DLNR Sets 2026 Spring Bearded Turkey Season, Bag Limits on Hawaiʻi Island

The Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources announced on Feb. 23 that it has established opening dates, bag limits and designated areas for the 2026 spring bearded-turkey hunting season on Hawaiʻi Island. The department framed the season as a management action focused on the wild bearded-turkey population that inhabits multiple zones across the island.

DLNR's announcement identifies the spring 2026 season as the operational period when hunters may legally take bearded turkeys on Hawaiʻi Island under the new limits and area designations. The department specifically set bag limits and mapped where hunters may participate, signaling a formal regulatory framework rather than an advisory-only approach for spring hunting activity this year.

The stated management objective in the Feb. 23 announcement emphasizes population control of wild bearded turkeys on Hawaiʻi Island. By setting both opening dates and bag limits, DLNR aims to regulate the number of birds taken and to concentrate hunting within designated areas to limit impacts on non-target lands and nearby communities.

For hunters and land managers on Hawaiʻi Island, the DLNR action on Feb. 23 creates a clear compliance threshold for spring 2026. The department's measures define when and where hunting may occur and how many birds each hunter may legally take during the season, turning previous informal practices into enforceable rules for this spring cycle.

Local agencies and stakeholders involved in outdoor recreation and wildlife management will need to integrate the DLNR timelines and limits into their operations before the season opens. DLNR’s formalization on Feb. 23 provides the administrative basis for enforcement and for coordination with landowners and conservation partners across Hawaiʻi Island.

DLNR’s decision to set opening dates, bag limits and areas for the 2026 spring bearded-turkey season on Hawaiʻi Island closes a planning step and opens the management phase for the department this spring. Hunters and land managers should follow DLNR guidance to ensure the season proceeds within the established rules and the department’s management goals are met.