JACKSON – The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) announced a record harvest for the 2026 spring turkey season, with Mississippi hunters reporting 17,907 birds through Game Check.
This surpassed the previous record of 15,498 birds set in 2024 and is the highest number that has been reported since the state implemented mandatory harvest reporting in 2019.
Multiple Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) also recorded historic harvests, with some setting all-time records for bird numbers and others reaching harvest levels not seen in more than 40 years.
“Mississippi has long been considered a blue-chip state for turkey hunting, and the 2026 season really showed how special it can be when everything comes together,” said Caleb Hinton, MDWFP Wild Turkey Program coordinator. “We’re hearing from many hunters that had their best season in years. We’ve got a lot of good things going here in our state, so the future looks bright.”
The 2026 spring season also marked the first year of the Mississippi Wild Turkey Stamp. Passed as Senate Bill 2280 during the 2025 legislative session, the stamp created a hunter-based source of funding for wild turkey conservation efforts across the state.
During the 2026 spring season, 31,177 hunters purchased the Mississippi Wild Turkey Stamp. These contributions will help maintain the turkey populations enjoyed today by funding habitat work and science for years to come.
MDWFP biologists believe several factors may have contributed to the record turkey harvest in 2026, including strong turkey hatches, increased hunter numbers and favorable spring weather.
MDWFP will continue to monitor turkey populations and hunter numbers in order to provide a quality hunting experience for those who enjoy hunting in our great state.
