It’s not Thanksgiving, but turkey is just as popular in Kansas as if it was November. Coming up on April 1, turkey hunting season begins.
All of Kansas is open for turkey hunting in April, dependent upon the category of the permit, but that doesn’t mean you can grab a shotgun and search around the prairie. Kansas is divided up into six units for hunting this bird. Unit 4 isn’t open for hunting in the fall, but it is in the spring with a special draw permit.
Kansas turkey guides offer hunting in style. The North Central Kansas Guide Service offers guided hunting services on about 4,000 privately owned lands. They have staff that scout the area and adjust blind locations to ensure prime turkey hunting, said the owner, Brian Blackwood.
He said they have a high success rate for both Rio Grande and Eastern Turkey hunts. “It’s nothing to see 40, 50, 60, 100 turkeys come piling into these feeders,” Blackwood said.
North Central also offers lodging and meals. “It’s a great place to take youths. It’s a great place to take first-time hunters,” Blackwood said. “It’s a great place to bring your wife, or your girlfriend or your daughter.”
The owner of Prairie Oaks Inn in Sylvia, Michael Murphy, used to hunt turkey. Now he feeds and bunks hunters and helps them find the right locations to hunt.
“I know a few people in the area that I can get hunting parties in contact with,” Murphy said. “We are happy to host individuals or groups of people.”
Murphy understands the significance of early mornings and late evenings for hunters. He and his wife, Janis Murphy, are willing to provide breakfast and dinner. The Prairie Oaks Inn is not positioned on legal hunting grounds, but Murphy said there are multiple areas within a half-hour distance of his establishment.
When does turkey season start in Kansas and who can hunt? April 1-12 is open to youth and disabled hunters. Those looking to test their bow skills can start hunting the bird during archery season, starting on April 4 and running through April 12. The hunt for all begins April 13 and ends May 31.
Hunting permits and game tags indicate the units a hunter can hunt in. In addition to a permit, hunters are eligible for a spring turkey tag that is valid in units 1 and 2. One bearded turkey is allowed per permit and game tag (up to two turkeys can be harvested if a hunter purchases both a permit and game tag). Residents and nonresidents of Kansas are eligible to purchase spring turkey permits from March 1 through May 31.
How much does a game tag, permit cost in Kansas? The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks permit and game tags prices vary depending on whether the hunter is a resident of Kansas or what age the person is. A resident permit is $27.50; nonresidents will pay around double this and youths about half that. Resident game tags are $17.50, nonresidents pay are just shy of double and youth game tags are $7.50. Nonresidents must also purchase a Nonresident Hunting License, which costs $97.50 A resident. A resident’s lifetime hunting license costs $502.50. 
Hunting in unit 4 is only eligible for Kansas residents during a special permit draw, but if you haven’t applied for a spring turkey permit in unit 4 already, then you’re out of luck. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks states that unit 4 hunters are selected by a drawing and the deadline for unit 4 applications was on Feb. 11.
In case you want to get the jump on next year, the applications for unit 4 opens on Jan. 11, 2023. So, mark your calendars if you’re looking for a unique turkey hunting experience.
Dogs are not permitted for turkey hunting in the spring, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
