Spring turkey hunting regulations

 In the spring you may take two bearded birds. You may only take one bird per day.

 Immediately after taking a turkey, fill out the carcass tag and attach it to the bird.

 You do not need to save and send in turkey legs in the spring. You do need to take careful spur and beard measurements and record them on the spring carcass tag.

 Spur measurements: spurs should be measured from the tip of the spur to the base of the spur, where it emerges from the scaly part of the leg. Measure to the nearest 1/4 inch. Do not measure to the forward edge of the leg, only to the base of the spur.

 Beard Measurements: beards should be measured from the tip of the beard to the base, where it emerges from the skin. Butt the end of your ruler against the base of the beard and extend the beard along the body of the ruler. Measure to the nearest 1/4 inch.

Reporting Your Take

For both fall and spring, you must report taking a turkey via the new DECALS reporting system. Call 1-866- GAME-RPT within 48 hours to report take.

To record your spring turkey take, you will need the spur and beard measurements recorded on the carcass tag.

Source: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation