COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters harvested 2,824 bearded wild turkeys on the opening day of Ohio’s spring turkey hunting season, which is open statewide through May 15, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The preliminary opening day figure was 23 percent more than last year’s opening day number of 2,285 turkeys.
“We’re thrilled to see spring turkey hunting off to a great start. We couldn’t have asked for a better opening day,” said Dave Swanson, wild turkey project leader for the Division of Wildlife.
Top counties for wild turkeys killed were Meigs -111, Ashtabula - 98, Coshocton - 96, Jackson - 94, Clermont - 92, Guernsey - 91, Jefferson - 90, Knox - 81, Tuscarawas - 80, and Harrison - 78.
This is the sixth year that spring turkey hunting has been open in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. In 1999, the spring hunt was open in only 57 counties. Spring turkey hunting in Ohio started in 1966.
The ODNR Division of Wildlife estimates that more than 90,000 people will hunt turkeys during the four-week season. Legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon daily.
A special youth-only wild turkey hunt for hunters age 17 and younger was open last Saturday and Sunday on public hunting areas. Young hunters killed 1,612 birds statewide. Last year, 1,520 birds were taken over the same two-day period.
Only bearded wild turkeys may be taken during the spring hunting season. A hunter is required to take his or her turkey to an official check station for permanent tagging by 2 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. Ohio’s wild turkey population was estimated at 170,000 prior to the start of the spring season.