When does turkey season open?

Spring turkey opens earliest in Florida (south zone in early March) and works north through the spring — mid March in the deep South, mid April across the Midwest, and May 1 in New York. Fall turkey seasons generally run October and November where they exist at all.

When does deer season open?

Archery deer typically opens in September and runs into December or January. Firearm openers cluster around mid to late November: Michigan is fixed on November 15, Wisconsin opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and Pennsylvania opens the Saturday after.

Do these dates change every year?

Yes. Most states set seasons by weekday rule rather than fixed date, and zone boundaries and bag limits are revised annually. Use this table to plan travel, then confirm the exact dates in the state proclamation linked in each row.

What is the difference between spring and fall turkey hunting?

Spring hunting targets gobblers responding to hen calls during breeding season. Fall hunting is about locating and scattering a flock, then calling birds back to the break — a different skill set, different calls, and usually a more open choke.

Interactive tool

Turkey & Deer Season Date Finder

Typical spring and fall turkey seasons plus archery, firearm, and muzzleloader deer windows for every state we cover — filtered in one click, with the agency link for official dates.

State

Game

Typical turkey and deer season windows by state
State	Season	Typical window	What to know
Alabama Alabama Dept. of Conservation	Spring turkey	Late March – early May by zone	Decoy restrictions apply during part of the season in some zones.
Arkansas Arkansas Game & Fish	Spring turkey	Mid April – early May	Short season with a two-bird statewide limit in most recent years.
California California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife	Spring turkey	Late March – early May	Archery-only extension follows the general season.
Colorado Colorado Parks & Wildlife	Spring turkey	Mid April – late May	Over-the-counter spring tags are available in most of the state.
Colorado Colorado Parks & Wildlife	Archery deer	Early September – late September	Archery deer overlaps the elk rut — plan gear for both.
Florida Florida FWC	Spring turkey	South zone early March, rest of state mid March – late April	The earliest spring turkey opener in the country — Osceola country.
Georgia Georgia DNR	Spring turkey	Early April – mid May	Season start has shifted later in recent years to protect nesting hens.
Idaho Idaho Fish & Game	Firearm deer	October 10 opener in most general units	General deer tags are sold over the counter until the nonresident quota fills.
Illinois Illinois DNR	Firearm deer	Two shotgun weekends: late November and early December	Archery closes during firearm seasons.
Indiana Indiana DNR	Spring turkey	Mid April – early May	Youth weekend precedes the regular opener.
Iowa Iowa DNR	Spring turkey	Four seasons, mid April – late May	Nonresident spring tags are limited and zone-specific.
Iowa Iowa DNR	Archery deer	Early October – early December, resumes late December – mid January	The late archery season after the shotgun seasons is underrated.
Iowa Iowa DNR	Firearm deer	Two shotgun seasons in early and mid December	Party hunting during shotgun season changes deer movement drastically.
Kansas Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks	Spring turkey	Youth/disabled early April, archery early April, firearm mid April – late May	Unit 4 has been closed in recent years — check before you travel.
Kansas Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks	Archery deer	Mid September – end of December	Nonresident archery permits are unit-specific and drawn.
Kansas Kansas Dept. of Wildlife & Parks	Firearm deer	Early December, 12 days	Late firearm season lands after the rut, which favors food-source setups.
Maine Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries	Firearm deer	Late October – late November, residents-only Saturday first	Resident-only opening day is unique to Maine.
Michigan Michigan DNR	Spring turkey	Multiple hunt periods, mid April – end of May	Hunt 234 is the broad statewide late option.
Michigan Michigan DNR	Firearm deer	Nov 15 – Nov 30	The Nov 15 opener is a fixed date, not a fixed weekday.
Minnesota Minnesota DNR	Spring turkey	Six periods, mid April – late May	Later periods are over the counter in most permit areas.
Minnesota Minnesota DNR	Firearm deer	Opens the first Saturday of November	Season length varies by zone from 9 to 16 days.
Mississippi Mississippi Dept. of Wildlife	Spring turkey	Mid March – May 1	Youth season opens in early March.
Missouri Missouri Dept. of Conservation	Spring turkey	Mid April youth, regular mid April – early May	One of the strongest public-land spring turkey states in the country.
Missouri Missouri Dept. of Conservation	Fall turkey	Archery mid Sept – mid Jan; firearm most of October	Fall firearm turkey is county-specific.
Missouri Missouri Dept. of Conservation	Archery deer	Mid September – mid January (split around firearm)	Archery closes during the November firearm portion.
