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Season dates and bag limits

Table of contents

    • Fall turkey regs home page and glossary of terms
    • Season dates and bag limits
      • Fall turkey hunting seasons and license quotas
      • Fall turkey management units
      • Bag limits
    • Fall turkey drawing system
      • Application information
      • Eligible applicants
      • How to apply for a fall turkey license
      • Party applications
      • Application assistance
      • Drawing results
    • License types and fees
      • License types and fees by age
      • Hunter education
      • Mentored youth hunting
      • Apprentice hunting
      • Michigan residents
      • Treaty-authorized hunters
      • DNR Sportcard
      • Base license
      • Fall turkey license
      • Leftover licenses
      • Pure Michigan Hunt
    • Purchasing licenses and kill tags
      • Identification requirements
      • Where to buy licenses and kill tags
      • Lost licenses and kill tags
    • When and where to hunt
      • Hunting hours
      • Safety zones
      • Public lands
      • State lands
      • National forest lands
      • Commercial Forest lands
      • Turkey management in Michigan
      • Hunting Access Program
      • Local municipalities
      • Rights of way
      • Trespassing
      • 2024 fall turkey workshops
    • Equipment regulations
      • Hunter orange
      • Elevated platforms and ground blinds
      • Bows, crossbows and firearms
      • Transporting bows, crossbows and firearms
    • Hunting methods
      • Decoys and calls
      • Baiting
      • Hunting with dogs
      • Commercial hunting guides
    • Wildlife diseases
    • After the harvest
      • Validating harvest
      • Transporting game animals
      • Handling and processing turkey meat
      • Buying and selling game animals
      • Wild turkey cooperator patch
      • Turkey reporting options
    • Report all poaching

Fall turkey hunting season dates and license quotas

Fall turkey licenses are valid for specific areas and hunting dates. In many fall turkey management units (TMUs), license availability is subject to a license quota.

General licenses

What type of lands can I hunt with a general license? 
The fall turkey general licenses are valid on all public and private lands within the TMU.

TMU Season dates License quota Hunt number
G Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 200 0401
GB Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 250 0402
GC Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 200 0403
J Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 1,500 0404
L Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 500 0405
M Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 1,500 0406
T Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 200 0407
W Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 200 0408
WA Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 100 0409

Private-land-only licenses

If I get a private-land-only license, are there any exceptions that allow hunting on public land?

Private-land-only licenses can only be used on private land within the TMU. You must have permission from the landowner. Private-land-only licenses are not valid on county, state or federal lands. Exception: Licenses valid for Unit YY can be used to hunt Fort Custer military lands with permission.

TMU Season dates License quota Hunt number
HA Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 1,700 0410
YY Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 45,000 0501

What area does management unit YY cover?

Unit YY for fall turkey encompasses Beaver Island and private lands in southern Michigan, excluding Wayne and Monroe counties.

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Fall turkey management units

For detailed descriptions of fall turkey management unit boundaries, visit Michigan.gov/DNRLaws or contact a DNR customer service center, listed at Michigan.gov/ContactDNR.

Complex map showing fall turkey management unit boundaries. For assistance call 517-284-9453. A written description of boundaries can be found in the Wildlife Conservation Order at Michigan.gov/DNRLaws.

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Bag limits

How many turkeys can I harvest with a fall turkey license?
You can harvest one turkey (any sex) per fall turkey license.

Can I harvest a fall turkey without a beard?
Yes. You can harvest a bearded turkey (any sex) or a beardless turkey (any sex) during the fall turkey season.

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