Arizona Turkey Hunt Scouting | Merriam’s & Gould’s

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Turkey Hunting in Arizona

Arizona has two main wild turkey subspecies:

• Merriam's turkey: the most common, living in the ponderosa pine forests of northern and eastern Arizona, including the Mogollon Rim, the White Mountains and the Kaibab Plateau.
• Gould's turkey: found in the sky island mountains of southeastern Arizona. Tags are very limited and can take many years of bonus points to draw.

Merriam's birds roost in tall pines, often near water and open meadows, and move between roosts, feeding areas and strut zones. Those patterns shift as the spring goes on, which is why fresh scouting right before your hunt matters.

Arizona Turkey Seasons

• Spring turkey: late April into May, by draw. Many spring hunts allow shotgun or archery.
• Youth spring turkey: youth-only hunts are offered in many units.
• Fall turkey: fall archery and general hunts, with general hunts usually in October. Most fall tags come from the June draw, and some archery turkey hunting is available over the counter.

Exact dates change every year. See the current Arizona hunting regulations.

How to Apply for an Arizona Turkey Tag

Spring turkey tags come from the spring draw, which closes in early October. AZGFD sets the exact date each year, usually a Tuesday in early October. Fall turkey is in the June draw.

1. Create a free AZGFD portal account at accounts.azgfd.com.
2. Buy an Arizona hunting license. Buy a license from AZGFD.
3. Read the regulations (spring regulations come out in early September) and pick your hunt choices.
4. Apply online at draw.azgfd.com before the deadline.
5. Check results in your portal account. If you don't draw, you earn a turkey bonus point.

How I Scout Your Turkey Hunt

1. You draw and book. We talk through your unit, dates and weapon.
2. I scout your unit. I locate roost sites and listen for gobbling, and I find the strut zones, water and feeding areas birds are using.
3. You hunt with a plan. You head out each morning knowing where the birds roosted.

Arizona Turkey Hunt FAQ

What kind of turkeys are in Arizona?

Mostly Merriam's turkeys in the northern and eastern pine forests, plus Gould's turkeys in the mountains of southeastern Arizona. Gould's tags are very limited.

When is spring turkey season in Arizona?

Spring turkey hunts run from late April into May. Exact dates depend on the hunt and year.

When is the turkey draw deadline?

Spring turkey applications are due in early October. AZGFD sets the exact date each year, usually a Tuesday in early October. Fall turkey is part of the June draw.

How long are the hunts?

My turkey hunts are 5 days. Extra hunt days are $200 per day.

What's included in the price?

5-day hunts are $1,200 for one person or $2,000 for two, and $1,700 or $3,000 with camp included. Multiple hunters must know each other. Your license and tag are purchased from Arizona Game & Fish and are not included.

Do you scout fall turkey hunts too?

Yes. I scout spring and fall turkey hunts.

Drew a turkey tag? Call Marco at 928-821-1192 or email me.