Youth wild turkey opener is this weekend

By Logan Bagett on Friday, April 11th, 2025 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories

JOHN DAY – Spring Turkey Season will begin soon in Eastern Oregon, and youth hunters have a chance to get a head start this weekend. The “youth only” turkey hunt will be on Saturday, April 12^th and Sunday, April 13^th.

John Day ODFW Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Ryan Platte recently told KJDY listeners that youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older this weekend:

“I encourage all youth to get out there and take advantage of it with the caveat that there is still a lot of snow up high, and access is going to be pretty limited in the start of the season.”

Tags are available at huntfishoregon.com and at the usual license sales locations. Regular Spring Turkey Season begins April 15^th and runs through the end of May. Platte said the wild turkey population in Grant County is plentiful:

“Our bird numbers look phenomenal. The John Day Valley has always had a healthy population of turkeys, and they just seem to keep growing, and so that should offer a lot of opportunities for the spring hunters.”

Hunters can harvest up to three birds with a visible beard on three separate tags, harvesting no more than one turkey per day.

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