Fighting injustice wherever rules discriminate against the fall turkey hunting dog tradition.

Fall turkey hunting with dogs is currently allowed in 29 out of 44 states with fall seasons: CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, VT, VA, WV, WI WY.
In 1992, only ten states allowed dogs for fall turkey hunting (CA, CO, NE, NY, ND, TX, VT, VA, WV, WY).
Every year more states have fall seasons, and more states allow turkey dogs.
By 2004, hunters in 12 more states enjoy the sport (HI, ID, KS, KY, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NV, OH, OR, TN) in 36 states.
In 2005, IA and MT allowed dogs for fall turkey hunting (from the beginning of their fall seasons), for a current total of 24 out of 43 states with fall seasons.
In 2007, ME, MS, NH, PA, and WI (3 year/9 county pilot hunt, permanent statewide in WI 2010) allowed dogs for fall turkey hunting, for a current total of 29 out of 44 states with fall seasons. States that don't allow the practice: AL, AR, AZ, CT, FL, IL, IN, MA, MN, MO, NM, OK, RI, SD, WA.
States without a fall season: AK, DE, GA, LA, SC, UT (Utah dogs are allowed in spring, see UT below)

Scroll down for the states and provinces in alphabetical order.

"I like the idea of hunting turkeys with dogs, it should be allowed everywhere, and I think will be eventually. It will make fall hunting much more popular, and assist in reducing the crippling losses which are presently very high in hunts without dogs." Lovett Williams (read about turkey dogs in Lovett's book Wild Turkey Hunting & Management)

George LaVanish FREE backwoods gobbler print

"An e-mail survey was sent to agency wild turkey biologists in 49 states and one Canadian province.
The recipients of the survey were members of the National Wild Turkey Technical Committee.
Responses via e-mail or telephone from 37 states and the province of Ontario reveal:
The number of turkey hunters using dogs for fall hunting is very small, and;
Two reasons were cited for the lack of concern about hunter success with dogs and potential for turkey population impact.
First, there seems to be no data to suggest that turkey hunters using dogs are significantly more successful than those who do not. Second, the number of turkey hunters willing to properly train, house and feed a specialized turkey hunting dog is small." Fall Turkey Hunting with Dogs, A Survey of States and Provinces January 2006 - Bob Eriksen, NWTF Regional Biologist.

"A good dog never dies, he always stays, he walks besides you on crisp autumn days when frost is
on the fields and winter's drawing near, his head within our hand in his old way." -- Mary Carolyn Davies

If you live in a State where hunting turkeys in the fall with your dog is still not allowed (AL, AR, AZ, CT, FL, IL, IN, MA, MN, MO, NM, OK, RI, SD, WA), or you'd like to work with others to amend the rules (like lengthen the season), send us your contact information. We'll put you in touch with others we know from your State, and put you on our mailing list for news as it happens. Contact these State coordinators directly: Arkansas Bubba Geisler - Georgia Hilary Nickerson - Kentucky Eddie Williams - Missouri Ralph Scherffius - Ohio Marlin Watkins - Pennsylvania Ron Shealer - South Carolina Jim Casada - Tennessee L.F. Cox. - Washington Thomas Fritsch - Wisconsin Jon Freis

--- Everybody Wants Turkey For Christmas ---

We hear this about hunting turkey with dogs: "It's a rare and minor infraction of an obsolete rule that's no longer applicable." And this: "the wardens don't enforce it anyway, so why bother?" Because it's an injustice that needs to be righted (in certain jurisdictions). The traditional fall and winter seasons date back to the 1400's, much older than the spring season (1950's), which only came about as a way to stop shooting the hens that were just transplanted. Now, we have hunters from their teens to their eighties who think THE time to hunt turkeys is in the spring. Actually fall and winter have always been the traditional time for the harvest, and hunting of all game, primarily because the turkeys are more abundant, and they taste much better in the fall than in the spring. The mean life expectancy of wild turkeys is only 1.3 to 1.6 years, so it makes sense to harvest them in fall, because so many won't make it through their second winter anyway. We want everybody to have turkey for Christmas, that's why we work to change the rules for future hunters, and for those who long for the old time tradition.

