Press Releases
04/27/2026
2026 Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Season Opens April 29
Hunters and Other Outdoor Users Encouraged to Recreate Responsibly
Correction: This version corrects the harvest limit to five bearded birds per season.
(HARTFORD) — The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) reminds hunters and other outdoor users that the 2026 Connecticut spring wild turkey hunting season will be April 29 through May 30, both dates inclusive. All outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to be aware of others and recreate responsibly at a time of year when increasing numbers of people are enjoying the outdoors, including areas where hunting may be occurring.
“In addition to longer and warmer days, spring marks the start of turkey hunting season, a favorite pastime for many Connecticut hunters,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “Wild turkeys are a conservation success story, with populations rebounding over the past few decades. Our mixed hardwood forests and adjacent agricultural lands offer ideal habitat and plentiful forage.”
Legal spring turkey hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. Hunters may harvest a total of five bearded birds, regardless of property type (state-owned or private land). Due to a law passed in 2025, hunting is now allowed on Sundays on private lands only, provided no hunting occurs within 40 yards of any blazed trail open to the public.
“Spring turkey hunting requires preparation, patience, and persistence to help maintain a safe hunting experience and the opportunity to harvest a turkey,” said DEEP Wildlife Division Biologist Will Cassidy. “Scouting, calling, and hunting techniques for turkeys can be learned by attending seminars, reading articles, watching videos, and talking with experienced turkey hunters.”
Recommended Safety Precautions During Spring Turkey Hunting Season
- Wear Fluorescent Orange. Turkey hunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange but are strongly recommended to wear fluorescent orange when walking in and out of the woods, to carry harvested birds in a fluorescent orange carrier, and to secure a fluorescent orange band around a tree approximately six feet above their hunting spot to alert other hunters to their location. DEEP also highly recommends that everyone visiting state lands wear an article of fluorescent orange clothing (e.g., vest or hat) during the hunting season to maintain a safe outdoor environment for everyone.
- If you encounter a hunter in the woods, remain still and speak in a loud clear voice to announce your presence.
- Hunters are strongly recommended to eliminate the colors red, white, blue, and black from their hunting outfit as these colors are associated with wild turkeys.
- Hunters should always be aware that other people may be outdoors in areas where they are hunting and should always assume that any noise or movement could be another person.
DEEP encourages all hunters to hunt safely and responsibly to ensure outdoor opportunities remain available for all. Additional safety guidelines and recommendations for turkey hunters can be found here on the DEEP webpage.
Additional Information
Hunting licenses and Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamps, which are required for turkey hunting, can be purchased via the Connecticut Online Sportsmen Licensing System. They also can be purchased at some town halls and outdoor retail businesses and select DEEP offices. More details can be found in the 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.
Turkey hunters who hunt on private land are reminded that written landowner permission, on a form provided by DEEP, is required. Forms are available here on the CT DEEP website and in the 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide. All harvested turkeys must be tagged immediately and reported to DEEP online or by phone (1-877-337-4868) within 24 hours. Hunters must tag their turkeys with a 2026 Harvest Tag. Copies of the 2026 Harvest Tags and instructions are on page 42 of the 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide and also are available on the DEEP Reporting Deer and Turkey Harvest webpage. After reporting their harvest via the Internet or by telephone, hunters will be given a confirmation number to write on their Harvest Tag. This confirmation number serves as proof that the harvest was legally reported.
Junior Hunter Training Days
Each year, Connecticut designates specific days when experienced adult hunters are encouraged to take a youth hunting, helping them learn safe and effective hunting practices, develop observational skills, and gain confidence and a comfort level needed to further their hunting skills. The 2026 Spring Turkey Junior Hunter Training Days took place Saturday, April 18, through Saturday, April 25, 2026 (excluding Sunday on state land). More details can be found on the DEEP Junior Hunter Training Days webpage.
More information on the spring turkey season, hunting regulations, junior hunter training days, and tagging and reporting requirements is contained in the 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide.
The 2026 Connecticut spring wild turkey hunting season opens on April 29 and runs through May 30. This year marks the 46th consecutive year that sportsmen and women have hunted turkeys during the spring season in Connecticut.
Photo credit: Paul J. Fusco
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Contact
DEEP Communications
DEEP.Communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110