DLNR News Release – HAWAIʻI ISLAND 2026 SPRING BEARDED TURKEY SEASON
STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA
DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA
RYAN KANAKA‘OLE
ACTING CHAIRPERSON
HAWAIʻI ISLAND 2026 SPRING BEARDED TURKEY SEASON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2026
HILO, Hawaiʻi – The 2026 Spring Bearded Turkey Hunting Season is fast approaching, opening Sunday, March 1. The season will run for 46 consecutive days through Wednesday, April 15. The spring hunt will be for bearded turkeys only, in locations identified below.
| Open Turkey Hunting Areas | Special Conditions | Season Dates | Hunting Hours |
| Unit A – Mauna Kea Forest Reserve and Game Management Area (GMA) | Mammal hunting with rifle, muzzleloader, handgun and shotgun is limited to above treeline during spring turkey season. Archery hunting is allowed below treeline with blaze orange wear. | March 1 – April 15,2026(46 consecutive days) | One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset |
| Unit C – Upper Pīhā and Upper Laupāhoehoe Forest Reserves | Available through adaptive management rule change until March 18, 2026. Call Hawaiʻi Island Branch (Hilo) for more information after this date.808-974-4221 | ||
| Unit F – Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve | All gates must be closed. Paddocks where cattle are present will be closed to hunting. | ||
| Unit G – Ka‘ohe GMA | Also open daily to mammal hunting for archery. | ||
| Private Lands | Hunters required to have valid hunting license, current turkey tags and landowner permission. | ||
| Unit E – Kīpuka ‘Ainahou Nēnē Sanctuary | Archery only | March 1 – March 31,2026(31 consecutive days) |
Bag Limits and Tags
The daily bag limit will be three bearded turkeys per hunter, with a season bag limit of three. All hunters must have a current unused turkey tag in their possession while hunting. Tags are currently $5 per tag for residents and $20 per tag for nonresidents. Turkey tags are nontransferable. Traditional tags must be fastened with snaps. Printed tags must be placed in a sealable plastic bag and secured tightly around the neck or leg of any bird taken immediately after the kill. Tags may be purchased in person at the Hilo Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) office or online.
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RESOURCES
(All images/video courtesy DLNR)
Explore Outdoor Hawaiʻi: https://outdoor.hawaii.gov/hunting
Hunting information: http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/hunting
Gamebird hunting information and rules:
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/recreation/hunting/bird/
Purchase turkey tags: https://gohunthawaii.ehawaii.gov/public/tags.
For more information, contact DOFAW at:
Hilo: 808-974-4221
Waimea: 808-887-6063
Main office (Oʻahu): 808-587-0166
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