Buckeye Reporter

Ohio's much-anticipated 2025 spring wild turkey hunting season is approaching, with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife announcing key details for hunters. A youth turkey hunting weekend will kick things off on April 12 and 13.

The spring hunting season in Ohio is segmented into two regions: the south zone, starting April 19, and the northeast zone, encompassing Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Trumbull counties, which begins on May 3. Hunters are permitted to harvest one bearded turkey during the season.

Young wild turkeys, or poults, have shown positive population trends over the past few years, as suggested by the Division of Wildlife's brood surveys. The 2024 data placed the average poults per hen at 2.9, slightly fluctuating around the long-standing average of 2.8.

In numbers from the previous year, hunters registered a total of 15,535 birds, with young hunters contributing 1,785 turkeys during the youth weekend. Forest-dense areas in eastern and southern Ohio report the highest turkey harvests, with Ashtabula County leading the charts.

Regulations specific to the youth hunting weekend allow those 17 and younger to hunt with a youth hunting license and turkey permit. These licenses can be obtained through various platforms including the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System and the HuntFish OH mobile app. Youth hunters must be with an adult non-hunter and may hunt from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.

During the regular season, hunting times initially run from early morning until noon for the first nine days, extending to sunset afterwards. The south zone season concludes on May 18, while the northeast zone ends on June 1. Valid hunting licenses and permits are mandatory unless exemptions apply.

Harvested turkeys must be game-checked by 11:30 p.m. on the day of the hunt. The DOW provides an automated system for this via online platforms and mobile apps, as well as by phone or through licensed agents, enabling critical population monitoring efforts.

Research efforts by the DOW include studies on turkey nesting and survival running in collaboration with nearby states, as well as research on gobbling frequency using strategically placed recorders. The insights gained are crucial for informed management and regulation of turkey populations in Ohio.

"Information gathered from the brood surveys, multiyear nest study, and gobbling research will influence wild turkey management decisions in the coming years. This helps the Division of Wildlife structure science-based turkey hunting regulations, ensuring wild turkey success across Ohio for many more years."