Spring Turkey Season Now Open: See the Florida Fish and Wildlife Spring Turkey Hunt Guide
By Space Coast Daily // March 15, 2025
join the excitement when the season opens on private land on March 15
BREVARD COUNTY • FLORIDA—Spring turkey season is already underway in South Florida, and hunters north of State Road 70 can join the excitement when the season opens on private land on March 15.
Do you know Turkey permits directly support habitat improvement projects?
Through the FFWCC Wild Turkey Cost Share Program, funds go toward efforts like prescribed fire, roller chopping, and mulching, which help create better habitats for wild turkeys.
These projects are made possible with support from NWTF – Florida, the Florida Forest Service, and the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida.
Related Story:Florida Fish and Wildlife Officers Brave Freezing Water to Rescue 30 Sea Turtles During Historic Weather Event
Hunters who take a wild turkey must log and report their harvest. This new rule went into effect in July 2022 and applies to all seasons that allow the take of wild turkeys.
About Wild Turkeys
Florida is home to two subspecies of wild turkey — the eastern wild turkey and the Osceola or Florida wild turkey. The Osceola lives only on the Florida peninsula. See the wild turkey species profile for more information.
The National Wild Turkey Federation and the FWC recognize, in their respective turkey registry programs, any wild turkey harvested within or south of the counties of Dixie, Gilchrist, Alachua, Union, Bradford, Clay and Duval, to be an Osceola subspecies.
Season Dates
The 2025 spring turkey season south of State Road 70 opens March 1 and runs through April 6 on lands outside of the WMA system. North of State Road 70, the 2025 spring season opens on March 15 and runs through April 20.
Bag Limits
Hunters may take bearded turkeys and gobblers only. On lands outside of the WMA system, the daily bag limit is two, and the season and possession limit for turkeys is two.
License and Permit Requirements
To hunt wild turkeys on lands outside of the WMA system, hunters will need a hunting license and turkey permit unless exempt. These licenses and permits can be purchased with a credit card at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or by calling 888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356). They can also be purchased in Florida at county tax collectors’ offices and most retail outlets selling hunting/fishing supplies.
Other Regulations
On lands outside the WMA system, any legal rifle, shotgun, pre-charged pneumatic air guns of at least .20-caliber, muzzleloader, crossbow, bow or pistol may be used to take turkeys.
Shooting hours on lands outside the WMA system are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Hunters may use decoys but are not permitted to hunt turkeys with dogs, use recorded turkey calls or sounds, or shoot turkeys on the roost. In addition, wild turkeys may not be taken if the hunter is less than 100 yards away from a game feeding station when feed is present.
See the Florida Hunting Regulations for more information.
WMAs You Can Hunt Without a Quota PermitMany WMAs offering spring turkey hunting require a quota permit. The FWC also offers WMAs that do not need a quota permit, and you can find those areas by reviewing the list and map below.
Before heading afield, carefully review the WMA regulations brochure for the area you want to hunt. Some WMAs require a quota permit for a portion of their season, while a daily quota permit issued from the check station is needed at others.
In addition, area season dates, bag limits, shooting hours, and other rules may vary depending on the statewide season and other WMAs. Also, always check the WMA’s open/closed status to determine its availability to public access and if there are any road closures or other area updates.
Learn more about wild turkey hunting and management in Florida HERE. Find a WMA that doesn’t require a quota permit HERE.
