MICHIGAN · TURKEY · 2026–27

Michigan turkey
season dates.

Fall 2026 and published spring 2027 dates, exact license hunt numbers, TMUs, land restrictions and tagging/reporting rules.

Last checked: Nov. 2, 2026Official Michigan hunting resources ↗Michigan hunting guides ↗

Find dates, calendars & a printable summary →

FALL 2026

Fall turkey: match the management unit

Sept. 15–Nov. 14 in TMU I (Lower Peninsula except Monroe County) and TMU M (Upper Peninsula). Isle Royale is closed. Hunt 0401 licenses are unlimited; Hunt 0402 has a 2,200-license first-come quota. One turkey of either sex with the valid fall kill tag.

Season	Dates	Where	Bag limit
Fall turkey · TMU I · Hunt 0401Open now · through Nov. 14Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, 2026	Public/private land in fall TMU I (Lower Peninsula except Monroe County). Unused fall kill tag for this unit required. Validate immediately and report within 72 hours or before transfer. Hunt 0401 has unlimited licenses; 0402 has a 2,200-license first-come quota. No. 4 shot or smaller in a legal turkey shotgun, or legal bow/crossbow. Hours end one-half hour after sunset. No bait, electronic calls or moving/live decoys. Fall dog use has separate DNR conditions.	One turkey of either sex; one fall license per year.source · source
Fall turkey · TMU M · Hunt 0402Open now · through Nov. 14Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, 2026	Public/private land in fall TMU M (Upper Peninsula; Isle Royale closed). Unused fall kill tag for this unit required. Validate immediately and report within 72 hours or before transfer. Hunt 0401 has unlimited licenses; 0402 has a 2,200-license first-come quota. No. 4 shot or smaller in a legal turkey shotgun, or legal bow/crossbow. Hours end one-half hour after sunset. No bait, electronic calls or moving/live decoys. Fall dog use has separate DNR conditions.	One turkey of either sex; one fall license per year.source · source

PUBLISHED SPRING 2027

Spring turkey: match your license

Apr. 17–May 31 is the overall published window, but each license has its own dates and land privileges. Hunt 0201 and 0302 end Apr. 30; Hunt 0234 and 0303 start May 1. Do not add the listed entries together: the limit is one bearded turkey and one spring license per hunter. Youth/mentored privileges are listed separately.

