Spring Bearded Turkey Hunting Season

The opening of the 2015 Spring Bearded Turkey Hunting Season will begin on Sunday, March 1 and run for 31 consecutive days through Tuesday, March 31, according to the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife.

Officials say that the spring seasons is for bearded turkeys only and will be in the following areas:

Unit A – Mauna Kea Forest Reserve and GMA. Mammal hunting will also be open above treeline for rifle, muzzleloader, handgun and shotgun.

Unit G – Kaohe GMA. Also open daily to mammal hunting for archery.

Unit E and F – Open subject to military training. Portions of the Pohakuloa Training Area will be open, subject to military training. Check for areas and dates with Range Control Hotline 969-3474.

Private Lands. Hunters required to have valid hunting license, current turkey tags and landowner permission.

Kipuka Ainahou. Only open to archery hunting for turkeys. Game mammal archery hunting will also be open on weekends and State holidays.

Hunting hours are half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset.

Length of the season, bag limits, and hunting areas are established in Title 13, Chapter 122, “Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting, Field Trails and Commercial Shooting Preserves.”

The following conditions and restrictions are in effect:

Hunting daily bag limit is two bearded turkeys per hunter with a season bag limit of two.

All hunters are required to have a current unused turkey tag in their possession while hunting. These tags can be obtained free of charge.

Turkey tags are nontransferable and must be fastened around the neck or tarsus of any bird immediately after being killed. These tags can be obtained from any Hawai’i Island Division of Forestry and Wildlife office.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Division of Forestry and Wildlife in Hilo, (808) 974-4221 or in Kamuela, (808) 887-6063.