Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
31
Turkey season changes are made
in response to declining populations
Game and Parks made several significant changes to the 2023 wild turkey hunting seasons in response
to a declining turkey population across the state.
The changes made starting with the 2023 hunting seasons were:
•
Personal permit limits for all hunters were lowered to two spring permits and one fall permit;
previously three spring and two fall permits were allowed.
•
A spring permit quota of 10,000 was established for nonresidents;
•
The bag limit specifies that a hunter may harvest no more than one turkey per calendar day;
•
The bag limit for fall was reduced from two turkeys to one;
•
The fall season is shortened to Oct. 1-Nov. 30. The season had been Sept. 15-Jan. 31.
Turkey populations in Nebraska have fallen considerably since their peak around 2008-10. Over the
past 15 years, turkey populations have decreased by 52% across the state. The likely causes are habitat
conversion and degradation. Predators and disease also could have played a role. It's likely the high
numbers of the late 2000s were above carrying capacity, and the recent decline is a regression back to
carrying capacity of the current habitat.
Wild turkeys in Sarpy County.
