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Gobbling and strutting activity is ramping up across the South as hunters enter the spring woods with anticipation of a successful season. (Photo by Clayton Worrell)

As turkey season gears up across the South, early reports paint an encouraging picture for spring 2026. From Florida and Mississippi to Alabama, Kentucky, and Texas, gobbling activity is beginning to ramp up, winter flocks are breaking apart, and hunters are heading to the woods with enthusiasm. While weather conditions and habitat changes are influencing bird behavior in some areas, overall turkey numbers appear strong as the spring season gets underway.

South Florida’s season just opened and Ricky Lackey, National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) district biologist, says the reports coming in are pretty good so far.

“Including the youth weekend, 714 birds have been harvested as of this morning (3/12/2026 @8:21a.m.). Youth weekend for the rest of the state opens this coming weekend.”

Lackey says turkey numbers are also looking pretty good in Georgia, which opens the end of the month.

“They’re really good around the southern half of the state. Winter flocks are busting up, and gobbling activity is increasing. Statewide season opens March 28, and hunters seem excited to get going,” Lackey said.

Mississippi’s youth season opened on March 7, and the regular season opened March 14. Kacie Bauman, NWTF district biologist, says the state hosted two JAKES events, one in the northern portion of the state and one in the southern portion. He says the reports are varied, depending upon where you are in the state.

“North Mississippi experienced a pretty significant ice storm several weeks ago, so there’s a lot of timber damage spanning from the central part of the state up into the northern part. As such, the turkeys seem to be more reclusive in the areas affected by the ice storm. They are starting to gobble, and we had some success with the JAKES hunt in north Mississippi. As far as the southern part of the state, the turkeys seem to be more active with more reported gobbling activity and a successful JAKES event occurring this past weekend. The warmer weather in the southern part of the state has brought the turkeys out and sightings have increased there over the last couple of weeks.”

Turkeys for Tomorrow (TFT) Board Member BC Rogers says he and his 10-year-old son spent two days hunting in Mississippi so far, but with very little weather cooperation.

“No gobbles heard yet, but we have seen turkeys on each hunt. We are both very optimistic about our flock this season. Now, it just needs to get dry, sunny, and still, and that is coming," Rogers said.

With Alabama’s season just around the corner, outdoor photographer Tes Jolly said it’s a great time to be in the woods listening and observing.

”There are big changes in the flock dynamics as winter transitions into spring and flocks break into breeding groups. There are lots of battles for dominance in hen and tom flocks, and of course, the jakes are always up for a fight or to harass from the sidelines. I photographed the earliest breeding ever the third week of February. The turkeys are kicking off the spring breeding season early!”

Pete Daugherty, TFT director of outreach, says he’s been out in central Alabama a few times over the past two weeks to listen and has heard multiple gobblers each time.

"However, in the past two years, significant timber harvesting on our property has dramatically changed the habitat. This in turn has pushed most of our turkeys to the outer edges of our property or to the neighbors. We still have turkeys, but I feel like hunting them will be much more challenging this spring," Daugherty said.

Winter flocks around Kentucky have mostly broken up, according to Timber 2 Table Editor Michael Pendley.

“I’m seeing flocks of hens and last year’s female poults together. Jakes have separated into their own flocks and are sparring and outright fighting with each other for pecking order. Gobblers are still mostly hanging out together, although I’m starting to get some single tom trail camera pics in food plots. There’s some strutting and light morning roost gobbling, but they haven’t kicked into high gear yet.”

According to Jason Hardin, Texas Wild Turkey Program Leader, Texas has observed two to three good years of recruitment and bird numbers are up amid several years of timely rainfall and mild winters.

“We received another mild winter this year, but we have been dry across the Rio Grande wild turkey range. A lot of Texas received rain this week, and that should lead to green-up where that occurred. We still need more rain, but it is a good start.”

Harden says he anticipates flocks breaking up a little later this year than in the last few years, which will mean more gobblers henned up early in the season.

“As the season progresses, we should start seeing gobblers being more likely to come to calling. Again, there are lots of birds on the landscape. There are not as many jakes this year as in the past two, but with great carryover due to low harvest rates. There are a ton of 2- and 3-year-old gobblers on the landscape,” Hardin said.

The transition from winter flocks to spring breeding activity is well underway across the region. With gobbling gradually increasing, green-up beginning in many areas, and solid numbers of mature birds reported throughout the region, hunters across the South should encounter plenty of opportunities as spring unfolds.