Ohio hunters enjoy spring wild turkey season in May

COLUMBUS — Wild turkey hunters in Ohio have checked 14,279 birds in the 2023 spring season through May 14, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.

During the 2022 spring turkey season, hunters checked 10,734 birds in the Buckeye State in the same period. The three-year average (2020 to 2022) for turkeys taken in the corresponding dates is 13,353 birds.

This year’s total includes the 1,823 birds checked in the two-day youth hunting season April 15-16, birds taken in the 23 days since the south zone opened April 22, and those harvested in the 16 days of hunting in the northeast zone (Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties).

The 10 counties with the highest totals for wild turkey harvest so far in the 2023 season are Gallia (398), Muskingum (394), Monroe (389), Tuscarawas (384), Belmont (366), Ashtabula (361), Coshocton (354), Adams (351), Meigs (342) and Guernsey (338).

The division of wildlife has issued

49,484 spring turkey permits that are valid throughout the spring hunting season.

Hunting in the northeast zone is open until May 28. The season in the rest of Ohio remains open until May 21. Statewide, turkey hunting is now permitted from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. The season limit is one bearded turkey. Find more information in Ohio’s 2022-23 hunting and trapping regulations booklet. Find more information about Ohio’s wild turkey hunting at wildohio.gov.

Wild turkeys checked in Ohio through May 14

COLUMBUS — A list of all wild turkeys checked by hunters in each county through May 14 is shown. Results from the state include 23 days of hunting in the south zone, 16 days in the northeast zone, and the twoday statewide youth season.

The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2023, and the three-year average through the corresponding dates (2020-2022) is in parentheses. Numbers are raw data and are subject to change.

Adams: 351 (322); Allen: 67 (61); Ashland: 159 (137); Ashtabula: 361 (312); Athens: 271 (287); Auglaize: 45 (32); Belmont: 366 (391); Brown: 265 (321); Butler: 209 (169); Carroll: 312 (281); Champaign: 86 (71); Clark: 26 (15); Clermont: 277 (249); Clinton: 52 (61); Columbiana: 326 (354); Coshocton: 354 (316); Crawford: 49 (43); Cuyahoga: 5 (5); Darke: 58 (53); Defiance: 181 (168); Delaware: 88 (87); Erie: 42 (36); Fairfield: 99 (85); Fayette: 11 (9); Franklin: 22 (13); Fulton: 109 (93); Gallia: 398 (319); Geauga: 191 (136); Greene: 25 (19); Guernsey: 338 (370); Hamilton: 115 (94); Hancock: 41 (31); Hardin: 103 (78); Harrison: 320 (340);

Henry: 52 (43); Highland: 312 (302); Hocking: 233 (203); Holmes: 180 (178); Huron: 79 (82); Jackson: 248 (255); Jefferson: 337 (339); Knox: 223 (237); Lake: 52 (46); Lawrence: 215 (179); Licking: 274 (246); Logan: 127 (97); Lorain: 107 (101); Lucas: 45 (45); Madison: 9 (6); Mahoning: 174 (155); Marion: 29 (33); Medina: 84 (93); Meigs: 342 (377); Mercer: 27 (19); Miami: 28 (23); Monroe: 389 (372); Montgomery: 45 (21); Morgan: 232 (241); Morrow: 134 (111); Muskingum: 394 (356); Noble: 317 (305); Ottawa: 1 (1); Paulding: 68 (62); Perry: 280 (221); Pickaway: 26 (16); Pike: 223 (158); Portage: 186 (181); Preble: 143 (96); Putnam: 31 (39); Richland: 201 (176); Ross: 259 (247); Sandusky: 28 (20); Scioto: 235 (205); Seneca: 112 (100); Shelby: 39 (37); Stark: 226 (219); Summit: 40 (57); Trumbull: 262 (253); Tuscarawas: 384 (390); Union: 45 (41); Van Wert: 13 (15); Vinton: 223 (213); Warren: 82 (75); Washington: 335 (346); Wayne: 90 (100); Williams: 208 (166); Wood: 23 (23); Wyandot: 106 (73).

The 2023 total is 14,279, and the three-year average total is 13,353.