Licenses are on sale now for two spring turkey hunting seasons that do not require hunters to apply in Michigan’s turkey hunt drawing.
Hunt 0234 and Hunt 0301 offer flexible options for hunters looking for more opportunities this spring. Both seasons have unlimited quotas, and licenses can be purchased throughout the entire spring turkey hunting season.
Hunt 0234: Statewide license
Hunt 0234 runs May 2-31. (Note that the print version of the DNR’s 2026 Spring Turkey Regulations Summary incorrectly listed the 0234 season dates as April 25-May 31, but the correct dates are May 2-31.)
A Hunt 0234 license allows hunters to pursue spring turkey on:
Public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula (TMU M).
Public and private lands in the northern Lower Peninsula (TMU NN).
Private lands only in the southern Lower Peninsula (TMU ZZ).
Fort Custer military lands, with permission.
If you have a Hunt 0234 license, you must have landowner permission to hunt on private lands.
Hunt 0301: Private-land option for southern Michigan
Hunt 0301 offers a long season for private-land hunters in southern Michigan, running April 18–May 31. With this license, you may hunt on:
Private lands only in the southern Lower Peninsula (TMU ZZ).
Fort Custer military lands, with permission.
If you have a Hunt 0301 license, you must have landowner permission to hunt on private lands. This license is not valid on county, state or federal lands.
If you purchase a Hunt 0234 license or a Hunt 0301 license, you cannot purchase a general spring turkey license. Hunters can only buy one spring turkey hunting license per year.
General license: Leftover licenses for Units M, NN and ZZ
If you did not apply for the drawing, you may purchase leftover general licenses for units with a drawing and quota. These licenses are valid on public and private lands. Leftover licenses may or may not be available, depending on demand.
How you purchase your spring turkey license determines whether you receive a paper kill tag or an electronic kill tag (eHarvest tag).
If you purchase a spring turkey license at a license agent or online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses, you will receive a paper kill tag. If you purchase online, allow 10-15 business days for the tag to arrive by mail. You must have the physical kill tag in your possession while hunting.
If you purchase a license through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app, you will receive an electronic kill tag immediately in the app. When using an eHarvest tag, you must be able to display the tag on a mobile device while in the field. After a successful harvest, the tag must be validated immediately in the app.
New this year: Report your harvest within 72 hours
Similar to deer harvest reporting, all successful spring turkey hunters must report their harvest within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the bird, whichever comes first.
