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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
Turkey Permits Purchased Over the Internet
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 10 through November
29. 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 10
through November 29. 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.
Checkstations for the fall turkey season may be found using the Check Station Section of this site.
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Spring Turkey Season (open in all Ohio Counties)
A special “Spring Turkey Hunting” publication
will be available January 2011 at license
sales outlets and online at wildohio.com. This
publication will provide complete details on the
requirements, information, and instructions for
the changes in hunting license and permit buying,
and the automated game check options for
the spring 2011 season.
Turkey Hunting Hours April 18 - May 1,
2011 1/2 hour before sunrise to noon
Turkey Hunting Hours May 2-15, 2011
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
TEMPORARY 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. Hunters with turkey permits must use
the temporary tag on the permit.
Hunters not required to purchase a turkey permit
must make their own tag with their name, address,
and date and time the turkey was killed.
This tag must be attached to the dead turkey
immediately in the field at the place where it fell.
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.
PERMANENT TAGGING
REQUIREMENTS
Every person who kills a wild turkey during the
fall wild turkey season must bring the tagged
carcass, with feathers, head, and feet attached,
to a check station for permanent tagging. Hunters
must permanently tag the turkey in the
county where the turkey was killed by 8:00 p.m.
on the day of harvest.
Spring season checking options are explained
in the Spring Turkey Hunting Section.
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Turkey Permits Purchased Over the Internet
Hunters who purchase a fall turkey permit
over the Internet must fi ll in the date, time, and
county where the turkey was killed on the bottom
portion of the permit they are carrying. This
must be completed and kept by the hunter. DO
NOT DETACH. The hunter then must make and
attach their own temporary tag with their name,
address, and date and time the turkey was
killed and attach it to the turkey in the field at
the place where it fell.
Take something with you to make a sturdy temporary
tag and something to tie it on with when
packing gear for your hunt.
A list of turkey check stations for the spring season is found in the Check Station Section of this Web site.
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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 16 and
17, immediately prior to the regular wild turkey
season in 2011. 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
Hens sometimes have beards!
Large size, a long beard, and a reddish-white and/or bluish-white head are marks of the gobbler.
 
 
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