COLUMBUS, OH - Spring wild turkey hunting opens in all 88 Ohio
counties on Monday, April 23, according to the Ohio
Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The season
continues through Sunday, May 20.
“It should be a good year for turkey hunters and I estimate between
20,000 and 25,000 gobblers will be harvested this season,” said ODNR
wildlife biologist Dave Swanson.
Hunters harvested 20,023 wild turkeys during last year’s spring
season.
Swanson added that Ohio’s current wild turkey population is around
200,000. He anticipates as many as 85,000 people, not counting private
landowners hunting on their own property, will enjoy Ohio’s increasingly
popular spring wild turkey season.
A special youth-only turkey hunt for those age 17
and younger will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 21-22. Young
hunters must have their hunting licenses and spring wild turkey permits
in order to participate and must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult
18 years of age or older. The young hunter's turkey season is open
statewide with the exception of Lake LaSuAn State Wildlife Area in
Williams County. Legal hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to
sunset each day during the two-day youth season.
The wild turkey is Ohio's largest game bird. It stands 3 to 4 feet
tall and may weigh up to 27 pounds. Legal hunting hours for the regular
spring season are one-half hour before sunrise until noon. Hunters are
required to have a hunting license and a spring turkey hunting permit
and can take one wild turkey per day. A second spring turkey permit can
be purchased, allowing hunters to take a limit of two bearded wild
turkeys.
Shotguns using shot, longbows and crossbows may be used to hunt wild
turkeys. It is unlawful to hunt turkeys over bait, to use a live decoy
or electronic calling device, or to shoot a wild turkey while it is in a
tree. A wild turkey must be properly tagged and taken to an official
check station by 2 p.m. on the day it is harvested.
The Division of Wildlife advises turkey hunters to wear hunter orange
clothing when entering, leaving, or moving through hunting areas in
order to remain visible to others. Additional turkey hunting information
is available on the Internet at ohiodnr.com/wildlife.
