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Colorado turkey seasons
Colorado runs two turkey seasons: a popular spring season, which falls roughly across April and into May, and a fall season. Turkey is managed separately from big game, in the CPW Turkey Brochure, and includes both limited (draw) and over-the-counter opportunities depending on the area. We point you to the official dates rather than print a date that might be a year stale. CPW · Hunting
Spring vs. fall
- Spring — the main event, targeting gobblers during the breeding season, generally from April into May. This is when most Colorado turkey hunting happens.
- Fall — a smaller, later season, either-sex in many areas.
Colorado has both Merriam's turkeys (the mountain and foothills bird) and Rio Grande turkeys (more eastern), which shapes where you hunt.
Why we don't print the exact dates here
Turkey seasons are set in CPW's separate Turkey Brochure, and the dates shift a little each year. Rather than risk showing you last year's dates, we send you to the current source: check the CPW hunting pages for the current Turkey Brochure and season dates before you plan. When we can verify the 2026 spring and fall dates against the live brochure, they'll appear here with a source and a verified date — the same discipline as the rest of the site.
Licenses
Spring and fall turkey licenses are their own product (and can serve as a qualifying license for big-game applications). Some are limited (draw); others are sold over the counter. The license-costs page covers where turkey fits in the fee structure.
Planning a spring trip? It pairs naturally with scouting for fall elk country, and the season calendar shows how the whole year lays out.
Common questions
When is turkey season in Colorado?
Colorado's spring turkey season runs roughly from April into May, and there's a separate fall season. Exact 2026 dates are set in the CPW Turkey Brochure — confirm them there before you plan, since they shift slightly each year.
Is spring turkey over-the-counter in Colorado?
Colorado offers both limited (draw) and over-the-counter turkey licenses depending on the area and season. Check the current CPW Turkey Brochure for which applies where you want to hunt.
Primary sources
- CPW — Hunting (Turkey Brochure & season dates) verified reachable Jul. 2026