Turkeys beware: N.B. hunters are getting more time for the 2026 wild turkey hunt

The wild turkey is not considered native to New Brunswick, but is now an established species and the province says amid a growing population, there has been a demand for a hunt.

New Brunswick hunters will have more time to take on the turkeys this year.

The province is adding an extra week to the annual wild turkey hunt. This year, the season will begin the first Monday in May and run for three weeks.

“The wild turkey hunting season has been very successful,” says Natural Resources Minister John Herron in a news release.

He adds that expanding the season will offer more opportunities to hunters and benefit local economies through tourism, licence fees, and outfitting and guiding services.

The hunt began five years ago in 2021 to manage the growing population of wild turkeys. It’s expanded over the years to include non-resident licences and youths aged 12 and over.

Another change taking place this year will allow people born in New Brunswick, who are active members of the Canadian forces or RCMP with a principal residence outside the province, to apply for the resident wild turkey draw.

The application period for the non-resident licence draw will now close on the last Friday of November in the year before the hunting season.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.