Massachusetts · Turkey · 2026–27 Edition
Massachusetts Turkey Season 2026–27: Fall & Spring Dates, Bag Limits
01 — Fall turkey
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fall — Archery Only | WMZs 1-13 | Oct 5 – Oct 17 |
| Fall — Shotgun, Muzzleloader & Archery | WMZs 1-13 | Oct 19 – Oct 31 |
| Fall — Archery Only | WMZs 1-13 | Nov 2 – Nov 28 |
02 — Spring gobbler
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Turkey Hunt | WMZs 1-13 | Apr 24 – Apr 24 |
| Spring Season | WMZs 1-13 | Apr 26 – May 22 |
03 — Bag limits
| Spring | 2 bearded birds — both may be taken on the same day |
|---|---|
| Fall | 1 turkey of either sex |
04 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (October 5, 2026) 06:18 — 18:49
Rule: Fall: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Spring: half an hour before sunrise until noon only. Youth Day: half an hour before sunrise until 5 p.m. (per MassWildlife). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Massachusetts sun times for any other date.
05 — License
A Massachusetts hunting license and turkey permit are required. Spring and fall permits are often sold separately, and some states cap the number of gobblers per hunter per year across both seasons.
Massachusetts hunting license cost & turkey permits →
Where to hunt public land in Massachusetts — WMAs by county & access rules →
06 — Scouting gear
Patterning a gobbler's roost and strut zone before Massachusetts's opener usually means glassing from a distance and running a trail camera through late winter and early spring.
- Hunting binoculars on Amazon →
- Trail cameras on Amazon →
- Trail camera SD cards — class, capacity & format explained →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category links, not a single named pick — we run no product tests of our own.
07 — FAQ
When does turkey season start in Massachusetts?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is October 5, 2026. Fall and spring seasons run separately — see the tables above.
When does turkey season end in Massachusetts?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is May 22, 2027. Individual segments and zones close on their own dates.
When does spring turkey season start in Massachusetts?
Youth Turkey Hunt opens April 24, 2027 (WMZs 1-13).
When does fall turkey season start in Massachusetts?
Fall — Archery Only opens October 5, 2026 (WMZs 1-13).
How many turkeys can you shoot in Massachusetts?
2026–27 bag limits: Spring — 2 bearded birds — both may be taken on the same day. Fall — 1 turkey of either sex. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting turkey in Massachusetts?
On opening day (October 5, 2026) legal light runs 06:18 to 18:49. The rule is: Fall: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. Spring: half an hour before sunrise until noon only. Youth Day: half an hour before sunrise until 5 p.m. (per MassWildlife). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Massachusetts sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt turkey on my own land in Massachusetts without a license?
A Massachusetts landowner with 300 or more contiguous undeveloped acres, or a farmer earning at least half their income from farming, may hunt small game on that land without a license. Deer, turkey, or bear on the same land needs a separate Farmer/Landowner permit, which also covers immediate family and resident tenants.
Verified · Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. Fall 2026 dates are literal dates from MassWildlife's own regulations page. Spring 2027 dates are NOT yet printed as literal dates anywhere on the site (the page only shows spring/youth dates for 2026, already past) — MassWildlife instead publishes a codified formula for both seasons ('Hunting season framework' section, 321 CMR 3.02(9)): spring begins the last Monday in April and runs to the 4th Saturday thereafter; the youth hunt is the Saturday immediately before spring opens; fall begins the 8th Monday before Thanksgiving and runs through the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That formula was checked against the literal fall 2026 dates on the same page (Oct. 5 - Nov. 28, 2026) and reproduces them exactly, which is why the spring 2027 dates below (computed from the same formula) are shown as real dates rather than left blank. All days are Monday-inclusive except Sunday, when hunting is prohibited statewide. Fall Turkey WMZs 1-13 is effectively the whole turkey range in Massachusetts — no WMZs 14+ are mentioned for turkey. Re-verified 2026-08-16 (mass.gov blocks curl/WebFetch with 403, Browser pane got through): literal fall dates and fall archery/shotgun sub-windows confirmed exact; spring 2027 still not literally published, so this file's formula-derived dates were independently recalculated by hand (April 26, 2027 is confirmed the last Monday in April; May 22, 2027 is confirmed the 4th Saturday after; April 24, 2027 is confirmed the preceding Saturday) — all three match what was already recorded.