- - - State/Province News - - -

Alabama has a fall season, and you can't use a dog, but the fine is reasonable enough: Hunting of wild turkeys with dogs. Any person who hunts, pursues, captures or kills a wild turkey in this state with the aid of a dog at any time shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $50.00 for each offense.

Alaska doesn't have any wild turkeys to hunt yet :-(

Arizona - Allowed methods of take for fall turkey includes shotgun slugs, .17 & .22 magnum, any centerfire handguns and rifles, muzzleloading rifles, blackpowder handguns, bow & arrow, and crossbows, but NOT WITH A DOG. You can hunt Blue Grouse, Chukar Partridge, Pheasant, Quail, Bear and Mountain Lion with a dog, but NOT A TURKEY. Inside AZGFD. Rulemaking Process. Tell the Rulemaker you'd like to see them change the rules. Arizona 2007-2008 Hunting and Trapping Regulations [PDF, 8.85mb] UPDATE 2008 - thanks to your comments, centerfire rifles, muzzleloading firearms and handguns are no longer legal methods of take. Looks like shotgun slugs and rimfire are still allowed, but not dogs for hunting fall wild turkey yet. AZ 2008-2009 Hunting and Trapping Regulations [PDF, 6.26mb]

Arkansas turkeys may be hunted with a 28 gauge or .410 shotgun, but not with the use of dogs.

Colorado has about 187 different game management units. Dogs are most appreciated to hunt them mountains.

Florida Prohibited methods and equipment for taking game: Hunting turkeys with dogs. Taking turkeys with dogs at any time is prohibited. Hunters who use dogs for hunting, including bird dogs or retrievers, are required to have their dogs wear collars that identify their owners. This regulation also requires dog hunters to possess landowners’ written permission before using their dogs to pursue game on private property. For more information, contact an FWC regional office

Georgia has no fall turkey season, and we can't find the rule pertaining to hunting turkey with a dog, but did find this interesting: Bulldogs and Airedales are not allowed on WMAs for hunting any species [p.16 of hunting guide (pdf)].

Illinois It is unlawful to use live or electronic turkey decoys, recorded calls, dogs or bait. An area is considered as baited during the presence of and for 10 consecutive days following the removal of bait. Releasing or Stocking of Turkeys has been Repealed.

Indiana - It is illegal to use dogs, live decoys, electronically powered or controlled decoys or recorded calls to hunt turkeys.
"We killed about 13,193 gobblers in the spring of 2006, up from 11,159 in 2005. Indiana’s fall turkey season ran from Oct. 1 to Oct. 22 in 2006 (10/1 to 10/23/2005), guns are allowed during the last 5 days only. In the fall of 2005 we killed about 716 birds, and 584 in the fall of 2006. It took 11 years to get our fall turkey season started. 2007 is our 3rd year in the 3 to 5 years we’ve committed to evaluating the fall season under a conservative season framework. During the time we considered various proposals for fall turkey hunting there was considerable opposition to fall turkey hunting, with many issues raised, including the opposition to the use of dogs. As in many other states, our turkey hunters are primarily interested in spring hunting opportunities over fall hunting opportunities. The turkey hunting tradition in Indiana, as in most Midwest states, is build around spring turkey hunting which we have been able to do since 1970. Fall turkey hunting in Indiana is very new (2005 first season) and our hunters are still learning about fall turkey hunting.
In contrast to Wisconsin, we do not have good grouse populations and few grouse hunters. Our grouse populations have declined to very low levels and so have our grouse hunters. Most of our bird dog hunters focus primarily on quail and pheasants. We have also had a long tradition of field-trials often involving open country style hunts involving dog handlers on horseback. Our other major dog hunters pursue rabbits (primary beagles), raccoons (hounds), waterfowl/doves (generally retriever breeds), squirrels (mix breeds) and fox/coyotes (hounds & mix breeds). Most dogs used for hunting in Indiana have not been bred for use in fall turkey hunting like you would encounter in Appalachian states. There is a long fall hunting tradition in the Appalachian states and dog lines developed for turkey hunting are useful in locating turkeys in those extensive mountain areas. Getting any hunting regulations changed is an educational process and it’s often based on the public’s perception or opinion. The department holds periodic administrative rule hearings where citizens are invited to make proposals."
Steve Backs - Wildlife Biologist - January 2007 - Division of Fish & Wildlife - Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Iowa - dogs are allowed beginning in 2005 for residents. The legislature restricts the number of permits for nonresidents, and those are all sold in the spring. You can use a dog in any matter you see fit. Hopefully the scatter and call back method will get more popular as hunters learn about it. The issue in Iowa is that only 7 or 8% of the state is forested, and while there’s deer and turkeys in the other areas, that’s where most hunters hunt. Guiding, outfitting and leasing has grown in popularity, and excluding the residents because hunts can be sold to nonresidents. Iowa is the second lowest, or the lowest, in acres of public land in the country (map, map). A little over 1.5% of the state is public, there's no national forest, and very little wildlife refuge lands. Private land is getting tied up, it’s just starting to be an issue there. Residents are complaining to the legislature. The department is trying to find a balance. That’s another reason they’re in favor of dogs for the fall season. Fall permits, a habitat stamp fee, and a general small game hunting license totals $49 for residents, or $189.50 for nonresidents (none available). Iowa has the longest fall/winter season of all states that allow dogs - 139 days.

