Tagging Wild Turkey

Hunters in possession of a digital license and tags should refer to Digital Licenses and Tagging for tagging instructions.

A tag from the hunting license of the person who killed the turkey must be correctly and legibly completed (including name of property and county) and immediately attached to the animal (exception is properties with special issued tags such as MLDP tags).

The hunter must:

  • use the specific type of turkey tag.
  • have the month and date of kill clearly cut out on the tag by notching the respective month and day. Do not “ink out.”
  • complete the mandatory harvest reporting for wild turkey in all counties with a 1-bird bag limit in applicable counties using the My Texas Hunt Harvest app.

tag cutout

Where to Attach Tag to Wild Turkey

The tag may be attached anywhere on a turkey so that it is not damaged, defaced, or lost in transporting or handling. For turkey, the tag must remain attached until the turkey reaches its final destination and is finally processed. During a season in which the bag composition for turkey is restricted to gobblers only or gobblers and bearded hens, proof of sex must remain with the turkey, attached or unattached, until it reaches either the processor’s permanent residence or a cold storage/processing facility and is finally processed.

Tip: Remember that if the head and the carcass are separated, the tag from the hunting license goes with the meat and the WRD goes with the head.

Notice: Read the tag use description on your license carefully before attaching to harvested turkey.

Tags to Use on Wild Turkey Only

Tag Number Species Counties That Tag is Valid
1 Rio Grande Turkey valid only in county with bag limit of 1 or 4 (not valid in East Texas)
2 Rio Grande Turkey valid only in county with bag limit of 1 or 4 (not valid in East Texas)
3 Rio Grande Turkey valid only in county with bag limit of 1 or 4 (not valid in East Texas)
4 Eastern OR Rio Grande Turkey valid in any county with bag limit of 1 or 4 turkeys.
Tags by turkey species and county