2026 Spring Turkey Harvest Summary

CONTACT:
Dan Ellingwood: 603-352-9669
Andy Timmins: 603-271-1742
July 14, 2026

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire 2026 spring wild turkey harvest increased modestly following consecutive years of strong reproductive success across much of the state. Hunters harvested 5,016 turkeys this spring, representing a 3.5% increase over the 2025 harvest of 4,845 birds.

The 2026 harvest consisted of 13 (<1%) bearded hens, 961 jakes (19%), and 4,042 toms (80%). The relatively low juvenile-to-adult gobbler harvest ratio (0.24 jakes per 1.0 tom) reflects the productive 2024 nesting season, which resulted in a large cohort of birds reaching two years of age by the 2026 spring season.

Young hunters registered 472 birds during the special Youth Turkey Hunt Weekend held April 25–26. Youth hunters accounted for approximately 9% of the statewide spring harvest, a proportion that has remained annually consistent. The 2-day youth season continues to provide an important opportunity to recruit new hunters while maintaining sustainable harvest levels.

Since 2019, hunters have been permitted to harvest a second bird during the spring season in select Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). Of the 4,123 successful turkey hunters this spring, 893 (22%) harvested two birds. The proportion of successful hunters harvesting a second bird has remained remarkably consistent, ranging from 21% to 24% annually.

The five towns with the highest spring harvests were Plainfield (70), Weare (64), Cornish (61), Deerfield (60), and Rochester (59). At the WMU level, harvest rates (an index of relative abundance) remain at or above the population objectives established in the NHFG Big Game Management Plan, across most of the state.

The spring of 2026 also marked the first season in which leg-banded wild turkeys were present on the landscape statewide as part of a multi-year research project evaluating regional male harvest rates. During the season, 64 of the 225 banded males (28%) were harvested. As additional years of banding data are collected, these estimates will be further refined and will improve our understanding of numerous demographic parameters that are important for informed management of New Hampshire’s wild turkey population.

The 2026 Summer Turkey Brood Survey is now underway and will provide an indication of reproductive success across the state. Brood observations submitted by the public allow biologists to estimate hatch timing and annual poult production, providing valuable insight into the population’s expected growth trajectory for 2027 and beyond. Hunters and wildlife enthusiasts are encouraged to participate by reporting observations of hen turkeys and their poults by visiting www.wildlife.nh.gov/wildlife-and-habitat/wild-turkeys-new-hampshire/turkey-surveys.

Wild turkey management in New Hampshire is funded, in part, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Restoration Program.