Get Ready For Minnesota’s Turkey Hunting Season Starting April 15

The spring turkey hunting season is set to begin on April 15 in Minnesota.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON to discuss whether this will be another record breaking year for the turkey harvest.  Schmitt says the state has had back to back record breaking years with 16,700 turkeys harvested in the state in the spring of 2024 and 16,903 turkeys shot in 2025.   Schmitt says signs are pointing to another big harvest season.

Central MN Population

Southeast Minnesota had been the go-to spot for turkey hunting but Schmitt says Central Minnesota may be the best option in the state to hunt turkeys.  Permit areas 507 and 508 are both in central Minnesota and those 2 zones saw almost 8,000 turkeys shot, which is just under half the total for the state for last year's spring turkey hunt.  Schmitt says conditions are good in central Minnesota with good habitat, good hatches, and mild winters.

Dates

The youth season runs from April 15 - May 31, Archery season goes from April 15 May 31.  The turkey seasons is split up into 6 seasons with season A going from April 15-21, season B, April 22-28, season C, April 29 - May 6, season D, May 6-12, season E, May 13-19 and season F, May 20-31.

Trout Season

The stream trout fishing opener is Saturday in Minnesota.  Schmitt says Saturday is the opener for the harvest season.  He says anglers can keep trout statewide and there are some stream trout fishing opportunities in Central Minnesota.   Schmitt says there are about 10 trout streams in Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties combined.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Glen Schmitt, click below.