NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25, 2011

Hunters Bag 7,744 Wild Turkeys During First Week of the Season
Season continues until May 15

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio hunters harvested a preliminary total of 7,744 bearded wild turkeys during the first week of the spring turkey-hunting season, which is open statewide through May 15, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

Top counties for wild turkeys killed last week were: Tuscarawas – 259; Guernsey – 247; Ashtabula – 241; Knox – 238; Harrison – 224; Adams – 213; Coshocton 210; Muskingum – 207; Licking – 199; and Columbiana – 191.

The Division of Wildlife estimates that more than 70,000 people will hunt turkeys during the four-week season. Legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon from April 18 to May 1, 2011. Hunting hours May 2-15 will be a half hour before sunrise to sunset. Ohio's wild turkey population was estimated at 200,000 prior to the start of the spring season. 

A special youth-only hunt for hunters age 17 and younger was held statewide on April 16-17. Young hunters killed an additional 1,455 birds statewide.

Only bearded wild turkeys may be taken during the spring hunting season. A hunter is required to check in their turkey by 11 p.m. on the day of harvest. Hunters with the proper permits may take a limit of two bearded gobblers during the four-week season, but not more than one wild turkey per day.

Hunters must still report their turkey harvest, but they are no longer required to take their turkey to a check station for physical inspection. Instead, hunters have three options to complete the new automated game check:

- On the Internet at wildohio.com or ohiogamecheck.com

- By telephone at 1-877-TAG-ITOH (1-877-824-4864). This option is only available to those who are required to have a turkey permit to hunt turkeys.

- At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com 

Game-check transactions will be available online and by telephone seven days a week and during holidays.  License agents’ locations will be available for turkey check-in during normal business hours.  Please call the license agent for specific hours of operation.  All turkeys must be checked in by 11 p.m. the day of kill. 

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EDITORS NOTE – Below is a list of preliminary wild turkey harvest results for the first week of the 2011 spring season opening day:

Adams – 213; Allen – 23; Ashland – 108; Ashtabula – 241; Athens – 164; Auglaize – 15; Belmont – 191; Brown – 162; Butler – 76; Carroll – 138; Champaign – 42; Clark – 10; Clermont – 157; Clinton – 26; Columbiana – 191; Coshocton – 210; Crawford – 40; Cuyahoga – 4; Darke – 11; Defiance – 73; Delaware – 61; Erie – 25; Fairfield – 43; Fayette – 2; Franklin – 9; Fulton – 40; Gallia – 155; Geauga – 119; Greene – 8; Guernsey – 247; Hamilton – 53; Hancock – 17; Hardin – 29; Harrison – 224; Henry – 16; Highland – 166; Hocking – 115; Holmes – 112; Huron – 72; Jackson – 118; Jefferson – 181; Knox – 238; Lake – 27; Lawrence – 109; Licking – 199; Logan – 72; Lorain – 74; Lucas – 20; Madison – 2; Mahoning – 85; Marion – 28; Medina – 52; Meigs – 169; Mercer – 8; Miami – 10; Monroe – 176; Montgomery – 8; Morgan – 137; Morrow – 87; Muskingum – 207; Noble – 122; Ottawa – 1; Paulding – 28; Perry – 124; Pickaway – 9; Pike – 100; Portage – 94; Preble – 32; Putnam – 18; Richland – 188; Ross – 148; Sandusky – 12; Scioto – 108; Seneca – 76; Shelby – 16; Stark – 84; Summit – 13; Trumbull – 150; Tuscarawas – 259; Union – 21; Van Wert – 9; Vinton – 101; Warren – 49; Washington – 174; Wayne – 49; Williams – 92; Wood – 10; Wyandot – 42.  Total – 7,744.