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Michigan Turkey Hunting Cheatsheet: Guide for Spring 2025

Spring's arrival includes a symphony of bird songs - including the coveted turkey gobble for Detroit's conservationists. Here is Expedition Detroit's breakdown of the locations, dates, equipment, and special regulations - updated for the 2025 spring Michigan turkey hunting season!

michigan turkey hunting expedition detroit spring 2025 regulations conservation dnr scouting tom hen gobble

Imagine a perfect spring morning on your favorite trail. A pleasant 60º temperature with a bluebird sky backdrop, contrasted only by the budding greens, whites, pinks, and purples of the flowering trees. Wildflowers may already be sprouting through the freshly de-frosted ground, and the songs of migrant songbirds complete the background ambiance.


One song breaks through the chorus - a distinct "GOBBLE, GOBBLE" that you had not thought about since November. Then you see them - a flock of wild turkeys steadily trekking through the woods, with a peacocking, puffed-out tom surely chasing down the hens.


Maybe this is your first time ever seeing wild turkeys on this trail. Maybe it's the hundredth time. Regardless, the fact that you're actually witnessing that particular flock resulted from nothing short of a conservation miracle. A research-based, near-perfectly executed plan to preserve and manage North America's wild turkey population that was on the brink of extinction.


And no, this near-catastrophic event did not occur in the 1800s or early 1900s like so many other mass-extinction events. We almost lost our wild turkeys in the 1970s.


Here at Expedition Detroit, we firmly support the necessity of ethical, recreational hunting as a cornerstone component of the Michigan DNR's conservation mission. Beyond the revenue from hunting licenses providing a key funding source for the DNR's operations, the active management of wild species like wild turkey has led to a nearly 8x increase in their population and material preservation of their habitat. For this and many other reasons, outdoor ethics organizations like Leave No Trace have endorsed ethical hunting as a fundamental aspect of a healthy recreational ecosystem.


April 19th is the opening day for Spring Wild Turkey Season throughout southern Michigan. With a few weeks to go, here's a "cheatsheet" for what you should know before heading into the field.

michigan turkey hunting expedition detroit spring 2025 regulations conservation dnr scouting tom hen gobble

2025 Spring Turkey Digest Highlights

Every spring, the Michigan DNR produces its Michigan Spring Turkey Digest that constitutes essentially the Bible on all matters Michigan turkey hunting. Here's a consolidated version of the Digest for turkey hunting within the Detroit region.


When to Apply: Leftover licenses are available for purchase now via the Michigan DNR's website. Purchased licenses will be mailed within 7 to 10 business days after purchase.

The Hunt 0234 license (see below) has no quota and can be purchased anytime.


Season Dates: April 19th - May 31st for private land hunting within Unit ZZ. The public Units have a possible extended season through June 7th depending on each license's specific hunt numbers.

Required Equipment: Hunters may use a bow and arrow, a crossbow, a firearm that fires a fixed shotgun shell, or a muzzleloading shotgun. It is illegal to use or carry afield any other

firearm.

  • With regard to camouflage, we recommended repurposing your bow hunting equipment for early Whitetail Deer season for Michigan's early spring conditions.

  • Other recommended equipment includes turkey calls (don't forget to practice before heading into the field) and decoys.


Licenses Required: Base License and a Spring Turkey License.

The DNR has created a new "Hunt 0234" license available for use between May 3rd - 31st. This is a statewide, guaranteed spring turkey license that does not require an application in the conventional spring turkey drawing. With the Hunt 0234, you can hunt on both public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula, as well as private land in Unit ZZ.


Limitations: 1 bearded turkey per tag. Hunters are also allotted only one tag per season. Turkeys may not be harvested while roosting or sitting in a tree. Mechanical, electronic or live decoys are prohibited.

michigan turkey hunting expedition detroit spring 2025 regulations conservation dnr scouting tom hen gobble

Recommended Public Hunting Locations

As displayed within the Digest, the entirety of the Detroit region is within the "ZZ" Unit - a multi-county, private-land only unit. Within the ZZ Unit "private" area, there are also three "public" area units that feature some of the best hunting destinations throughout the entire state. For the Detroit region, these public areas include Unit ZD and the southeastern portions of Units ZC and ZE.


