Kansas Spring Turkey Hunting 2014

Spring Turkey Hunting Preview

Last spring’s Kansas turkey hunting season at 10 Gauge Outfitters was a tremendous success. Eight clients harvested 12 turkeys in 2013, and there was a 100% success rate on shot set-up. Most of the beards of these toms were eight to 10 inches, and most spurs measured about one inch. One tom sported 1-1/2-inch spurs. A good number of turkeys thrive in the mixed habitat of south central Kansas.

Tim Weddington, owner and guide for 10 Gauge Outfitters near Kinsley, Kansas, said, “Our feeders are in a staging area between timber and food sources.” This set-up, he explained, gives hunters a prime location to scout and hunt Rio Grande tom turkeys.

The Kansas archery-only turkey hunting season and youth-only firearms season runs April 1-8, 2014. The regular firearms season is a lengthy stretch from April 9 to May 31. In all hunting units but one in Kansas, any turkey hunter who has purchased a spring turkey permit may purchase one second turkey game tag. According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, just over 39,000 hunters harvested more than 31,000 turkeys in the spring of 2012.

Turkey hunting has improved greatly in Kansas the last four decades. In fact, in 1974, the spring turkey season was only nine days long. Forty years later, Kansas boasts a 61-day spring turkey season (included is the eight-day youth and archery season).

The birds are plentiful in Kansas, and Rio Grande turkey hunting at 10 Gauge Outfitters looks to be promising in 2014.