Terry Little, Ph.D. Iowa Department of Natural Resources June 22, 2005

Kansas - hunters are allowed to hunt turkey with their dogs and there's a four bird limit. Peach the devil dog would be proud.
Wild turkeys gobbling up eastern Kansas by Mike Belt for the Lawrence Journal - World

Maine - A fall turkey hunting season with dogs is being considered. Update new fall shotgun season Oct. 13-19. Update August 24, 2007: A new fall shotgun season and with dogs approved in Maine for fall 2007. If you're serious about fall and winter turkey hunting, Steve Hickoff's new book is a must read: Fall and Winter Turkey Hunter's Handbook

Massachusetts does have a fall season, but don't allow dogs yet. Contact them.

Minnesota GENERAL RESTRICTIONS: Wild turkeys may not be taken with the aid of dogs. No person may be accompanied by a dog or dogs while hunting or assisting in hunting wild turkeys. Exceptions: A person on foot may, without permission, enter private land without a firearm to retrieve a hunting dog. After retrieving the dog, the person must immediately leave the premises. Apparently those Norwegians cover every angle - it's no wonder then that in International Falls, MN it is still against the law for a dog to chase a cat up a telegraph pole, and dog owners can be fined for this. It's also still against the law in Minnesota to hang male and female underwear together on the same washing line. In Alexandria, MN it is still illegal for a man who has garlic, onions or sardines on his breath to have sex with his wife. Who cares about hunting turkey with a dog?!

Mississippi - The fall turkey permits are only good on private land. In those counties the permits go to private landowners, they don’t have to shoot the turkeys themselves, they can let anyone that’s legal do it (necessary hunting license required). Landowners need 100 acres for the 1st permit, 500 acres for each additional permit (600 acres = 2 permits, 1100 acres = 3 permits, etc.). The rules specifically say dogs are not allowed in the spring, but by omission, they're allowed in the fall. Update June 2008: Mississippi amended the season for fall 2008. There.will be one continuous season October 15 to November 15th.

Missouri - We hear from a number of Missouri residents that hunt in the fall with their dog. When asked how can they do that, they say Show Me why they need a law for something everybody already does.
Back in the 1960's, a young Missouri hunter by the name of Ray Eye heard stories about some local, super intelligent, mystical birds. One of them was “ole broken toe”, the king of Buford Mountain. He heard if he even so much as lit a lantern before daylight in the cabin up there, that ole bronze back turkey wouldn't gobble for a month. Now Ray is one of those veteran Ozark turkey hunters that can call a gobbler right off a hen’s back, but he always keeps a good ol' Missouri turkey dog for insurance.

