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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Preliminary
Turkey Season
Opening Day Results
COUNTY 2006 2005
Adams 55 51
Allen 1 1
Ashland 50 30
Ashtabula 114 98
Athens 144 66
Auglaize 6 3
Belmont 79 70
Brown 56 62
Butler 6 12
Carroll 44 39
Champaign 15 11
Clark 9 4
Clermont 50 92
Clinton 6 9
Columbiana 64 48
Coshocton 71 96
Crawford 10 6
Cuyahoga 0 0
Darke 5 4
Defiance 30 31
Delaware 5 9
Erie 3 5
Fairfield 21 32
Fayette 1 0
Franklin 1 0
Fulton 6 4
Gallia 57 64
Geauga 63 43
Greene 5 1
Guernsey 120 91
Hamilton 18 11
Hancock 1 0
Hardin 5 1
Harrison 83 78
Henry 3 3
Highland 32 57
Hocking 50 77
Holmes 63 45
Huron 21 22
Jackson 101 94
Jefferson 82 90
Knox 65 81
Lake 21 21
Lawrence 42 45
Licking 50 57
Logan 26 22
Lorain 18 10
Lucas 1 2
Madison 0 1
Mahoning 27 36
Marion 3 1
Medina 12 17
Meigs 116 111
Mercer 0 0
Miami 1 0
Monroe 70 71
Montgomery 0 1
Morgan 67 65
Morrow 42 32
Muskingum 67 75
Noble 69 54
Ottawa 0 1
Paulding 13 9
Perry 62 58
Pickaway 7 7
Pike 47 42
Portage 21 12
Preble 7 13
Putnam 5 4
Richland 50 46
Ross 61 48
Sandusky 1 5
Scioto 60 57
Seneca 21 23
Shelby 10 3
Stark 38 41
Summit 9 7
Trumbull 69 40
Tuscarawas 102 80
Union 2 3
Van Wert 1 0
Vinton 49 23
Warren 18 12
Washington 90 74
Wayne 21 14
Williams 35 31
Wood 1 3
Wyandot 5 6
Totals 3,058 2,824

April 25, 2006

OHIO’S SPRING TURKEY HUNTING SEASON OFF TO GOOD START

During the youth hunt in Wellston, twelve year old Lauren Pernestti shot her first turkey.
COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio hunters harvested 3,058 bearded wild turkeys on the first day of the spring turkey hunting season, which is open statewide through May 21, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The preliminary opening day figure was just over 8 percent higher than last year’s opening day harvest number of 2,824 turkeys.

“An increase in turkey abundance coupled with nice weather resulted in a higher number of turkeys harvested during both the youth season and opening day of the spring turkey season, compared to last year,” said Dave Swanson, wild turkey project leader for the Division of Wildlife.

Top counties for wild turkeys killed were Athens-144; Guernsey-120; Meigs-116; Ashtabula-114; Tuscarawas-102; Jackson-101; Washington-90; Harrison-83; Jefferson-82; Belmont-79.

This is the seventh year that spring turkey hunting has been open in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. The state’s first modern-day spring turkey hunt was held 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. Ohio’s wild turkey population was estimated at 180,000 prior to the start of the spring season.

A special youth-only hunt for hunters age 17 and younger was held last Saturday and Sunday on public hunting areas across the state. Young hunters killed 1,872 birds statewide. Last year, 1,612 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 a harvested 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.

-30-

For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com

For Further Information Contact:
Dave Sherman, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(419) 898-0960
-or-
Vicki Ervin, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6558
-or-
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860