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Hunting / Turkey Hunting
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 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 from October 8 through November
27. Only shotguns using shot, crossbows, and
longbows permitted.
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 from October 8
through November 27. 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)
- 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
Every person who kills a wild turkey must immediately
fill out a temporary tag with the name
and address of the hunter and date and time the
turkey was killed, and immediately attach that
tag to the dead turkey at the place where it fell.
The temporary tag must remain attached to the
turkey until the turkey has been permanently
tagged.
The material used to produce the licenses and
permits must be protected from the elements.
You may choose to purchase a reusable license
protective holder if available at the license outlet
or an office supply store. Attach a piece of
string, wire, etc. to your temporary tag and protective
holder before you hunt.
The hunter must complete the automated game-check and permanent tagging process by 11:30 p.m. on the day of the harvest.
The automated game-check and permanent tagging process no longer requires hunters to transport their turkey to an official game-check station for permanent tagging. License agents will process game-check transactions, but will not visually inspect or permanently tag turkeys on behalf of hunters.
Metal tags have been discontinued. Hunters will not receive a metal tag for their turkey.
Hunters are encouraged to complete the automated game-check and permanent tagging process in a sheltered area.
Hunters must have their permit with the attached permanent tag in hand to complete the game-check and permanent tagging process. Hunters can complete the automated game-check and permanent tagging process in one of three ways:
- Call 1-877-TAGITOH (1-877-824-4864)
- Visit wildohio.com. Click on "Wild Ohio Customer Center" and then click on "Game Check: Report a Deer or Turkey Harvest." To game-check a harvest online, make sure to use a computer hooked to a printer. A game-check receipt will be issued and SHOULD be printed.
When using a smartphone for game check, you must access your customer account at wildohio.com when you are at a computer, click on the Game Check button, and print your game check receipt.
- Visit any authorized license sales agent. A list of sales agents can be found here. Hunters do not need to take their turkey to the agent for the game-check. Authorized license sales agents will be available for game-check during normal business hours. Call for exact hours of operation before you go.
Regardless of the game-check method, the hunter must provide the 10-digit permit number, which is printed in large numbers on every permit.
The hunter must answer a series of questions like those traditionally asked at game-check stations. At the end of the process, the hunter will be issued an 18-digit permanent tag number. The first six digits are pre-printed on the permanent tag(s). When a hunter has game-checked their turkey by Web or agent, they will receive a game-check receipt witht heir permanent tag number printed on it. Hunter using the telephone game-check method will receive the final 12 digits of the number over the phone. The first six digits are pre-printed on the permanent tag(s).
The 18-digit permanent tag number must be written on the permanent tag(s) in the spaces provided on the permanent tag(s). Remember, the first six digits are pre-printed on the permanent tag(s). The hunter must write the date and time of kill on the permanent tag and sign it.
The temporary tag can be discarded. The game-check and permanent tagging process is complete.
  
  
- Protect your turkey permit from the elements by placing it in a plastic bag or protective pouch before you hunt.
- Every person who kills a turkey must immediately fill out the temporary tag.
- Attach the completed, protected temporary tag to the turkey with a string, twist-tie, or wire at the place where it fell.
- Complete the automated game-check process. The 18-digit permanent tag number MUST be written on the permanent tag(s) in the spaces provided.
- Detach the permanent tag and place it in a plastic bag or protective pouch.
- The completed permanent tag MUST be attached to the turkey. The temporary tag can be discarded.
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Tagging Requirements for LANDOWNERS
For hunters who are NOT REQUIRED to have turkey permits:
As in the past, landowners and tenants who take a turkey on their land and any other person not required to have a turkey permit must make and attach their own temporary tag. The temporary tag must include the name and address of the hunter, and the date and time the animal was killed.
- The landowner hunter must immediately attach the homemake temporary tag to the turkey at the place where it fell. Once this step is completed, the hunter legally possesses the turkey and is free to transport it to its final destination.
- The hunter must complete the automated game-check and permanent tagging process by 11:30 p.m. on the day of the harvest.
The automated game-check and permanent tagging process no longer requires hunters to transport their turkey to an official game-check station for permanent tagging. License agents will process game-check transactions, but will not visually inspect or permanently tag turkey on behalf of hunters.
Metal tags have been discontinued. Hunters will not receive a metal tag for their turkey.
Landowners CANNOT use the telephone game-check option!
Game-check options for the landowner are:
- Visit wildohio.com. Click on "Wild Ohio Customer Center: Report a Deer or Turkey Harvest." To game-check a harvest online, make sure to use a computer hooked to a printer. A game-check receipt will be issued and MUST be printed.
When using a smartphone for game check, you must access your customer account at wildohio.com when you are at a computer, click on the Game Check button, and print your game check receipt along with your permanent tag(s).
- Visit any authorized license sales agent. A list of sales agents can be found here. Hunters do not need to take their turkey to the agent for the game-check. Authorized license sales agents will be available for game-check during normal business hours. Call for exact hours of operation before you go.
 
To game-check a harvest online, make sure to use a computer hooked to a printer. A game-check receipt will be issued and MUST be printed.
When using a smartphone for game check, you must access your customer account at wildohio.com when you are at a computer, click on the Game Check button, and print your game check receipt. |
At the time of the game-check, the automated game-check system will attempt to determine if the hunter has an existing customer ID using the hunter's last name, date of birth, and the last 4-digits fo their SSN. If the system cannot find the hunter's account, a new one will be created.
The landowner hunter must answer a series of questions like those traditionally asked at game-check stations. When a landowner hunter has game-checked their turkey by Web or agent, they will receive a game-check receipt witht heir permanent tag(s) and permanent tag number printed on it. The landowner hunter will be issued an 18-digit permanent tag number. The first six digits are pre-printed ont he permanent tag(s).
The 18-digit permanent tag number must be written ont he permanent tag(s) in the spaces provided. The first six digits are pre-printed on the permanent tag(s). The hunter must write the date and tiem of kill on the permanent tag and sign it.
Like the metal tag, the completed permanent tag must be attached to the turkey. The temporary tag can be discarded. The game-check and permanent tagging process is complete.
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Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting
Lake La Su An Wildlife Area in Williams County is
open to youth hunting only for the entire spring
turkey season and the special youth only turkey
season. A valid Youth Hunting License and a
Youth Spring Turkey Hunting Permit is required.
Since Lake La Su An is a controlled hunt area,
a special drawing for permits is held in March;
contact the District Two Office (419/424-5000)
for more information. See the Youth Hunting
Section for more information.
A statewide youth wild turkey season will be
offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and
22, immediately prior to the regular wild turkey
season in 2012. Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise
to sunset. See the Youth Hunting Section for details.
Special youth wild turkey hunts will be held on
selected areas around the state. See the Youth Hunting Section for details.
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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