If you aren’t a hunter, you probably had no idea about the special excitement in the air along Washington State. It’s Spring Turkey Season! Here is a quick summary of the most important things you need to know.
Turkey Hunt Season Begins in WA
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Legal Hunting in WA: What to Know About 2025 Spring Turkey Season
For wild turkeys, it might feel more like The Hunger Games as they try to dodge hunters! In WA, it’s legal to kill turkeys during the allotted Spring weeks. Spring Turkey season ends on Saturday, May 31st, 2025.
Wild Turkeys can only be killed with a crossbow/bow & arrow, which makes me think of that movie with Jennifer Lawrence.
Kids under 18 must be accompanied by an adult (who is at least 18). The official number of turkeys you can hunt in WA is three, however, some counties and regions** have their own legal limits attached. Here are the main legal hunting rules you have to follow:
Spring season limit is 3 turkeys total statewide, with the following restrictions:
1 . Eastern Washington**: 2 turkeys, except a third may be killed only in Spokane County; Western Washington**: 1 turkey.
Eastern and Western Washington
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2 . Only one turkey may be killed in Kittitas and Yakima counties each.
Wild Turkeys in Washington can be found in stunning nature scenes featuring desert land with dry bushes and trees for Yakima County and lush evergreen trees and leaves in Kittitas County
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3 . Klickitat County: 2 turkeys.**
Nature scene of a lush green valley of foilage in Klickitat County, WA
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(**Kills in Klickitat County do not count towards the eastern or western Washington limits.)
ONCE YOU KILL A TURKEY IN WA STATE, YOU HAVE TO REPORT IT
I had no idea about this law because I’m more of an eater, not a hunter: you have to report every wild turkey that you kill in WA. The deadline for hunters to report the (up to 3) turkeys killed during Spring Turkey Season is Saturday, January 31st, 2026.
THERE ARE SPECIAL HOURS YOU ARE ALLOWED TO HUNT WILD TURKEYS
“Hunting hours are ½ hour before sunrise to sunset during spring seasons.” – WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife
April 22-28E: 5:20 8:00
W: 5:30 8:15April 29 – May 5
E: 5:10 8:10
W: 5:20 8:25
May 6-12
E: 5:00 8:20
W: 5:10 8:35
May 13-19
E: 4:50 8:30
W: 5:00 8:40
May 20-26
E: 4:40 8:35
W: 4:50 8:50
May 27-31
E: 4:35 8:40
W: 4:45 8:55
Read the 2025 Spring Season Wild Turkey Hunting Pamphlet for a more detailed explanation.
Dogs, Cats, and some birds, yes, all ok to own as pets, but let’s look at the animals you may NOT own as pets here in Washington State.
Gallery Credit: Aly
Gallery Credit: Canva-Getty