Montana's first fall turkey season was in 2005, and dogs were allowed right from the beginning, for either the spring or fall season, like it should be everywhere. "A person may take game birds during the appropriate open season with the aid of a dog."
"There is no law against hunting turkeys with a dog. As long as the dog does not take the bird (except for wounded birds) - it's legal." 8/7/09 Ken McDonald - Wildlife Division Administrator - Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. 406-444-5645

Nebraska - hunting wild turkey with a dog is not only allowed in the fall, it's also allowed in the spring. On 7/16/2009 Scott Taylor of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission said there’s no restriction on using a dog for spring or fall turkey. The way their regulations work, if it’s not expressly prohibited, then it’s legal. So, since there’s no mention of using dogs to hunt spring or fall turkey, then it’s allowed. On 7/20/2009 Kit Hams wrote: "My dog frequently accompanies me in the Spring." Kit Hams - Big Game Program Manager - Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 402-471-5442

"Nevada Administrative Code 503.147 states, 'It is unlawful to hunt, chase or pursue: (Section 3) Any wild turkey with a dog from March 1 through June 30 of any year.' By omission of reference to any other time period, the pursuit of turkey in the act of hunting by use of a dog is permissible. Short answer: You can hunt turkeys with a dog in the fall." Craig Mortimore, Upland Game & Waterfowl Staff Biologist, Nevada Department of Wildlife, June 27, 2005

New Hampshire is proposing a fall 5 day shotgun turkey hunt in some units for 2006.
UPDATE June 2007! Thank you to Jon Freis, Jim Paige and Steve Hickoff for making a difference.
DOGS ARE NOW ALLOWED during the NH fall turkey season, to facilitate the hunter in breaking up the flocks.

New Mexico has a fall season, but it is illegal to: Take or attempt to take game species over ground baited with any material or scent distributed there to entice the animals, except quail or turkey on private land. Or to shoot a turkey from its roost.
Use of Dogs: Dogs may not be used to hunt big game except bear and cougar (turkey is classified big game).
Storage: Big game and turkey tags must remain with the meat. They authorize possession and storage for one year from the last day of the hunt. To store or possess meat after this date, you must have a storage permit from the Department of Game and Fish.

North Carolina has one of the oldest traditions of hunting turkey with a dog in the fall or winter seasons. But there'll be no fall or winter turkey hunting, with or without dogs in North Carolina starting in the fall of 2009 - spring hunting only. Russ Harris from Henderson, NC offers this insight for you NC hunters and officials to ponder:
"The North Carolina Wildlife Commission has decided after just six years to end the winter turkey season despite biologists’ opinions. The main reason stated for the cancellation was that certain counties in the winter season were experiencing lower spring gobbler harvests. North Carolina’s wildlife biologist, Mike Seamster has made comments to contradict the Commission’s decision.
Blaming the winter season for low spring harvest numbers seems wrong for many reasons. First the winter harvest report in North Carolina indicates that very few turkeys are being harvested. In the six years where the season has been in place, never have more than 200 turkeys been reported. The number of winter turkeys harvested has never been more than one eighth of the spring harvest numbers. And the number of hunters who actually pursued winter turkeys has been very low. The harvest numbers reflect hunter participation in each county, rather than turkey populations in respective counties, according to Mike Seamster, the Wildlife Commission’s upland game bird biologist.
Popular scientific belief is that turkey population densities are regulated by forces of nature, rather than hunting pressure. Seamster has said that most hunters do not realize that turkey populations are driven primarily by reproductive success, not harvest regulations and predators. Noted biologist Lovett Williams has said that turkeys taken in the fall or winter by hunters are accounted for in the overall survival rate of the species. A turkey that was taken by a hunter would have been taken by another predator or the elements. Furthermore, gobblers taken in the fall or winter would have a negligible impact on the success rate because turkeys are not monogamous. Surviving gobblers would take care of all receptive hens the next spring. Of course for every gobbler taken in the winter season, there will be one less turkey gobbling in the spring, but that would equate to only about ten less gobbling turkeys per county in the winter turkey hunting area."

Ohio Update April 20, 2008: Fall turkey hunters will be able to hunt the entire season from October 11 through November 30 with a shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow. This new rule adds 35 days to the previous season for fall turkey gun hunting. Nine additional northeast counties will also be open for fall turkey hunting, bringing the total to 46 counties.
Ohio regulations allow hunters to use a leashed dog to help recover a wounded turkey during the spring season.
This should be allowed in every State, but really, leashing a good dog only hinders it in finding a wounded bird.

