MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin turkey hunters registered 50,287 birds during the 2025 spring hunt, a 14% increase from the five-year average, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said.

The season started on April 12 with the two-day youth hunt for hunters under 16 years old. A total of 3,981 birds were registered during the youth hunt, an increase from 3,967 in 2024.

The regular season is divided into six separate one-week periods, opening April 16 and closing May 27. A total of 246,068 authorizations were available this spring, and hunters applied for or purchased 228,844 of them.

The lowest harvest total was 720 in Zone 7, which runs north of U.S 8 and east of Highway 13. Zone 5, which is south of Zone 7 and includes all of Marinette County and eastern Florence County, saw a harvest of 2,401.

The deadline to apply for the 2026 turkey season is Dec. 10. Hunters can apply for harvest authorizations online through the Go Wild license portal.

Wisconsin has offered a spring turkey season since 1983.