The Hunted

Turkey

A healthy turkey population through most of Kansas allows hunters four birds in the fall in the eastern half of the state. Fewer Permits are available in the northwest, and permits are very limited in the southwest, where bird numbers haven’t kept pace with populations elsewhere.

Kansas is home to two subspecies of wild turkeys, the Rio Grande and the eastern. The Rio Grande is a plains dweller and can be found in the western three-fourths of the state. Rio Grande turkeys roost in riparian timber and tree belts, and forage in open grasslands or crop field edges. Said to be the easier of the two subspecies to hunt, Rio Grandes tend to use open areas that make their keen eyesight a major obstacle for hunters.

The eastern turkey prefers timbered areas in the eastern fourth of Kansas. It has a reputation as the more difficult subspecies to hunt due to wariness and the thick cover it prefers.

Where ranges overlap in the northcentral and southeasern Kansas regions, crossbreeding can occur. Hybrid turkeys can show characteristics of both subspecies. Spring turkey season begins the second Wednesday in April and runs through the end of May.

Kansas is divided into four turkey management units. Unit 4 has a restricted number of resident-only spring permits and is closed for fall hunting. Units 1,2, and 3 have unlimited turkey permits (one-bird limit) in the spring and fall. Extra turkey game tags are sometimes available in some units. Contact the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park’s Pratt Office for a copy of Spring Turkey Hunting Atlas.

Some information is from KDWP's Kansas Outdoor Review.