Spring
Green forbs + grasses, insects, leftover mast, fresh shoots
Hens build condition for nesting; the green-up brings tender forage and the first insects.
Wild turkey reference · Diet
What wild turkeys eat.
An omnivore that scratches its living out of the leaf litter — acorns and mast in the cold months, insects for the poults in summer, seeds and berries and greens through the year. The seasonal diet, and why a good acorn year is good news for the whole flock.
The omnivore
Mast, bugs, seeds, and greens.
A wild turkey will eat almost anything it can scratch up: acorns and other hard mast, seeds and waste grain, berries and soft fruit, green forbs and grasses, and a great many insects. It forages on the ground, working through leaf litter and grass with its feet, hunting food by its sharp eyes rather than its poor nose.
Two foods matter most. Insects are the protein that grows a poult fast in its first weeks. And mast — acorns above all — is the staple that carries a flock through fall and winter. A heavy acorn year is one of the best things that can happen to a turkey population.
Diet by season
Through the year.
Summer
Insects (heavy for poults), berries, seeds, greens
Poults eat mostly insects in their first weeks — the protein drives fast growth. Hens lead broods to insect-rich openings.
Fall
Acorns + mast, seeds, grains, berries
The fattening season. Mast crops — acorns especially — are the high-value staple; flocks key on good oak years.
Winter
Mast, waste grain, dormant seeds, buds
Turkeys scratch through snow and leaf litter for buried mast and seeds, and feed in agricultural fields on waste grain where available.
Frequently asked
Turkey diet questions.
What do wild turkeys eat?
Wild turkeys are omnivores. They eat acorns and other mast, seeds and grains, berries and fruits, green forbs and grasses, and insects. Mast — especially acorns — is a key food in fall and winter, while insects are critical protein in spring and summer, particularly for young poults. Turkeys forage on the ground, scratching through leaf litter to expose food.
What do baby turkeys (poults) eat?
Poults eat mostly insects in their first weeks of life — grasshoppers, beetles, and other bugs provide the high protein they need to grow quickly. Hens lead their broods to insect-rich openings and field edges for this reason. As poults mature, their diet broadens to include seeds, berries, mast, and green forage like the adults.
Do wild turkeys eat acorns?
Yes — acorns and other hard mast are among the most important wild turkey foods, especially in fall and winter when flocks fatten for the cold. A good acorn year concentrates turkeys in oak country and improves their condition and survival; a mast failure pushes them to range wider for food. Hunters and biologists watch mast crops closely for this reason.
How do wild turkeys find food?
Turkeys forage on the ground, walking and scratching through leaf litter, grass, and even snow to expose seeds, mast, and insects. Their excellent eyesight helps them spot food and danger; their poor sense of smell means they hunt food by sight, not scent. Flocks often work an area methodically, scratching as they go.
From the page to the field
Hunt spring Merriam's at Elk Glade.
Elk Glade guides three-night spring Merriam's turkey hunts on the south slope of Pikes Peak, with the private-land early opener a week ahead of public seasons. Full strut, ranch country.
