Michigan · Turkey · 2026 Edition
Michigan Turkey Season 2026: Fall Dates, Bag Limits
01 — Fall turkey
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fall turkey · TMU I | Hunt number 0401 — no license quota | Sep 15 – Nov 14 |
| Fall turkey · TMU M | Hunt number 0402 — capped at 2,200 licenses, sold first come, first served | Sep 15 – Nov 14 |
02 — Bag limits
| Per license | One turkey of any sex per fall turkey license |
|---|---|
| Beards | Bearded or beardless, either is legal in the fall season |
| Licenses | On sale from August 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern. TMU I is unlimited; TMU M is capped at 2,200 and goes first come, first served |
| Fees | Fall turkey license $15, or $6 for residents 65 and over, on top of a base license |
| Closed area | Isle Royale, part of Keweenaw County, is closed to hunting and trapping |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 15, 2026) 06:51 — 20:21
Rule: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. The DNR prints the table for Zone A only — add the minute offset from the zone map for anywhere else, and subtract an hour in Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson and Menominee counties, which are on Central Time. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Michigan sun times for any other date.
04 — License
A Michigan hunting license and turkey permit are required. Check whether the permit is sold with the license or separately, and note any cap on gobblers per hunter per year.
Michigan hunting license cost & turkey permits →
Where to hunt public land in Michigan — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — Scouting gear
Patterning a gobbler's roost and strut zone before Michigan'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.
06 — FAQ
When does turkey season start in Michigan?
The earliest 2026 opener is September 15, 2026. See the tables above for each segment.
When does turkey season end in Michigan?
The latest 2026 closing date is November 14, 2026. Individual segments and zones close on their own dates.
When does fall turkey season start in Michigan?
Fall turkey · TMU I opens September 15, 2026 (Hunt number 0401 — no license quota).
How many turkeys can you shoot in Michigan?
2026 bag limits: Per license — One turkey of any sex per fall turkey license. Beards — Bearded or beardless, either is legal in the fall season. Licenses — On sale from August 15 at 10 a.m. Eastern. TMU I is unlimited; TMU M is capped at 2,200 and goes first come, first served. Fees — Fall turkey license $15, or $6 for residents 65 and over, on top of a base license. Closed area — Isle Royale, part of Keweenaw County, is closed to hunting and trapping. 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 Michigan?
On opening day (September 15, 2026) legal light runs 06:51 to 20:21. The rule is: Half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. The DNR prints the table for Zone A only — add the minute offset from the zone map for anywhere else, and subtract an hour in Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson and Menominee counties, which are on Central Time. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Michigan sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt turkey on my own land in Michigan without a license?
A Michigan resident, their spouse, and their children may hunt small game without a license on farmland they're actually domiciled on. Deer and turkey aren't covered, and owning land you don't live on doesn't qualify.
Verified · Michigan Department of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. FALL ONLY FOR NOW, AND THAT IS A PUBLICATION GAP RATHER THAN A DATA GAP. Michigan splits turkey across two separate regulation summaries. The fall digest covering September to November 2026 is current and is the source here. The spring digest on the DNR site is still the 2026 edition, whose season ran April 18 to May 31, 2026 and is over; the spring 2027 dates are not published yet and typically appear early in the year. Spring rows will be added once the DNR publishes them — until then no spring dates are shown rather than last year's. Hunting hours are printed for Zone A only: for any other zone, add the minute offset shown on the DNR zone map. Times are Eastern, and hunters in Gogebic, Iron, Dickinson and Menominee counties are on Central Time and must subtract an hour. Isle Royale, part of Keweenaw County, is closed to hunting and trapping. Re-checked 2026-08-16: both TMU I and TMU M fall dates confirmed exact; the spring page is still titled '2026 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations Summary' with no 2027 dates, so the gap remains correct, not stale.