A Look at the Upcoming Turkey Seasons in Texas and Finding the Perfect Hunting Trip

Turkey Season is on its way!

Summer may be coming to an end, but the autumn hunting season is just getting started! It may seem early to start thinking about Thanksgiving, but it will be here before you know it. If you live in Texas, the season begins in November, which is just in time for Turkey Day! Let's take a deeper look at the turkey season in Texas.

Rio Grande Turkey

Rio Grande Turkeys are different from eastern Turkeys. You can differentiate between the two by the coloration on the tips of the tailfeathers and the upper tail coverts, which are the feathers on the lower back that cover the base of the tailfeathers. They are one of the 3 turkey subspecies that can be found in Texas. These feather tips are buff or tan, while Eastern turkeys have dark brown feather tips.

This fall, Rio Grande turkey season in the north zone starts on November 5 and lasts up until January 1. The south zone also starts on November 5, but the season in this area lasts a little longer, as it goes until January 15. If the season is still too short for you, Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg & Willacy counties start November 5 and last up through February 26. The archery-only season for Rio Grande turkey begins even sooner, on October 1, and lasts until November 4.

The fall isn't the only time you can snag a Rio Grande Turkey. Though we are excited about the autumn season now, you can also hunt this type of turkey in the springtime. This coming spring, the season in the north zone goes from April 1–May 14, the south zone is March 18–April 30, and the season in one-turkey counties is April 1–30.

Eastern Turkey Season

Eastern turkey season, on the other hand, is only in the springtime in Texas. It begins on April 22 and goes through May 14. The population has remained low since 1900, so it makes sense that the hunting season is only in the fall. These turkeys can be found in the Pinewoods and Post Oak Savannah ecoregions of eastern Texas.

Get excited because it's just about turkey time! If you are interested in going on guided hunting trips this year, check out Mallard Bay! This company provides an awesome service that takes the stress off of planning hunting and fishing trips, which can be especially useful to those who are newer to these activities. Keep them in mind as we enter into turkey season!