While licensed hunters can pursue Michigan's turkeys in most state-managed areas, there are a select handful of state lands that the DNR has specifically anointed as suggested locations for prime spring Michigan turkey hunting opportunities. Several of these are in the Detroit region, but two are uniquely located within the same township: Seven Lakes State Park and Holly Recreation Area in Holly Township. Of these two destinations, Holly Recreation Area is especially well-suited for Michigan turkey hunting due to its 8,000+ acres, rolling woodlands, and open fields. Both natural areas are located in Unit ZC and are prime destinations for conventional birdwatching activities as well.


***NEW FOR 2025*** The Michigan DNR maintains a statewide "Turkey Tracts" program designed to highlight public hunting areas where intensive habitat management for turkeys has been conducted. These areas are designed to promote and highlight public access to quality turkey hunting, educate the public of ongoing habitat management and the impacts on wildlife and people, and build a connection with the users of the Turkey Tracts and local community businesses. Holly Recreation Area is the Detroit region's sole keeper of a Turkey Tracts designation site.


EXPLORE HOLLY RECREATION AREA WITH EXPEDITION DETROIT


michigan turkey hunting expedition detroit spring 2025 regulations conservation dnr scouting tom hen gobble

TIPS FOR SCOUTING WILD TURKEYS

If you're new to spring turkey hunting in Metro Detroit, don't worry - you're far from being alone. The resurgence of wild turkeys throughout southeast Michigan has lured legions of deer hunters and new hunters into the woods over the past few years (ourselves included). So if you're wondering where to begin when it comes to scouting wild turkeys, here's a short reference guide for your benefit:

IDEAL HABITAT

Scout for a variety of landscapes that provide for successful nesting, food, water, roosts, and areas for toms to display for hens within a close proximity. Look for fields, cutovers, open timber, creek/river bottoms, ridges, agriculture, cattle pastures, and grown up patches.

WHEN TO SCOUT

A few weeks before opening day - late March to early April. The goal is to get the lay of the land and learn the terrain as much prior to opening day, including searching for turkey tracks.

KEEP YOUR EARS SHARP

Identify a few “listening knobs” located at high points and drop pins. Find the highest point on the property that you're scouting - a place where you'll hopefully be able to hear hundreds of acres at a time. Get to that location well before daylight during the scouting weeks, and around daylight you'll hopefully start hearing gobbles, yelps, or "cawks." If you do, drop digital pins in the general area of those gobbles to create an inventory of turkeys to target.

SIGNS OF TURKEY ACTIVITY

In the early season, start by creek bottoms or other shallow bodies of water. Those locations are where the newest plants will green up first, which hens will find first while foraging. Look for tracks, droppings, and scratching areas (resemble deer scrapes) in the leaves. The bare dirt from turkey scratching will be exposed about the size of a dinner plate, and the leaves will be bunched up to one side. A roost tree should have a lot of droppings and feathers around its base.

michigan turkey hunting expedition detroit spring 2025 regulations conservation dnr scouting tom hen gobble tracks tracking
Wild turkey tracks

michigan turkey hunting expedition detroit spring 2025 regulations conservation dnr scouting tom hen gobble

Please note that this cheatsheet is only a high-level and supplemental reference to the Digest. The Digest also includes a broad range of very helpful and instructive information, such as legal shooting hours, information on lawful stands and baiting practices, and penalties for violations. Any further inquiries regarding applicable rules and regulations should be directed to the Hunting Digest or DNR at 517-284-WILD.


You can CLICK HERE to purchase any of the requisite licenses listed above.

 

New to Michigan turkey hunting and would like additional resources? You're in luck. The DNR, Michigan Wild Turkey Hunters Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, and other groups offer wild turkey hunter orientation courses. A fee may be charged, and space may be limited. For details about events, visit Michigan.gov/Turkey.


Expedition Detroit is proud to partner with the Michigan Wildlife Council's mission of encouraging Michigan residents to support ethical conservation by purchasing fishing and hunting licenses. We hope that join us in conserving Michigan's cherished wildlife this spring!

Learn More about the Michigan Wildlife Council


Best of luck this season!

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