Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) shows young turkey hunters in Missouri harvested 5,255 birds over the past youth weekend, April 11-12. Top harvest counties were Osage with 121 birds harvested, Franklin with 119, and Gasconade with 107.

In Lafayette County, youth hunters checked 24 turkeys (18 adult gobblers, six juvenile gobblers, 0 bearded hens) and Saline County youth hunters tagged 34 turkeys (23 adult gobblers, 10 juvenile gobblers, one bearded hen). Other local counties harvested turkeys during the spring youth season as follows: Ray 20, Carroll 42, Johnson 44, Pettis 28.

During the 2025 spring youth weekend, young hunters checked 4,449 birds.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of MDC offering a special youth weekend for spring turkey hunting. In April 2001, young Missouri turkey hunters got their first dedicated spring hunting weekend for wild turkeys in the Show-Me-State. Over the decades, youth spring turkey hunting has grown in popularity. In 2001, MDC sold just over 4,000 youth permits. This spring, MDC sold nearly 16,700 youth permits. Since 2001, an average of about 15,500 youth hunters have participated in the youth turkey season.

Get more harvest information by county at extra.mdc.mo.gov/ widgets/harvest_table/.

The regular spring turkey season runs April 20 through May 10. For more information on spring turkey hunting in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/huntingtrapping/ seasons/turkey-spring.