Oklahoma still doesn't allow turkey hunting with dogs. Dogs may be used in taking all species except deer, elk, antelope and turkey. Legal means include bow and arrows, shotguns, centerfire rifles or pistols, any rimfire rifle or handgun. So, it's ok to shoot them with a thirty-odd-six, but don't use a dog! But then it is still illegal to make faces at a dog in Oklahoma, a crime that could result in a prison sentence.

Ontario, Canada "The word I got last weekend from this Ontario Fall season was that if this season passes, dogs will be allowed in the fall turkey season. I guess there is a section all ready that states that dogs can be used on any game unless otherwise stated. The ER has no mention of dogs in the fall season, so this issue would fall into place." A. H. 1/25/08
Update May 30, 2008: Dogs will be allowed, opening season dates are October 14-26 in Wildlife Management Units 64, 67, 68, 73, 76, 77, 78, 81, 82, 84, 89, 90, 92, and 93. A. H.
For a dog coming into Canada from the United States, you must have a certificate, signed by a veterinarian licensed in Canada or in the United States, stating that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies during the preceding 36 months. The certificate must have a reasonably complete and legible description of the dog and the date of the vaccination. For more information, check with Canada Customs. Dogs may be brought into Ontario without security if you list them as part of the Tourist Outfitter’s and/or Sportsmen’s equipment when completing the necessary customs forms.

Pennsylvania turkey hunters have an opportunity to get dogs allowed for their fall season. Seventeen percent of the public comments received by the Game Commission were regarding the use of dogs (Jan. 2006), and the issue will now be included in the Wild Turkey Management Plan. Join the hunters interested in supporting the effort by getting on the mailing list - contact Ron Shealer. In the News: Centre Daily Times (page 8), Tribune-Review, Post-Gazette, Tribune-Review, Patriot-News. PA State Senate passed the turkey dog legislation. It took 15 months of hard work by a lot of dedicated people to change the rule. It was passed in 2007, and by the fall of 2009, there's very few turkey hunters using a specially trained dog.

Rhode Island - "Regarding your inquiry about using dogs for fall turkey hunting, it would be wrong to assume that by ommission dogs are legal. Regulation 10.10.3 states that "Calling is the only legal method for hunting wild turkey". Now, I am not opposed to the use of dogs in legitimate fall turkey hunting, so I did propose this specific technique be included, to be allowed for fall turkey hunting in Rhode Island. Prior to going to public hearing, we had a workshop for our sportsmen regarding proposed Regs. Most sportsmen present were not fall turkey hunters; however, almost everyone that spoke on it said dogs should not be allowed for fall turkey, so I was over-ruled (and even if out of ignorance, it made no difference). I just don't think they understood or cared. So the proposal never got into the regulations and the proposal died. As I say, as the state's turkey biologist, I have no objection to this method, but obviously do not have the final say. Also our fall season is limited to archery hunting so at this time, given our fall hunting opportunities, hunting with dogs or not is just not an important issue here for our sportsmen." Brian C. Tefft
Principal Wildlife Biologist RIDEM Division of Fish and Wildlife 277 Great Neck Road West Kingston, RI 401-789-0281
Rhode Island turkey hunters - you have some professional allies! Archers - use a popup blind the first few years with a dog.

South Carolina only has a spring season and turkeys may not be hunted with dogs.
"Turkey hunting regulations are similarly muddled. On private land in 11 counties in the Low Country the season opens on March 15, while the rest of the state waits until the beginning of April. Likewise, and you can couch it delicately if you wish, but I won't. DNR spokesmen flat-out lied to sportsmen when the fall turkey hunting season was "suspended" the better part of two decades ago. Promises were made, in public hearings, that the traditional season would resume once hatch levels increased. That debt remains unpaid and seems unlikely to be paid so as long at the present wild turkey biologist holds sway.
He is adamantly opposed to fall hunting for turkeys -- not on the basis of hard science or sound biology but rather because he just doesn't like it. Yet the country's pre-eminent authority on turkeys, Dr. Lovett Williams, has told yours truly on more than one occasion that there's nothing wrong with fall hunting where populations will sustain it."
Jim Casada wrote that in The Herald (January 1‚ 2006). Then on November 22, 2008 he called the "lack of a fall turkey season in South Carolina a shame and disgrace."
Rev. Zack Farmer said that Archibald Rutledge and Henry Davis "thought it an abomination that people were allowed to shoot gobblers during the spring season and likened it to shooting fish in a barrel. They thought it much more sporting to bust up a group of turkeys in the fall and call them back in and hunt them by stealth than use hen calls during the mating season to bring even wary old birds running foolishly to gun." The Times and Democrat Orangeburg, S.C.

South Dakota turkeys are classified as big game, therefore;
Legal animals: “Any wild turkey” means any dark turkey that bears characteristics of a Merriam, Rio Grande or Eastern turkey.
Restrictions; The following are illegal: To discharge a firearm, muzzleloader, crossbow or bow and arrow at any big game animal, except turkey to be taken with a shotgun using shotshells or with a bow and arrow, from within the right-of-way of an improved highway including gravel township roads. It is illegal to use dogs to hunt big game.

"Tennessee does allow dogs to be used while turkey hunting, both in the fall and in the spring (if anyone ever uses them in the spring.) For fall turkey hunting, we have a limited number of counties which allow hunts. Hunting is allowed one of three ways.
1. If a county (let's use Hardeman as an example) has a quota hunt, anyone can apply for the Hardeman county hunt and if the
big computer in Nashville pulls out their name, they can hunt with a shotgun during the limited dates specified on the permit.
2. If a person owns land in Hardeman county, he can hunt during those dates with a shotgun on his own land without a permit.
3. Since Hardeman county is open to shotgun hunting for landowners and permit holders, it is also open to anyone who is deer hunting with archery equipment during any of the archery-only deer hunts. In other words, if it is the archery season, and you are deer hunting in Hardeman county, and a turkey walks by, since Hardeman county is open to the quota hunts, you could shoot the turkey." Alan Peterson, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Nov. 23, 2004
If you'd like to see the fall season lengthened, collaborate with L.F. Cox.
In Tennessee, calling wild turkeys from March 1 to the opening day of spring turkey hunting on WMA's is prohibited.

Utah doesn't have enough turkeys yet to have a fall season, but they do allow dogs in the spring. Use of dogs:
Dogs may be used to locate and retrieve turkeys during open hunting seasons. Dogs are not allowed on state wildlife management or waterfowl management areas except during open hunting seasons or as posted by the Division.

Vermont - has fall hunting seasons for turkeys in most WMU's, you can use your dog, and take one turkey of either sex. All of their wild turkeys originated from 31 wild birds that were live-trapped near the Pennsylvania border in New York in 1969 and 1970. Wild turkeys previously existed in Vermont until the mid-1800's.

Virginia - Longbeards ask DGIF to reinstate four more weeks of fall turkey hunting time. From the Fincastle Herald.
Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries are tracking 2 year old gobblers with radio collars and leg bands to record 2 months of spring gobbling and gather other interesting data.
"The board is considering a change (2007) in Eastern Virginia that would start the four-week late segment of fall turkey season a week earlier, but it decided not to pursue that change in Western Virginia... the board tweaked a proposal to shift the second segment of the fall turkey season. John Byrne of Bedford County said the change wasn't needed in Western Virginia, where figures show no major uptick in the adult hen kill during that week."
Visit the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance and look at Hunting with Hounds in Virginia

