News Release

COLUMBUS, OH -- Hunters in Ohio harvested a record 19,895 wild turkeys during the spring hunting season that was open April 24 through May 14, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. It was the twenty-third consecutive year for a record turkey harvest and a 36 percent increase from last spring.

The three-week spring season was open statewide for the first time this year. A record population of wild turkeys, estimated to number more than 150,000 birds, led to an expansion in the number of counties open to turkey hunting. Last year, hunters killed 14,629 wild turkeys during a spring season that was open in 57 of Ohio’s 88 counties.

This year’s preliminary total represents an increase of 5,266 over last year. It is the first year that any county broke the 1,000-bird mark with Ashtabula County checking in 1030 gobblers.

Counties where the most wild turkeys were killed this year included Ashtabula - 1,030; Guernsey - 900; Coshocton - 875; Harrison - 809; and Tuscarawas - 688.

"We expected the abundance of birds coupled with a statewide season to lead to another record harvest of wild turkeys. Ohio offers excellent turkey hunting opportunities during the spring and fall seasons, and it just keeps getting better," said Division of Wildlife Chief Michael Budzik. He added that this spring's mild weather and lack of excessive rain bodes well for the turkey's reproductive efforts.

Ohio's fall turkey hunting season runs October 14-22 in 25 counties.

Adams – 342 (280); Allen – 0 (Closed); Ashland – 395 (383); Ashtabula – 1030 (802); Athens – 542 (460); Auglaize – 9 (Closed); Belmont – 554 (351); Brown – 299 (221); Butler – 25 (Closed); Carroll – 469 (278); Champaign – 28 (49); Clark – 9 (Closed); Clermont – 304 (288); Clinton – 25 (22); Columbiana – 326 (271); Coshocton – 875 (584); Crawford – 21 (31); Cuyahoga – 5 (0); Darke – 1 (Closed); Defiance – 66 (Closed); Delaware – 27 (3); Erie – 6 (Closed); Fairfield – 234 (175); Fayette – 20 (Closed); Franklin – 5 (Closed); Fulton – 26(Closed); Gallia – 411 (335); Geauga – 325 (297); Greene – 9 (20); Guernsey – 900 (702); Hamilton – 24 (33); Hancock – 11 (Closed); Hardin – 18 (Closed); Harrison – 809 (556); Henry – 25 (Closed); Highland – 162 (124); Hocking – 545 (359); Holmes – 385 (280); Huron – 117 (99); Jackson – 610 (490); Jefferson – 476 (398); Knox – 431 (332); Lake – 163 (119); Lawrence – 251 (261); Licking – 481 (347); Logan – 70 (68); Lorain – 49 (26); Lucas – 7 (Closed); Madison – 1 (Closed); Mahoning – 145 (106); Marion – 21 (Closed); Medina – 67 (33); Meigs – 409 (354); Mercer – 0 (Closed); Miami – 0 (Closed); Monroe – 676 (472); Montgomery – 1 (Closed); Morgan – 471 (306); Morrow – 140 (78); Muskingum – 590 (480); Noble – 573 (358); Ottawa – 0 (Closed); Paulding – 36 (Closed); Perry – 486 (391); Pickaway – 33 (Closed); Pike – 190 (167); Portage – 94 (68); Preble – 41 (Closed); Putnam – 11 (Closed); Richland – 423 (189); Ross – 438 (333); Sandusky – 10 (Closed); Scioto – 225 (245); Seneca – 77 (Closed); Shelby – 20 (29); Stark – 215 (113); Summit – 9 (8); Trumbull – 504 (440); Tuscarawas – 688 (483); Union – 5 (Closed); Van Wert – 0 (Closed); Vinton – 475 (340); Warren – 40 (42); Washington – 540 (453); Wayne – 121 (97); Williams – 161 (Closed); Wood – 2 (Closed); Wyandot – 35 (Closed) Totals: 19,895 (14,629).

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Vicki Mountz, ODNR Division of Wildlife

(614) 265-6393

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Dave Swanson

ODNR Division of Wildlife