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April 23 - May 13
Ohios spring turkey season is about to get underway and state wildlife biologists say hunters should expect many opportunities to bring home a gobbler. A mild winter and bumper crop of nuts a favorite food source of gobblers helped sustain the states growing turkey population.
The three-week turkey season runs April 23 through May 13. This season marks only the second year wild turkeys can be hunted statewide.
An estimated 220,000 wild turkeys currently inhabit Ohios 88 counties. Its often hard to believe that Ohios first turkey hunting season in 1966 covered only nine counties with an estimated population of a few thousand turkeys across the state. Through wise wildlife management, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife has successfully restored the eastern wild turkey to Ohios woodlands and continues in this effort today. In fact, Ohio is gaining a national reputation as one of the best turkey hunting states in the Midwest.
In 1956, the division began a trap and transfer program in an effort to reintroduce the wild turkey to our state. Turkeys were caught and released in forested areas of eastern and southeastern Ohio. Wild turkeys were also released in areas identified as having marginal habitat, which also proved to be highly successful because of the birds highly adaptable nature.
Today, ODNR continues its successful trap and transfer program releasing turkeys into areas along streams containing strips of woodlands, also known as riparian corridors. This year 208 turkeys were relocated to sites in 10 counties.
Turkey hunting continues to increase in popularity each year. Last spring, 20,276 gobblers were harvested and those numbers should go up this season. More than 64,000 hunters will likely participate in this spring season taking more than 21,000 birds.
Hunters are required to have a turkey hunting permit and may take a limit of two bearded gobblers this season if they also possess a special bonus turkey permit. Legal hunting hours are one-half before sunrise until noon.
For more information about spring turkey season call your district wildlife office.
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