Washington - Our turkey population in the far eastern side of Washington is booming. Both Merriams and Rios. In fact, the state has expanded the turkey season in the fall with special permits and a general open season. And Washington turkey hunters are able to shoot 3 turkeys a year... two in Eastern Washington and one in Western Washington. One of these days we may very well have the chance to use dogs during the fall turkey season.
June 27, 2005 Department of Fish and Wildlife has extended the time period for the Draft wild turkey management plan available for public comment. Read the Executive Summary.
UPDATE 2/11/08: The fall regulations are being discussed at the upcoming (March and April) Fish and Wildlife Commission meetings and have not been updated on the Web at this time. We will be updating our season information after these meetings conclude. It is likely that we will have expanded fall hunting opportunity, especially in northeastern Washington. Mick Cope, Upland Game Section Manager - WDFW
NEWS from Michael Day to Mick Cope 4/16/09- The Concise Explanatory Statement for the 2009-2011 hunting seasons adopted by the Fish and Wildlife Commission at their April 3-4, 2009 meeting in Olympia explains the changes the Commission has made regarding the 2009-2011 hunting seasons. (One comment on turkey dogs in this 100 page document, after many of our members took the time to write to them!?) Send Michael & Mick some more emails and maybe next year...

West Virginia - You can train your dog on any game in West Virginia 365 days a year and 24/7, including squirrel, rabbit, bear, or any game bird, EXCEPT NOT on deer or turkey! Deer we understand, but turkey? This is one of those old rules that have been in place for centuries. Technically, your dog can only chase turkeys during the 3 week fall season. That seems like a pup wouldn’t be a good turkey dog until he’s too old to run up and down the mountains anymore! If you hunt West Virginia, or are willing to help get the rules changed, give us a holler.

conserve game except where dogs are outlawed

wisconsin 2009 fall turkey hunt with dog

Wisconsin - Update May 28, 2009. Yesterday, in Baraboo, Wisconsin, the DNR advanced the rule to allow turkey hunting with your dog in the fall STATEWIDE, and the Natural Resource Board approved it unanimously. It’s a GREAT DAY for all hunters, and especially turkey hunters in Wisconsin! Statewide, dogs are allowed beginning in the fall of 2010. This fall we still have the 9 county trial area to hunt. PLUS, the fall season has been extended for 2009 and 2010 the whole month of December.

Wisconsin fall turkey season runs 9/12 to11/19, and then from 11/30 until 12/31/2009.

The Conservation Congress voted at the 2007 Spring Hearings, for a pilot program allowing the use of dogs for fall turkey hunting in nine southwest Wisconsin counties in 2007 and 2008: Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, Vernon and Wood counties. At the 2008 spring hearings voters added an additional year to the pilot program, fall 2009. Click on pictures for larger maps. This was made possible by the AWTHDA, the NWTF-WI, the Wisconsin Association of Field Trial Clubs, the Wisconsin Association of Sporting Dog Clubs, and most importantly the Wildlife Committee of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation.
In other states, when the turkey population is sufficient for a fall season, the fish and game departments allow dogs right from the beginning, primarily because all wildlife biologists agree that dogs conserve the resource by preventing lost cripples. In Wisconsin, informed citizens wanted dogs allowed since 2002.

the way turkeys were orignally hunted with a dog

Wisconsin has one of the largest wild turkey populations in the country, one of the longest seasons, and the most liberal

regulations anywhere (half hour before sunrise to half hour after sunset, seven days a week, etc.). And now the number one tool we have for eliminating lost cripples, the dog, is allowed statewide. We're passionate about hunting wild turkey in the traditional fall season, when the birds vocabulary is far different than in spring, and when they taste better. We become better turkey hunters because we know more of the turkeys language. And the resource is better off when we use a trained dog, because we never lose one bird. Help us get turkey dogs allowed in every state by joining now. Photos courtesy Steve Turpin.

wild turkey stamps purchase wisconsin hunting land

Train your dog for fall turkey, learn to hunt the fall birds, and enjoy turkey hunting that's not been like this in Wisconsin for hundreds of years. WI registered (not estimated, like some states) 52,814 turkeys during the 2008 spring season, a 3 percent increase from spring 2007, and after the most snow and the coldest winter in Wisconsin in 35 years!

