The forecast is in, and Rio Grande turkey season 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 2 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 to find out more.

Rio Grande turkey bag limit is 4 birds.
South Zone: 3/20 to 5/2
North Zone: 4/3 to 5/16

One-Gobbler Only season in 10 counties, from Milam County south to Matagorda County, runs 4/1 to 4/30.

Eastern turkey bag limit is 1 bird, from 4/22 to 5/14.

You are required to report an eastern turkey harvest 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. 

What You 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 1-bird bag limit counties, or to take non-bearded hens in the north and south zones.

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 we appreciate your participation. Working together, we can build a sustainable population of eastern turkeys.

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 our recent video, Wild Turkeys Get a New Home.

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. Try it – brining is easy, and it can make a big difference in the quality of your turkey on the plate.