Spring Turkey Season Set, Apply Online

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department is offering 5,655 wild turkey licenses for the spring hunting season, 30 fewer than last year.

Four of the 22 hunting units have more spring licenses than in 2017, eight have fewer and nine remain the same. Unit 21 (Hettinger and Adams counties) is again closed in 2018 due to lack of turkeys in the unit.

Spring turkey applicants can apply online at the Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov. Applications can also be submitted by calling 800-406-6409. Paper applications are no longer available for spring turkey or any other lottery licenses, which also includes moose, elk and sheep; deer gun, pronghorn and swan. 

The deadline for applying is Feb. 14.

Successful spring turkey applicants must purchase a 2018-19 hunting license, as last year’s 2017-18 licenses expire March 31. In addition to the spring turkey license, hunters must have a fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate, and a general game and habitat license. Also, hunters ages 16 and older must possess a small game license, or combination license.

First-time spring turkey hunters ages 15 or younger are eligible to receive one spring license valid for the regular hunting season in a specific unit. To be eligible, the youth hunter must be 15 or younger on opening day of spring turkey season, and have never received a spring turkey license in North Dakota.

Spring turkey licenses are available only to North Dakota residents. Per legislation, an additional four spring wild turkey licenses are available to the Outdoor Adventure Foundation and three to the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The spring turkey season opens April 14 and continues through May 20.