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Hunting / Turkey Hunting
Information and Changes for Spring Turkey 2013- How to Check your Turkey
Wild Turkey Hunting
Season Dates and Bag Limits
Fall Turkey Season (limited counties)
Spring Turkey Season (open in all Ohio Counties)
Tagging Requirements
Tagging Requirements-LANDOWNER
Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting
Special Youth Wild Turkey Spring Hunts
Turkey Hunting Safety Tips
How to Tell a Gobbler From a Hen
Wild Turkey Hunting
- It is unlawful to take more than one turkey per day.
- It is unlawful to hunt turkeys with the aid of bait. An area is considered baited for ten (10) days after complete removal of any bait
- It is unlawful to use a live decoy while hunting turkeys.
- It is unlawful to use electronic calling devices while hunting turkeys.
- It is unlawful to take or attempt to take a wild turkey while it is in a tree.
- It is lawful to aid or assist another hunter who is hunting turkey if the temporary tag has been removed from your turkey permit as long as you do not carry any hunting device commonly used to kill wild animals and have a valid hunting license. Those persons exempted from having a hunting license and turkey permit for turkey hunting on their property are required to have a hunting license and turkey permit to aid another hunter off of their property or hunt turkey off their property.
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Fall Turkey Season
Season Dates
Only one turkey of either sex may be taken during
the entire fall season. A fall turkey permit
is required. Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise
to sunset.
A wild turkey of either sex may be hunted in
Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont,
Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton,
Cuyahoga, Defiance, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey,
Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson,
Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Lorain,
Mahoning, Medina, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan,
Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike,
Portage, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Stark, Summit,
Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Washington,
Wayne, and Williams counties. See map below.
Fall turkey permits are available at all license outlets and online at the License and Permit Finder page.
Hunters may take a wild turkey with shotgun
or a longbow or crossbow. Shotgun: 10-gauge or smaller using shot, includes muzzleloading shotguns. Longbow: Minimum
draw weight 40 lbs. Crossbow: Draw weight
not less than 75 lbs.
It is legal to use dogs to assist in
taking turkeys during the fall turkey
season only.
License agent that will be checking turkeys for the fall turkey season may be found using the Licence Agent Section of this site.
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Spring Turkey Season (open in all Ohio Counties)
- Turkey Hunting Hours April 22 - May 5,
2013; 1/2 hour before sunrise to noon.
- Turkey Hunting Hours May 6 - 19, 2013;
1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Spring Wild Turkey Season: Open statewide
except Lake La Su An Wildlife Area.
- Bag limit 2 bearded turkeys.
- Only one bearded turkey may be taken
per day. Persons wishing to take a second
wild turkey during the spring season must
purchase a second spring turkey permit.
- It is legal to use a leashed dog to recover
wounded turkeys in the spring turkey
season.
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Tagging Requirements
**Changes have been made to the tagging process for the 2013 Spring Turkey Season.
See Information and Changes for 2013 Spring Turkey Hunters.
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Tagging Requirements for LANDOWNERS
See Information and Changes for 2013 Spring Turkey Hunters.
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Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting
A statewide youth wild turkey season will be
offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and
21, immediately prior to the regular wild turkey
season in 2013.
Special youth wild turkey hunts will be held on
selected areas around the state.
See the Youth Hunting Section for more information.
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Special Youth Wild Turkey Spring Hunts
Special youth wild turkey hunts will be held on selected areas around the state. Check the Controlled Hunt page periodically for more information.
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Turkey Hunting Safety Tips
Turkey hunting is one of the fastest growing outdoor sports in the country. With the increase in popularity, the need for safe practices in the field becomes even more important.
Carefully read the following tips and be a part of a safe and enjoyable hunting experience. A trip with an experienced turkey hunter can teach you a lot about both safety and turkey hunting tactics. And if YOU are an experienced hunter, consider taking a younger or less experienced hunter out so they can learn from you.
- Don't Stalk - Do not stalk a turkey or turkey sounds or try to drive turkeys to another hunter. The chances of bagging a turkey by this method are slim, but the chances of becoming involved in a shooting are great. Always call the turkey to you.
- Dress For Success - Eliminate the colors black, red, white, and blue from your hunting clothing. These colors are predominant in the male turkey’s plumage and can contribute to a mistaken-for-game incident. Wear complete camouflage.
- Remain Still - Never move, wave, or make turkey sounds to alert another hunter of your presence. Instead, yell or speak in a loud voice and remain still. Never assume you are the only hunter in an area.
- Calling - Be careful when using the gobble call. The sound and motion may attract other hunters and lead to a dangerous situation.
- Positioning - Select a calling position that places your back against a large tree and leaves the area in front of you open. Do not hide so well that you cannot see turkeys and other hunters. The tree you sit against will camouflage your outline and help protect your back.
- Identify Your Target - Never shoot at a sound or movement. Remember you can legally shoot only a bearded turkey during the spring season.
- Hunter Orange - Wear hunter orange when walking in the woods. If you kill a turkey, tag it immediately and then conceal it or wrap an orange covering on the bird before walking out of the woods.
- Know Your Range - Do not shoot at a turkey out of your shotgun’s effective range. Always shoot at the head and neck of the bird and remember that 30 yards or closer is ideal for a safe, clean kill. Remember to pattern your gun before the hunt and do not use large shot. A number 4, 5, 6, or 7 1/2 shot is ideal for turkey hunting in Ohio.
- See the Beard - Never let excitement, nerves, panic, or peer pressure guide your behavior. Make sure the object you are shooting is a bearded turkey. The most critical moment of any turkey hunt is when you decide to pull the trigger. See a beard before you shoot.
- Hunter Education - Attend a Division of Wildlife hunter education course. The NWTF and the Division of Wildlife sponsor turkey hunting seminars each year.
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How to Tell a Gobbler From a Hen
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