Whatever the reason – decent weather, more turkeys, more hunters, virtuoso calling, better aim – Ohio’s spring wild turkey season registered a moderately rollicking start.
Hunters inside the South Zone, where the season kicked off April 25 in 83 counties including those in central Ohio, reported taking 4,646 bearded birds during the opening weekend.
That bested last spring’s opening weekend by 365, or about 8.5%, and topped the three-year average by 407, or about 9.6%. In both cases, the trend obviously is up from recent years, though the spring hunt has a ways to go until season tallies can be measured definitively.
The South Zone hunt runs through May 24. The Northeast Zone season, which covers five northeastern counties, began May 2 and runs through May 31.
Coinciding with the starting weekend of the regular season in the South Zone was the youth hunt in the five northeast counties, covering Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Trumbull. Youth hunters age 17 and under reported taking 119 bearded birds.
A weekend earlier, hunters during the South Zone youth season reported taking 1,941 bearded birds. That topped last year’s harvest by 316, or 19.4%, and the three-year average by 260, or 15.5%.
Taken together, young hunters accompanied by non-hunting adults checked 2,060 turkeys during the youth season, separated this year for the first time into different dates by zone. The totals easily topped last year’s take of 1,740 bearded birds by 320, or about 18.4%.
Youths and adult hunters can take no more than a single bearded bird during this year’s spring season. Bearded birds are primarily, although not exclusively, males that become less essential once nesting hens lay fertilized eggs.
Last spring season, hunters checked 16,014 turkeys. The spring turkey take hit a modern low at 11,872 in 2022, the first season in a generation that the Ohio Division of Wildlife set the limit at a single bird.
Tuscarawas led South Zone counties during the opening weekend with 144 birds, followed by Belmont 142, Brown and Guernsey with 135, and Gallia and Highland with 131. Licking led central Ohio counties with 83, followed by Delaware with 33, Union 17, Fairfield 16, Pickaway six, Franklin three and Madison two.
The end of the hunting day shifts in the South Zone from noon to sunset on May 4. All spring turkey regulations and updated county results are detailed at wildohio.gov.
Legacy stamp
Hunters, fishers and trappers make operations of the Ohio Division of Wildlife possible by purchasing licenses and permits. Another way to help the division’s conservation efforts is to buy a $15 stamp issued each year.
The 2026 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, which features a killdeer and its fledgling, is on sale at wildohio.gov, through the Ohio Wildlife Store link. The stamp can also be purchased using the free HuntFish OH mobile app.
Stamp buyers receive a collectible stamp, a commemorative card and discount on stays at nine of Ohio’s state park lodges. Money generated by stamp purchases help fund migratory bird protections, habitat restoration, wildlife research and efforts designed to conserve endangered and threatened species.
Parting shots
Get an introductory, hands-on, how-to-fish lesson at no cost May 5, 5-7 p.m., at the Delaware State Park Marina. The class will cover casting, knot tying, gear and focus on fishing for bluegill in the pond. Attendees age 16 and older need a license to fish. … Hunting regulations for the 2026-27 seasons, including expansion of the Deer Surveillance Area, were affirmed by the Ohio Wildlife Council last week.
outdoors@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio’s spring turkey season starts strong, harvests up
Reporting by Dave Golowenski, Special to The Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