Season	Dates	Where	Bag limit
Spring turkey · TMU M · Hunt 0110Opens April 17, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – May 31, 2027	Public/private lands in spring TMU M. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. Limited quota: 6,000. Drawing Jan. 1–Feb. 1, 2027; results March 1. A date match does not mean a license is available.	One bearded turkey total for spring; one valid spring license per hunter.source · source
Spring turkey · TMU NN · Hunt 0201Opens April 17, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – April 30, 2027	Public/private lands in spring TMU NN. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. Limited quota: 18,000. Drawing Jan. 1–Feb. 1, 2027; results March 1. A date match does not mean a license is available.	One bearded turkey total for spring; one valid spring license per hunter.source · source
Spring turkey · TMU ZZ · Hunt 0302Opens April 17, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – April 30, 2027	Public/private lands in spring TMU ZZ. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. Limited quota: 8,000. Drawing Jan. 1–Feb. 1, 2027; results March 1. A date match does not mean a license is available.	One bearded turkey total for spring; one valid spring license per hunter.source · source
Spring turkey · TMU ZZ · Hunt 0303Opens May 1, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	May 1 – May 31, 2027	Public/private lands in spring TMU ZZ. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. Limited quota: 8,000. Drawing Jan. 1–Feb. 1, 2027; results March 1. A date match does not mean a license is available.	One bearded turkey total for spring; one valid spring license per hunter.source · source
Spring turkey · guaranteed Hunt 0234 · private landsOpens May 1, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	May 1 – May 31, 2027	Private land statewide with permission; public/private in TMUs M and NN. Public TMU ZZ excluded except Fort Custer with permission. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. Unlimited Hunt 0234 sales begin March 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern; no drawing application. This entry is for private land.	One bearded turkey total for spring; not an extra license.source · source
Spring turkey · Hunt 0234 · permitted public-land referenceCheck Michigan DNRLegal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	May 1 – May 31, 2027	Public lands in TMUs M and NN, and Fort Custer military lands with permission; other public lands in TMU ZZ excluded. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment.	One bearded turkey total for spring.source · source
Spring turkey · TMU ZZ · guaranteed private-land Hunt 0301Opens April 17, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – May 31, 2027	Private land in TMU ZZ only; not ordinary county, state or federal land. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. Guaranteed Hunt 0301 sales begin March 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern. Fort Custer has a separate permission exception.	One bearded turkey total for spring; one spring license per year.source · source
Spring turkey · Hunt 0301 · Fort Custer exceptionCheck Michigan DNRLegal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – May 31, 2027	Fort Custer military land with permission only. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment.	One bearded turkey total for spring.source · source
Spring turkey · youth / youth-mentored licenseOpens April 17, 2027Legal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – May 31, 2027	All open spring TMUs on public/private lands; Isle Royale closed. Have the unused turkey kill tag for this exact license, unit and period; one spring license and one bearded turkey per year, not one per listed entry. Validate the kill tag immediately. Report within 72 hours or before transfer of possession, whichever comes first. Spring hours end one-half hour before sunset. No bait, electronic calls, moving/live decoys or spring hunting with dogs. Turkey shotguns use No. 4 shot or smaller; rifles and ordinary air rifles are not turkey equipment. A spring youth license is for ages 10–16 and is valid for all spring TMUs and dates without application. Younger mentored youth need the appropriate mentored license and qualified mentor; confirm supervision. Adult inclusive-mentored privileges are shown in the separate confirmation entry. This is a license privilege, not a separate youth-only weekend.	One bearded turkey total for spring.source · source
Spring turkey · inclusive mentored license (confirm conditions)Check Michigan DNRLegal turkey shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow	April 17 – May 31, 2027	All open spring TMUs on public/private lands; Isle Royale closed. An eligible inclusive-mentored license holder may take one bearded turkey during any open spring TMU season. Confirm the inclusive license, licensed mentor, age/eligibility and supervision requirements with DNR. This is not a generic disabled-hunter or veteran exemption. Validate the tag immediately and report within 72 hours or before transfer. Public-area access and Isle Royale closure still apply. See WCO 3.301 and the 2027 spring guide.	One bearded turkey total for spring.source · source

APPLICATIONS & LICENSING

Plan the license before the hunt

The 2027 spring drawing application period is Jan. 1–Feb. 1; results March 1. Guaranteed Hunts 0234 and 0301 go on sale March 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern and need no drawing application. Youth 10–16 can buy the spring youth license without application; mentored hunters have separate license/supervision rules. These are application and purchase dates, not additional hunting seasons.

Source: Michigan DNR: published 2027 spring turkey regulations ↗

BEFORE YOU GO

Licenses, equipment & access

Match the unused kill tag to the exact hunt number, TMU and period. One spring license and one bearded turkey total; one fall license and one turkey of either sex. Hunt 0234 excludes ordinary public land in TMU ZZ, and Hunt 0301 is private-land only, with the Fort Custer permission exceptions shown separately. Validate a turkey kill tag immediately and report within 72 hours or before transferring possession. Spring hours end half an hour before sunset; fall hours differ.

Youth and mentored hunters have age, license and adult-supervision requirements. A calendar match does not establish permission or possession of the correct license. Confirm the exact WMA, managed area, park, refuge, military property or island before hunting.

Source: Michigan DNR: published 2027 spring turkey regulations ↗; Michigan DNR: 2026 fall turkey regulations ↗; Wildlife Conservation Order Chapter III: species seasons, limits and licenses ↗

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OFFICIAL SOURCES

Reviewed for this season

We compare the current Michigan DNR species guides, maps and Wildlife Conservation Order. Only published dates are listed. Saved calendars and printouts do not update automatically; sources are reviewed weekly before editorial changes are published.

Last checked: Nov. 2, 2026. Report a change.

Michigan turkeyseason dates.