The author truly appreciates the versatile statewide 0234 Michigan spring turkey hunting license which can be readily purchased over the counter. While he enjoys turkey hunting close to home on private lands, he appreciates being able to hunt the spacious public land in northern Michigan.
When the month of March pops into the scene, I immediately develop my annual and incurable bout of “spring turkey fever,” something which has been occurring for almost six decades now. This dates to March 1968 when I received notification in the mail I had been drawn for one of Michigan’s first spring wild turkey hunting seasons and was one of only 30 recipients to receive a spring turkey hunting license for the Baldwin area. This would be the beginning of a long and never-ending learning curve in how to successfully hunt North America’s largest gamebird during a very unique springtime atmosphere, which I found out, was truly addictive at the get-go.
Yep, folks, I guess you can say I’ve witnessed the steady transition of spring turkey hunting in Michigan from the early days to what is available today. The state’s original spring turkey hunting territory was in the northern Lower Peninsula, and hunters had to always apply for a tag and hope for the best. The DNR published how many tags were going to be issued during certain dates in the various turkey management units (TMU) and I would carefully study the numbers before applying and was usually quite lucky in getting drawn. Eventually, a hunting partner could apply with you for the same hunt.
In the past, it typically entailed a morning hunt only, with closing time for the day being noon or 1:00 p.m., and I was highly elated when the hours were eventually extended through late afternoon. While I’ve taken my share of early morning gobblers, a favorite timeframe for me to hunt when I have had some good fortune, is attempting to call in gobblers from noon until 3:00 p.m. Gobblers can often be “henned-up” after coming off their roosts at daybreak to accompany any receptive hens. I’ve noticed that by late morning, finding any hot dates can often be harder to come by, causing gobblers to become a bit lonely.
From the earliest days on, the DNR has strived to establish wild turkeys statewide, and I was able to witness a definite conservation success story in this regard. I can remember when wild turkeys from Iowa were first released in my Thumb area in the mid-1980s and with the first spring seasons taking place during the early 1990s. Today, excellent turkey hunting opportunities can be found throughout the Lower Peninsula and parts of the Upper Peninsula, causing Michigan to be one of the best turkey hunting states in the country, and I appreciate the fact that turkey hunting licenses can now be purchased over the counter or online during the entire season.
There are a few changes in the Michigan spring turkey hunting regulations for 2026. The original 14 Turkey Management Units (TMU) have been reduced to only 3 – M for the Upper Peninsula, NN for the Northern Lower Peninsula and ZZ for the Southern Lower Peninsula. Folks who applied earlier for special turkey hunts and were turned down can purchase leftover licenses on a first come-first serve basis. Regular turkey licenses are on sale now, with unlimited quotas, and the bag limit is one bearded turkey per license (yep, folks, sometimes hen turkeys can have a beard and are legal to shoot). Mandatory Harvest Reporting will be required, the same as it has been with deer, either online or by calling 517-284-9453.
Hunt 0301 in Unit ZZ on private lands only runs from April 18 to May 31. My personal favorite has long been 0234 which allows hunting on private lands only in southern Michigan but also allows hunting on both private and public lands elsewhere in the state and runs from May 2 – May 31. I do love having my options of where to hunt turkeys, whether it be close to home or “up north” in some of my old stomping grounds.
I’ve also witnessed the transition of turkey calls going from resurrected old tried and true to new types of friction and mouth calls. And there has been an evolution regarding what is deemed a “turkey gun”, not to mention specialized shotgun ammunition and chokes which seem to get better and better. I never thought I’d see the day when a tight-choked .410 shotgun firing number seven-shot could poleaxe a gobbler at some amazing yardage! More recently, the 28ga is even entering the picture, stating there is a trend in lugging a lightweight shotgun afield which also features less recoil while still being effective. A longtime favorite of mine is a 20ga Remington 870 Express pump fitted with an extra-full choke and topped with fiberoptic Truglo turkey sights for accurate shot-placement.
Using a shotgun for turkey hunting has no relationship to wing-shooting because it is like placing the dense shot-pattern the same as with a single projectile to perform a head/neck shot on a preferably stationary gobbler. Preseason patterning of the selected shotgun and load is very important to thoroughly understand the performance level at various yardages. Yep, folks, it isn’t much different than accurately sighting in a rifle.
I can remember when about 30 years ago, due to the fast-growing popularity of spring turkey hunting with more hunters going afield, nothing larger than number four birdshot could be used in Michigan for safety reasons. Hunting is a very safe pastime, but due to camouflage and concealment, not to mention calling out like a genuine wild turkey, turkey hunting matters can get a tad touchy. It is also the reason hunters should never wear the colors red, white and blue, which are the head colors of a turkey gobbler. I’ve had occasions when other turkey hunters have stalked in on my calling efforts, and it is best to not move and only call out to identify yourself, because the mindset of the uninitiated can be unpredictable. A good friend of mine had a trespassing hunter unknowingly stalk in and blow his turkey decoy to pieces! Oh my, that was an eye-opener at first light (the turkey decoys available today are very realistic)! It is best to always be aware you might not be the only one there which might have someone else sneaking into your favorite, private-property turkey hunting hotspot. My encounters with “stalkers” have always been on public land.
Yep, folks, when March arrives, despite after nearly six decades, I still automatically get a bout of spring turkey fever. While patterning shotguns in our backyard shooting range is somewhat normal and none too bothersome, my wife, Ginny, has long ago banned my practicing a variety of long-collected turkey calls in the house.
It appears what is well-tuned music to my ears eventually becomes like listening to fingernails continually performing annoying scratching down a blackboard in hers! Nope, I can attest there will be no invites for her to be a judge at any turkey-calling contests.
All I can say, folks, calling practice, as well as patterning the chosen shotgun and load, is an important part of getting properly prepared for spring turkey hunting. It will be here soon enough, and as always, I’ll be ready and waiting!
