The last Wisconsin wild turkey was detected near Darlington, Wisconsin in Lafayette County in 1881.  

Things have certainly changed with the reintroduction of wild turkeys into Wisconsin ecosystems in 1976.  

Wisconsin’s modern day spring turkey season will open for the 43th time April 16, 2025, continuing a tradition that began in 1983.  This was a mire seven years after 29 Missouri hens and gobblers were released in Wisconsin’s Vernon County; a trade that sent ruffed grouse to Missouri in trade for these and other turkey releases that followed.

Turkey hunters, birders, and photographers say the Badger State got the better of the trade, which helped put Wisconsin on the map as a turkey hunter’s destination bringing hunters, and others, from as far away as Alabama to call to these spring gobblers.

Numerous other releases and relocations have helped push the Eastern wild turkey to all 72 Wisconsin counties.

The hunt is the prize jewel for many but other traditions have answered the call, too and continue to be a big part of celebrating this reintroduction.  What has not developed yet is a Thanksgiving Day hunt for the bird as table meat, even though an autumn season is open in some zones during the annual November nine-day, gun deer season. 

Talk of making the wild turkey the state’s game bird, along with the ruffed grouse, have not yet drawn attention of Wisconsin’s legislators.

The sale of bonus authorization permits is a tradition and challenge of sorts for some hunters.  The youth turkey hunt, April 12-13 this year, is another highlight with learn-to-hunt sessions and actual mentored hunts.  

Jeff Fredrick, of Mindoro, Wisconsin may be Wisconsin’s guru turkey geek, as his answering machine proclaims.

 He hunts, paints, photographs, and makes art of what’s left after all the meat is trimmed.  The feathers become decoys and other works of art.

“The sale of bonus authorizations always got me so worked up and anxious that I scheduled my Wyoming and Montana turkey hunts to conflict with Wisconsin’s period C so I didn’t wait in line only to find out those for Period C were all sold out,” Fredrick said.  “I purchased a first season in Minnesota, got second period with my patron license, bought a Period D, and my son and daughter each have an authorization, too”.

Each year bonus authorizations are available until they are all sold.  Zone A has permits for periods D, E, and F, as does Zone 3.  Zone 2 has Period F remaining.

Licenses cost $15 and $65 for residents and nonresidents, respectively.  In addition, a turkey stamp costs $5.25, which is good for both spring and fall hunting, even though separate licenses are needed.

Generally, about 40,000 turkeys are registered each spring season.  The record number of birds; 52,880 were registered in 2008.  Compare that to 1983 when 1,200 hunters registered 182 birds during the first modern day spring season.

Turkey hunting seminars, calling contests, new clothing, calling devices, and even a challenging shotgun, the .410, and heavy shot loads have arisen, as well as turkey camps patterned after Wisconsin’s November deer camps.

Several southwest communities claim to be Wisconsin’s turkey hunting capital including Romance, Wisconsin near where the first Missouri birds flew from crates; and Boscobel, Wisconsin, a rural community that was one of the first in-person registration stations for hunters.

Wayne Smith, of Blanchardville, Wisconsin shot his first turkey during Wisconsin’s second hunt, 1984.  

“I borrowed an old slate call from a buddy, used a face paint kit, an old camouflage jacket, and a 12-gauge shotgun, not camouflaged.  I heard a gobble at about 300 yards and began calling.  The bird as I recall came in silent and I shot him and went straight to work at Madison Silo Company after that,” Smith said.  “There isn’t anything prettier than a strutting gobbler coming in to your calls.  It’s a lot like deer hunting but there you hope someone sends a deer your way.  In turkey hunting you are coaxing the gobble to come to you.”

Fredrick believes he was fortunate growing up with the new game in town at that time.  “We knew very little about spring turkey hunting,” he said.

“My father is a taxidermist and he used to sponsor a class for area taxidermists to learn mounting techniques.  One of the instructors was from the South and I’d listen to him tell stories about turkey hunting, which got me interested and started.”

Fredrick believes his growing up with turkey hunting starting in Wisconsin gave him a perspective few people ever experienced and never will in the future.

Doug Williams, at D W Sports Center in Portage believes turkey hunting has become a way of life for some hunters.  “There is nothing like a gobbler gobbling, the woods coming to life in spring, and all the different animals and plants coming back from dormancy of just surviving winter.”

It’s just a great day to be alive and in the woods, many an old-timer and first-time hunters say.

Contact Jerry Davis, a freelance writer at sivadjam@mhtc.net or 608.924.1112