Wisconsin had 30,778 extra fall 2008 turkey permits available after the initial drawing of 64,922 (95,700 total).
Of the extra permits, only 11,526 were sold. 19,252 went unsold. Four zones sold out, and three didn't, the ones with all the turkeys! With nearly unlimited fall turkey permits, it pays to train a dog for Fall Turkey in Wisconsin! Many bird dogs will scatter a flock, the key thing you have to teach your dog is to sit quietly while you call the birds back in. The best way to train them to do that, is to spend a lot of time together, so they become obedient, and understand what you expect of them. Use a popup blind until the dog calms down enough to hold tight without it. Once you're able to shoot a turkey that you called in, the dog will 'get it'. From then on they'll know the game, and be your loyal hunting partner for life. If you'd like to hunt with experienced turkey dogs, need help finding a place to hunt, where to stay with your dog, or other WI questions, write to us.

Great Lakes Timber Wolf Map in turkey dog hunting area

If your turkey dog is wide ranging, check out the Wisconsin Timber Wolf Maps before you go. Click on maps to enlarge. The Wisconsin Timber Wolf is no longer endangered and was delisted 1/29/07.
The highest risk of wolf depredation to dogs seems to occur in July through September.
Wolves killed 21 dogs from April to October 2008 in Wisconsin.
Brazen wolves near Anchorage killing dogs that are walking with their owners.

"In the U.S., turkeys tied raccoons for second place behind deer for public complaints about
wildlife damage to field crops, accused of racking up in excess of $600 million US in damages."

If you are in need of wild turkey abatement, and tired of wild turkeys damaging the crops, disturbing domestic livestock, attacking children and pets, scratching up the lawn and cars, fouling the yard, driveway, and golf course with their scat (#45, 71, 82, 84, 85, 91, 96, 97, 99, 102, 108, 112, 113...) call the Nuisance Wild Turkey Fighters (NWTF). We're a non-profit wildlife management organization specializing in nuisance fowl control. We maintain a list of qualified individuals to eliminate the foul fowl. Our members are an on-call, rapid response team of turkey hunting experts available to local authorities when needed. We have sharpshooters and turkey dogs standing by. When animal control officers and wildlife agencies need fast service, our professionals are depended on to respond quickly and discreetly. Costs vary, depending on distance and the number of dogs required. We bring traps, guns,

and most importantly dogs to alleviate the problem turkeys. If you're bothered by the over populated nuisance fowl, call the NWTF, we're standing by to help. If you've exhausted all other methods of population control, we have an alternative, environmentally friendly method of chasing them away with trained turkey dogs. They will most likely return, but we solve that by getting you a turkey dog of your own.

We found a genuine need for a trained dog to harass sandhill cranes when a farmer asked me to keep the cranes off his corn field. He said; "last year they really did a lot of damage, you can tell it's cranes doing it because the plant is plucked from the ground." The next morning we were up at 5AM. I sicced Keena on the big birds and she beelined across a 40 to chase them away. They didn't come back for 3 days. It doesn't hurt the crane (they see the dog coming and take off), and we get our exercise. MI, MN, and WI farmers were authorized to use a nonlethal bird repellent since 2006 for use on corn seed to deter sandhill cranes. The cranes walk along the row, pluck the plant out and eat the kernel that's still there. They only do that for 2-3 weeks (depending on soil type and temps), until the kernel disintegrates. The farmer greatly appreciated having someone monitor the fields for him, and we were glad to do it. Check first with binoculars if the cranes have young with them, they may not be as willing to take flight. "Bill stabs by cranes have killed humans and dogs (pdf)". The young might be hidden in the long grass nearby so approach cautiously, and keep the dog leashed until you're sure. If the cranes don't take flight by the time you're within 200 yards they may not intend to. The International Crane Foundation points out that scaring the birds off to the neighbors cornfield might not be any better. So, there's lots of considerations before putting your valuable turkey dog on a crane. If nuisance cranes are bothering the corn, or territorial cranes are causing damage to property or themselves by attacking their reflection in glass windows, write to the AWTHDA Crane Scarers. Professional, natural, environmentally friendly nuisance fowl control. The economical alternative to Avipel^®. Except for that short period when corn is emerging, Sandhill Cranes can be the farmers best friend. Here's a juvenile Great Blue Heron, they make really excellent mousers and insect eaters, as these pictures taken in September 2009 attest! My turkey dog barks at the intruder, but knows it's sure not a turkey!