbidden.
- Defacing, removing, or destroying displaying signage is prohibited.
- An illegal offence that results in the loss of hunting permits is failing to shut fences at the point of entrance or departure.
- If you are not confident that a road right-of-way is accessible to the public, avoid hunting there.
- When the nearby property is marked as off-limits to shooting, most road rights-of-way also become blocked.
- A wild turkey’s consumable flesh (breast meat) cannot be killed, crippled, wasted, destroyed, spoilt, or abandoned without first making a reasonable attempt to find the turkey and keep it in its actual possession.
Note: For complete Spring Turkey regulation, read on the ND Game and Fish Department Website.
FAQ related to North Dakota Turkey Season
When does the North Dakota Turkey Season start and end?
Depending on the kind of season, the times for the North Dakota Turkey Season may change. All available units for the Fall Regular Season will start on October 14, 2023. From April 8 to May 14, 2023, there will be a Spring General Season. Additionally, a unique population reduction turkey bow season runs from October to January for the City of Bismarck, particularly nearby regions.
Are there any areas in North Dakota where turkey hunting is not allowed?
For the 2022 spring hunting season, Unit 21 (in the counties of Hettinger and Adams) will be halted due to a shortage of turkeys.
