Where To Hunt Hybrids
See the best hybrid turkey hunting states and get local intel.
Kansas
With reasonable amounts of public land and one of the country’s oldest walk-in hunting programs, access is solid in most areas of Kansas, and if you put in the work, private land access is certainly achievable.
Being centrally located, non-resident hunting pressure is certainly a factor when planning your hunt. Look to areas with limited accommodations, yet within a reasonable distance of numerous chunks of hunt-able ground to find your best chance at being the only rig in a parking spot.
Local Intel: Heartland Bowhunter’s Shawn Luchtel
“As for Kansas, it is always fun kicking off the archery season in early April. With the season opening earlier than most, it can be hit or miss depending on the weather. With the right weather, the birds seem to break up and are very responsive to calls. The numbers have certainly been on a decline but the state has taken action to reduce the number of tags and ensure a healthy population in the future.”
Nebraska
Nebraska has a multiple-week archery-only season that kicks off in late March. Birds are still in large groups, which can be great when you are on them, but frustrating if they happen to be on the other side of the fence as calling is often fruitless when talking to groups of 20-50 birds. Shotgun season arrives in mid-April.
With reasonable amounts of public land, a great walk-in hunting program, relatively cheap tags (right near $120), and Nebraska’s centralized location, it is a great place to take a turkey trip.
Local Intel: The Hunting Public’s Greg Clements
“The best places to find turkeys are along riparian corridors throughout the state and in the Pine Ridge forest in the west. Like many other states, Nebraska has experienced a significant turkey population decline in the past few years. As a result, there are several brand new changes to the turkey hunting regulations.
“Hunters may only purchase two spring permits, and can only harvest one bird per day. Also, there is a quota of 10,000 spring permits for non-resident hunters as opposed to an unlimited quantity in the past.
“The most popular time for non-resident hunters, it seems, is in early May. So if you want to avoid the crowds you may consider an earlier hunt (hopefully with moderate weather) or a late season hunt after most people have hung up their vests.”
