Calling in the Wild: Spring Turkey Season in Grayling, Michigan
Spring turkey season is almost upon us, and leftover licenses went on sale to the public on March 17. As of Friday morning, March 21, there were a few thousand licenses left for this first season in Crawford County, but those can go fast, so you better get yours and start planning your trip.
Spring turkey season runs April 19–May 2. You may hunt with a bow, crossbow, shotgun, or muzzle loading shotgun. As opposed to the Fall hunt, this hunt is for bearded turkeys only, aka toms.
Hunters are first selected for a license using a random drawing system. In the annual drawing, Michigan residents and nonresidents are equally eligible. The application period ran from Jan. 1–Feb. 1, 2025. The drawing results are available online as of Mar. 3, 2025.
In addition to the leftover licenses you can purchase now, there are Hunt 0234 licenses available. Hunt 0234 is a statewide, guaranteed spring turkey license that does not require an application in the drawing. With a Hunt 0234 license, you can hunt on both public and private lands in the Upper Peninsula and in the northern Lower Peninsula. In the southern Lower Peninsula, hunting is allowed only on private lands. Since this license has no quota, it can be purchased at any time during spring turkey season.
However, you may only purchase one spring turkey license per license year. This means you cannot buy a Hunt 0234 license if you have already purchased a private-land-only license or a general license.
You can get a Michigan hunting license from any license agent, through the DNR’s online portal, or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app, available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. If you buy a spring turkey license online, your paper kill tag will be mailed to you within seven to ten business days, and you must have it before hunting. If purchased through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app, your eHarvest tag will be available immediately on your mobile device, but you will not receive a paper kill tag.
Legal hunting hours for spring turkey season begin one-half hour before sunrise and end one-half hour before sunset. The DNR provides a table of times at their resource website. Crawford County is in zone B, so add 6 minutes to the table of opening and closing times. For example, on opening day, you can hunt beginning at 6:20, and the day ends at 7:55. These times adjust as the days get longer.
You can purchase your license many places throughout the county, but why not stop by Skip’s and get all your hunting supplies while you’re at it. Skip’s Sport Shop has anything you need for a successful hunt, and their knowledgeable staff is there to assist. In addition to the firearms and ammo to bag that big bird, they’ve got decoys, calls, and camo.
Early morning is often the best time to harvest your bird, and Spring is mating season, so the toms will be out looking for hens. Try to set up near their roost and call them to you. Decoys may also be a good draw.
Of course, it is so much easier to get out there early if you’re staying close to your hunting grounds. For lodging options and camping locations, visit the Grayling Visitor’s Bureau website to find your perfect spot
For information on where hunting is prohibited in Crawford County, visit https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/controls/localcontrols/crawford/hunting.
For more information on licenses, regulations, and tips for hunting turkeys, visit https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/laws/regulations/spring-turkey.