Vermont’s 2013 Spring Turkey Hunting Starts Soon
OutdoorHub 04.10.13
Vermont offers some of the best turkey hunting in New England according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. In 2012, Hunters took 4,714 turkeys in both the youth weekend and regular May 1-31 seasons, and 1,365 turkeys in the fall season.
What makes Vermont’s spring gobbler season special? Vermont’s turkey hunting is statewide during the spring season. Vermont’s turkey population is one of the highest in New England. You can buy a turkey hunting license without having to go through a lottery. The turkey license comes with two spring tags for two bearded birds and one tag for a turkey of either sex in the fall season. Plus, you get to hunt the entire weekend, because hunting is allowed on Sundays.
Youth turkey hunting weekend is April 27-28 this year. Landowner permission is required to hunt on private land, whether or not the land is posted. To be eligible, a youth must be age 15 or under. The youth must have successfully completed a hunter education course and possess a hunting license, a turkey hunting license and a free youth turkey hunting tag. The youth also must be accompanied by an unarmed adult who holds a hunting license and is over 18 years of age. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to 12:00 Noon. The youth may take one bearded turkey during youth weekend and two bearded turkeys in the regular May hunting season.
The regular spring turkey hunting season is May 1-31. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to 12:00 Noon. Two bearded turkeys may be taken, and all of Vermont is open to turkey hunting during the youth weekend and regular spring season.
A shotgun or bow and arrow may be used in the youth turkey or regular spring turkey hunting seasons. Shot size must be no larger than #2 and no smaller than #8.
Vermont was the first New England state to re-establish wild turkeys when it stocked 31 birds in 1969 and 1970. Today, the Green Mountain State has an estimated 50,000 turkeys.
Vermont’s wild turkey restoration program is a tremendous wildlife management success story funded entirely by hunters through the sale of hunting licenses and a federal tax on hunting equipment. Now, hunters are reaping the benefits by seeing excellent turkey hunting in Vermont. And, all Vermonters are enjoying watching the big birds as they roam hillsides they had been absent from for almost a century.
To find out more about wild turkey hunting in Vermont, contact the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department by telephone at 802-241-3700 or check in at their website (www.vtfishandwildlife.com). The 2012 Turkey Harvest Report available on the website has details to help you plan your hunt, including the number of turkeys taken in each town. Last year, turkeys were taken in 241 of Vermont’s 253 towns. While on their website, be sure to look at a printable copy of the guide to “2013 Spring and Fall Turkey Seasons.”
Licenses are available on their website and at agents statewide.
