Ohio’s fall wild turkey season ended November 29 with 2,180 birds killed during the seven-week season. Tuscarawas County led the state with 135 birds taken, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife. Last year, 2,012 birds were taken.
The fall turkey season which ran October 10 through November 29, allowed hunters the choice of pursuing a bird with a shotgun, muzzleloading shotgun, bow or crossbow. Hunters had 48 counties in which to pursue a wild turkey of either sex, which for the first time included Defiance and Williams counties.
Before the start of this fall’s hunting season, Ohio’s estimated wild turkey population was around 200,000. As many as 20,000 people, not counting private landowners hunting on their own property, enjoyed Ohio’s fall wild turkey season.
The top 10 counties for fall turkey harvest were: Tuscarawas-135; Ashtabula-127; Jackson-91; Trumbull-73; Guernsey-72; Coshocton-70; Hocking-68; Medina-67; Ross-65; and Knox-63;.
Hunters who wish to share their success can submit a photo of themselves and the turkey they killed this year to www.wildohio.com.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
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EDITORS NOTE: The following is a list of wild turkeys checked and tagged through November 29. The number taken during the 2008 fall turkey season is marked in ( ): 2009 (2008); counties marked (NA) had no fall season in 2008.
Adams -56 (67); Ashland -41 (50); Ashtabula -127 (130); Athens -42 (20); Belmont -22 (31); Brown -59 (91); Carroll -25 (21); Clermont -56 (83); Columbiana -53 (62); Coshocton -70 (83); Cuyahoga -1 (12); Defiance-51 (NA); Gallia -29 (37); Geauga -58 (22); Guernsey -72 (60); Harrison -57 (96); Highland -18 (79); Hocking -68 (23); Holmes -23 (25); Jackson -91 (52); Jefferson -25 (32); Knox -63 (57); Lake -23 (17); Lawrence -40 (31); Licking -53 (53); Lorain -39 (34); Mahoning -33 (17); Medina -67 (33); Meigs -42 (26); Monroe -34 (28); Morgan -24 (14); Morrow -20 (25); Muskingum-23 (13); Noble -32 (11); Perry -57 (30); Pike -17 (20); Portage -24 (21); Richland -29 (54); Ross -65 (47); Scioto -46(51); Stark -43 (35); Summit -17 (17); Trumbull -73 (82); Tuscarawas -135 (112); Vinton -40 (35); Washington -61 (67); Wayne -5 (6) and Williams-31 (NA). Preliminary totals -2,180 (2,012).
Contact:
Lindsay Linkhart
Central Ohio
614-644-3925
Tom Lavergne
Northwest Ohio
419-424-5000
Jamey Graham
Northeast Ohio
330-644-2293
Susie Vance
Southeast Ohio
740-589-9930
Kathy Garza-Behr
Southwest Ohio
937-372-9261
Jason Fallon
ODNR Communications
614-265-6842
