If you’re an avid wild turkey hunter or just a novice, here is a statistic that should make your eyes light up. Thanks to the National Wild Turkey Federation as well as other federal and state agencies throughout the US, around 6.5 million wild turkeys are now found in the US and part of Canada. It’s all about adventure, opportunity, and the success of the hunt. If you’re looking for a great wild turkey hunting experience in the US, there are 5 states worth mentioning for the top places for turkey hunting.
#1 Missouri
Large populations of “longbeards” of the Ozarks are the prime allure of the Show-Me-State and have one of the highest overall populations of birds in the US. Turkey hunters from all over the US travel here so they can hunt from the Ozarks to the northern part of the state. The intermittent forests and the rolling countryside provide turkeys with an excellent habitat to maintain their populations.
#2 Alabama
Natural food plots everywhere as well as low lying swampland and rich stands of hardwoods make the state of Alabama the second highest on our list of top wild turkey hunting spots. The state has literally been taken over by huge populations of thick-bearded toms and is a favorite bow-hunting area. Although Missouri is perennially #1, the state of Alabama has ranked #2 on a fairly consistent basis in recent years.
#3 Pennsylvania
Renowned for being the state where turkey hunting tradition began, many Pennsylvanians believe that it all started here and then spread to other states. The state is consistently in the top 5 for turkey harvests every year. Between the hunting guides, National Forest lands, and thousands of acres of prime, private hunting areas, it’s no wonder that this is a primary destination for turkey hunters everywhere. Pennsylvania lures turkey hunters from the upper eastern seaboard and most New England states.
#4 Wisconsin
Although the state is known for its whitetail deer hunting prowess as well as being the primary area of America’s Dairyland, it ranks in the top 5 states for turkey hunting because of the many NWTF volunteers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. It is estimated that there are currently over 320,000 “Easterns” that populate the state overall. Recently, the state of Wisconsin has been showing some real promise at being consistently in the top 10 turkey hunting states overall so it comes as no surprise that we have them ranked #4 on this prestigious list.
#5 New York
Despite the fact that New York is more famous for places like Broadway, Central Park, and Times Square, don’t let that fool you. The state is known as a turkey hunting paradise for many individuals on the East Coast and in New England. With the dense forests, rolling farmland, and mountains in the western part of the state, New York is now a favorite turkey hunting destination. Today, New York is the home to over 250,000 wild turkeys and that population appears to be growing consistently.
