Missouri
400,000
Wild Turkey Population
Easterns
Turkey Subspecies
102,201 (not including no-cost landowner permits)
Number of Licenses Sold Annually
$20.50
Cost of Resident License and Permit
$276.50
Cost of Non-Resident License and Permit
Photo by Stacey K. Photography
After experiencing several years of poor turkey production and lower turkey numbers, Missouri hunters have some good news for 2024. Statewide production in 2022 was better than the five-year average, and many folks are reporting large winter flocks.
Parts of northeastern Missouri had better-than-average production in 2022 along with areas along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.
Despite recent struggles, Missouri is still a top-tier turkey destination. Hunters there took 44,543 birds during Spring 2023.
One big change: Starting in Spring 2024, you can hunt from a half-hour before sunrise until sunset on private land. Hunters on public land must stop at 1 p.m. Previously, Missouri closed all spring turkey hunting at 1 p.m.
Hunters seeking public land can check out the Ozarks in southern Missouri, which offer some large tracts open to hunting.
