AKRON, OH - The ODNR Division of Wildlife will again offer special opportunities for junior hunters seeking wild turkeys this spring. In addition to the statewide youth turkey hunting days April 20 and 21 on public hunting areas, the division will be holding drawings on Saturday, April 6, 2002 for special, controlled turkey hunts for youths at the Killbuck Marsh and Mosquito Creek State Wildlife Areas. Hunters 17 years of age and under must be present at both locations in order to participate in the drawings.
Registration for the Killbuck drawing will begin at 9 a.m. at the Killbuck Valley Sportsman Club located at 8482 TR 559 near Holmesville. The drawing will be held at 2 p.m. and those selected must be accompanied by a licensed, non-hunting adult (18 years of age or older) when hunting.
Prior to the drawing there will be a National Wild Turkey Federation JAKES Day Event, beginning at 10 a.m. This event will include shotgun safety and shotgun patterning, a turkey calling clinic and a demonstration of turkey trapping and management.
A total of 30 youth hunting permits to be awarded, three permits per day for the special pre-season youth hunts on Saturday April 20 and Sunday April 21 and three permits per day for each of the four Saturdays and Sundays of the Spring hunting season (April 22 - May 19, 2002). Applicants must be present at the time of the drawing to be selected for the controlled hunts.
On the same day, April 6, there will also be a drawing for special, youth, turkey hunts at the Mosquito Creek State Wildlife Area Headquarters, 8303 N. Park Avenue, North Bloomfield. Registration will take place from 8-8:30 a.m. Hunters 17 years and under are eligible, they must be present for the drawing and they must be accompanied by a licensed, non-hunting adult (18 years or older) when they hunt.
From 9:30 a.m. until noon local chapters of the NWTF will instruct young hunters in shotgun patterning, trap shooting, BB gun shooting, game calling, game identification, laws and safety. The drawing will be held at 12:30 p.m. with the awarding of 50 turkey hunting permits, five per day for preseason youth hunts on Saturday, April 20 and Sunday April 21 and five permits for each of the four Saturdays and Sundays of the Spring turkey season with all of the hunts taking place at the Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area. Young hunters are encouraged to bring their shotguns and shells to both drawings. The Division of Wildlife will provide paper targets for patterning shotguns and awarded permits will be able to inspect the terrain within their hunting units.