It's springtime in the Bighorn Basin and turkey season has arrived!  The spring season in Hunt Area 4 began April 13 and is open through May 20.  With the exception of Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area, Hunt Area 4 is a general season in which any wild male turkey may be harvested with a general license.  To hunt turkeys on Yellowtail, hunters must apply for and draw one of 50 Type 1 licenses available for the area.

Turkey hunting is a wonderful way to enjoy the spring in Wyoming and safety should always be a top priority.   “Turkey hunters should be especially cognizant of a cardinal rule of safe firearms handling, to be sure of your target and what is beyond,” said Lovell Game Warden Dillon Herman.   “While turkey hunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange in the field, it’s a good idea to have some orange in your pack to wear walking to and from your hunting spot, especially after harvesting a bird.”  

Hunters are reminded that legal shooting hours for turkey hunting is one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.   Once a turkey is harvested, the hunter must detach, sign and notch out the month and day of harvest on the carcass coupon before leaving the site of the kill.  Happy hunting!