Missouri Missouri Dept. of Conservation	Firearm deer	Opens the Saturday before Nov 15, runs 11 days	The November portion overlaps peak rut in most of the state.
Montana Montana FWP	Spring turkey	Mid April – late May	Merriam's turkeys in the pine breaks of the east and southeast.
Montana Montana FWP	Firearm deer	Late October – late November (general)	Five weeks of general rifle season across enormous public country.
Nebraska Nebraska Game & Parks	Spring turkey	Archery late March, shotgun mid April – late May	Permit numbers have been cut in recent years; buy early.
New York New York DEC	Spring turkey	May 1 – May 31 statewide	Fixed May 1 opener, half-day hunting until noon.
New York New York DEC	Firearm deer	Southern Zone opens the third Saturday of November	Northern Zone opens in late October.
Ohio Ohio DNR	Firearm deer	One week starting the Monday after Thanksgiving, plus a December weekend	Straight-wall cartridge rifles are legal statewide.
Oregon Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife	Spring turkey	April 15 – May 31	General statewide tag, no draw needed.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Game Commission	Spring turkey	Late April – late May	Half-day hunting for the first two weeks in most years.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Game Commission	Fall turkey	Late October – mid November by WMU	Fall season length varies dramatically by wildlife management unit.
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Game Commission	Firearm deer	Opens the Saturday after Thanksgiving, two weeks	Concurrent buck and doe seasons in most units.
South Carolina South Carolina DNR	Spring turkey	Early April – early May	Private-land opener runs slightly ahead of WMAs in some counties.
South Dakota South Dakota GFP	Spring turkey	Mid April – late May	Black Hills Merriam's hunting on national forest land.
Tennessee Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency	Spring turkey	Mid April – late May	Juvenile hunt weekend precedes the statewide opener.
Texas Texas Parks & Wildlife	Spring turkey	North zone late March/early April – mid May; south zone mid March – late April	Rio Grande turkeys in the Hill Country are the classic public-land hunt.
Texas Texas Parks & Wildlife	Archery deer	Late September – early November	Archery-only season precedes the general season.
Texas Texas Parks & Wildlife	Fall turkey	Early November – early January in open counties	Fall turkey is county-by-county; many counties are closed.
Texas Texas Parks & Wildlife	Firearm deer	Opens the first Saturday of November, north zone through early January	Public draw hunts on WMAs open real opportunity for nonresidents.
Vermont Vermont Fish & Wildlife	Firearm deer	16 days beginning the Saturday before Thanksgiving	Big-woods hunting with a long tradition of tracking bucks in snow.
Washington Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife	Spring turkey	April 15 – May 31	Northeast corner counties hold the highest bird density.
Wisconsin Wisconsin DNR	Spring turkey	Six one-week periods, mid April – late May	Leftover tags go on sale by zone in late March.
Wisconsin Wisconsin DNR	Archery deer	Mid September – early January	Crossbow runs concurrently with vertical bow.
Wisconsin Wisconsin DNR	Firearm deer	Nine days beginning the Saturday before Thanksgiving	The gun opener is a statewide institution; expect heavy pressure.
Wyoming Wyoming Game & Fish	Firearm deer	Mid September – late October by region	Region general tags run different dates than limited-quota areas.

Typical recent-year windows for trip planning. States set most openers by weekday rule and revise zones, limits, and legal hours every year — always confirm with the agency linked in each row before you hunt.

Get ready for the season you picked

Season date questions

When does turkey season open?: Spring turkey opens earliest in Florida (south zone in early March) and works north through the spring — mid March in the deep South, mid April across the Midwest, and May 1 in New York. Fall turkey seasons generally run October and November where they exist at all.
When does deer season open?: Archery deer typically opens in September and runs into December or January. Firearm openers cluster around mid to late November: Michigan is fixed on November 15, Wisconsin opens the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and Pennsylvania opens the Saturday after.
Do these dates change every year?: Yes. Most states set seasons by weekday rule rather than fixed date, and zone boundaries and bag limits are revised annually. Use this table to plan travel, then confirm the exact dates in the state proclamation linked in each row.
What is the difference between spring and fall turkey hunting?: Spring hunting targets gobblers responding to hen calls during breeding season. Fall hunting is about locating and scattering a flock, then calling birds back to the break — a different skill set, different calls, and usually a more open choke.