Minnesota’s 2025 Spring Turkey Season Promises Prime Hunting
Luke Cuenco 04.23.25
Minnesota’s 2025 spring turkey season kicks off this week, running through May 31, with around 60,000 hunters expected to take to the fields, forests, and even urban edges in pursuit of one of the nations favorite birds. Turkeys, once nearly extinct in the state, are now thriving from northern woods to downtown Minneapolis, making this a prime time for hunters.
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Public Domain Photo | Minnesota’s 2025 Spring Turkey Season Promises Prime Hunting
Minnesota’s 2025 Spring Turkey Season Promises Prime Hunting
The outlook for 2025 is excellent, according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) biologist Nate Huck. Two-year-old toms, the primary target for hunters, are abundant due to mild winters in 2023 and 2024. “Those birds hatched in 2023 survived in higher numbers thanks to low snow and warm conditions,” Huck noted. This means more action for hunters this spring. Minnesota’s season is split into six one-week periods (A-F). Gun hunters choose a week when purchasing a license and can take one male turkey. Unsuccessful gun hunters get a second shot during the final “losers week.” Archers and crossbow hunters enjoy the full six-week season, and crossbows are permitted for all license holders. No lottery is required, except in select wildlife management areas to manage early-season pressure.
Turkey hunting has held steady since a 2020 pandemic-fueled surge to 65,000 permits. Sales have since settled around 60,000 annually, reflecting sustained enthusiasm for the sport. Turkeys were wiped out in Minnesota by the early 1900s due to overhunting, disease, and habitat loss. Conservation efforts, led by hunting groups and state officials, reintroduced birds from Missouri’s Ozarks. Today, Minnesota’s turkey population is a shining example of wildlife restoration.
Source: Minnesota Star Tribune
