The forecast is in, and Rio Grande turkey season for Texas looks excellent. They had great production over most of their range the past couple of years— we even observed a single flock of 60 jakes in North Texas in 2020! Those birds are two years old now, and that means excellent hunting.
There will be a lot of jakes again this year, which means yet another good season in 2022. Take advantage of these high numbers and plan now to chase longbeards in your favorite spots. Check out “Turkey in Texas” at the Texas Parks & Wildlife website to learn more.
In the South Zone, the season began March 20 and continues through April 2. In North Zone the season begins April 3 and runs through May 16. The Rio Grande turkey bag limit in either zone is four birds.
The One-Gobbler-Only season in 10 counties, from Milam County south to Matagorda County, runs April 1–30. The Eastern turkey bag limit is one bird, from April 22 to May 14. Harvests of eastern turkey must be reported with the My Texas Hunt Harvest app or online.
Look over the Outdoor Annual's turkey information for more details, including a list of counties in the One-Gobbler Only Zone.
Here’s a checklist of what hunters need to know:
• Upland Game Bird Endorsement and hunting license are required.
• Proof of Hunter Education is required for all hunters born after Sept. 1, 1971. Carry proof in the field or pull it up using the Outdoor Annual app.
• All turkeys must be immediately tagged with a tag from your license. Watch the short video, How to Tag a Turkey, for details.
• Eastern turkey must be tagged then also reported using My Texas Hunt Harvest.
• Keep proof of sex on any harvested wild turkey.
• In spring, it is illegal to take any hen in one-bird bag limit counties, or to take nonbearded hens in the North and South zones.
Wild Turkey restoration update. Wild turkey restoration has been a success in Texas, with bird numbers rising from about 100,000 at the turn of the century to our current population of about 500,000. Reporting your harvest is key to turkey management efforts, and TPWD appreciates your participation.
Learn about the past year’s restoration efforts in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine blog, “Restoring East Texas’ Wild Turkeys.” To see turkeys being released, watch the recent video “Wild Turkeys Get a New Home.”
How to brine your bird. Wild turkey is a naturally lean meat, but you can enhance its flavor and juiciness by brining your bird before cooking it. Brining means to soak it in a mix of salt, sugar, and water or lemon juice.
Steven Rinella, an outdoorsman known as The MeatEater, shares his technique for brining and roasting a wild turkey. Brining is easy, he says, and it can make a big difference in the quality of your turkey on the plate.
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