Spring turkey seasons open this month

DES MOINES – Iowa’s spring season begins April 9 with an Iowa youth only hunting season that covers two weekends and allows hunters younger than 16 when they buy the turkey license to participate. The reason for the season is to concentrate on the development of future hunters. They must hunt one on one with a mentor age 18 or older at all times and the mentor must have a valid turkey hunting license for one of the spring seasons.

No more than one youth for each licensed adult mentor and the mentor may not carry a bow or firearm. An unfilled youth license may be used in any other spring season. The season ends April 17.

The first of Iowa’s four regular spring turkey seasons is April 18-21, second season is April 22-26, third season is April 27-May 3 and the fourth season is May 4-22. An archery only license is good from April 18-May 22.

Hunters may purchase two spring turkey licenses with one license for Season 4. Resident spring turkey licenses are statewide. Hunters participating in the youth only season may also purchase a Season 4 license. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Successful hunters are required to report their harvest by midnight of the day after it is tagged. The easiest way to report is to log on to http://www.iowadnr.gov. Other ways to report are by calling the phone number listed on the tag or by going through a license vendor. Be sure to write the harvest registration number on the harvest report tag.