An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
We want to encourage everyone to be safe and have fun. With that in mind, we've created this page as a SUMMARY of our hunting laws intended solely for informational use and is applicable August 2023 - March 2024. The exact wording of Kentucky's spring turkey hunting laws are provided in 301 KAR 2:144.
You can always review our Kentucky Hunting Guide, contact your Local F&W Law Enforcement Officer, or call our Info Center (1-800-858-1549) to help with unanswered questions.
Adult hunters: Unless exempt, all fall turkey hunters ages 16 and older must carry with them in the field proof of purchase of a valid Kentucky hunting license and a valid fall turkey permit. Short-term (1- or 7-day) hunting licenses are not valid for turkey hunting. The fall turkey permit is valid for the fall archery, crossbow and shotgun turkey seasons and allows a hunter to harvest up to the fall season bag limit of turkeys.
Firearm turkey hunters 15 years old and younger must be accompanied by an adult, who shall remain in a position to take immediate control of the youth’s firearm at all times.
Youth hunters: Youths younger than 12 are exempt from license and turkey permit requirements. Youths age 12-15 are eligible to purchase a youth turkey permit, which is valid during any turkey season for one turkey. Youth hunters must abide by season bag limits and harvest restrictions but can use the youth permit throughout the license year. The youth sportsman’s license includes two (2) youth turkey permits. Anyone may call turkeys, or assist in the hunt. Callers and assistants are not required to possess a hunting license or turkey permit and may carry equipment while in the field.
Learn more about our Reporting of Turkey Leg Band process to help us by providing valuable information to ensure sustainable management of wild turkeys for current and future generations to enjoy.
HUNTING TURKEYS OVER BAIT IS ILLEGAL
It is illegal to hunt turkeys over bait – an area where feed, grains or other substances capable of luring wild turkeys have been placed. Fall turkeys hunters shall not hunt within 600 feet of a baited site or for thirty (30) days after bait is removed. An area where grain, feed or other substances exists as the result of a bona fide agricultural practice or manipulation of a crop (food plot) for wildlife management purposes is legal for turkey hunting.
Hunters may not use bait or any substance capable of luring wild turkeys. Regulation amendments specify that fall turkeys hunters shall not hunt within 600 feet of a baited site or for thirty (30) days after bait is removed. This prohibition does not apply to bona fide agricultural practices or planted food plots nor cross property boundaries. Turkey hunters may not use firearms to take turkeys during archery or crossbow-only seasons. On some WMAs, special equipment restrictions may apply.
The process and requirements for recording, checking and tagging harvested turkeys are the same as for deer and elk. See the “Recording, Checking, Tagging and Transporting” guidelines in this guide's “General Information” section of the Kentucky Hunting Guide.
To help researchers, hunters who harvest wild turkeys with leg bands should report the band number online here.
Because of potential disease problems and genetic pollution, it is illegal to possess live wild turkeys. Domestic or pen-raised turkeys should not be released into the wild for the same reasons.