| COUNTY |
2002 |
2003 |
| Adams |
17 |
12 |
| Athens |
16 |
34 |
| Ashland |
21 |
22 |
| Ashtabula |
54 |
51 |
| Belmont |
24 |
13 |
| Brown |
13 |
21 |
| Carroll |
22 |
23 |
| Clermont |
17 |
28 |
| Columbiana |
34 |
16 |
| Coshocton |
49 |
31 |
| Gallia |
21 |
22 |
| Geauga |
28 |
22 |
| Guernsey |
66 |
37 |
| Harrison |
36 |
34 |
| Highland |
Closed
|
11 |
| Hocking |
24 |
21 |
| Holmes |
21 |
19 |
| Jackson |
46 |
37 |
| Jefferson |
26 |
18 |
| Knox |
23 |
26 |
| Lawrence |
5 |
8 |
| Licking |
19 |
32 |
| Meigs |
14 |
19 |
| Monroe |
41 |
21 |
| Morgan |
17 |
22 |
| Muskingum |
30 |
17 |
| Noble |
19 |
26 |
| Perry |
37 |
24 |
| Pike |
8 |
9 |
| Richland |
28 |
18 |
| Ross |
20 |
16 |
| Scioto |
11 |
9 |
| Trumbull |
44 |
27 |
| Tuscarawas |
29 |
28 |
| Vinton |
21 |
24 |
| Washington |
25 |
24 |
| Preliminary Total |
926 |
812 |
|
COLUMBUS, OH -- Hunters killed 812 wild turkeys during the first five days of Ohio's eighth annual fall wild turkey gun-hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The season opened on October 11 and will run through October 26.
The five-day total represents more than a 12 percent decrease from last year's total of 926 birds killed in the same time period.
"The lower harvest is not totally unexpected," said Dave Swanson, a state wildlife biologist. He noted that three years of cold, wet spring weather has affected wild turkey reproduction success. "But with more than 200,000 birds, Ohio's wild turkey population is still strong. Patience and persistence should pay off for fall turkey hunters."
Fall hunters are able to hunt turkeys in 36 counties. Highland County was added to the list this year for the first time. The archery-only season for turkey, introduced in 2002, will begin October 27 and run through November 30.
Fall wild turkey hunting hours are a half hour before sunrise to sunset. The bag limit is one turkey of either sex per hunter, per season. A fall turkey permit is required in addition to a current Ohio hunting license. All turkeys killed must be taken to an official turkey checking station by 8 p.m. on the day of harvest.
The ODNR Division of Wildlife reminds hunters that the season will partially overlap the Special Area Primitive Season (October 20-25) deer hunt on three state-owned areas: Wildcat Hollow, Salt Fork Wildlife Area, and Shawnee State Forest. Turkey hunting will not be allowed on these areas during the primitive deer hunting season.
More than 27,000 hunters pursued wild turkeys in Ohio last fall. Ohio's first fall wild turkey hunting season was in 1996.
EDITORS NOTE: THE LIST AT THE RIGHT INCLUDES WILD TURKEYS CHECKED AND TAGGED THROUGH WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15. A FINAL TALLY WILL BE PROVIDED AT THE CLOSE OF THE SEASON.