Ohio’s fall wild turkey hunting season begins soon
COLUMBUS – Ohio’s hunters have the opportunity to pursue wild turkeys during a six-week season from Saturday, Oct. 14, through Sunday, Nov. 26. Gobblers and hens are legal game during the fall wild turkey season.
A complete report of the 2016 fall wild turkey season is available at wildohio.gov.
Sixty-seven Ohio counties are open for fall turkey hunting, including 11 counties open for the first time. Additional details regarding fall wild turkey hunting can be found in the 2017-2018 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.gov.
Only one turkey of either sex may be harvested during the fall season, and a valid hunting license and fall turkey hunting permit are required. Hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Shotguns using shot, as well as crossbows and longbows, are permitted. Hunting turkeys over bait is prohibited, and turkeys must be checked by 11:30 p.m. on the day the bird is harvested. The ODNR Division of Wildlife advises turkey hunters to wear hunter orange clothing when entering, leaving, or moving through hunting areas to remain visible to others.
Hunters are required to make their own game tag to attach to a turkey. Game tags can be made of any material (cardboard, plastic, paper, etc.) as long as it contains the hunter’s name, date, time, and county of the kill. Go to the Turkey Hunting Resources page at wildohio.gov for more information.
All hunters must report their turkey harvest using the automated game-check system. Game-check transactions are available online and by phone seven days a week, including holidays. Hunters have three options to complete the game check:
- Online at ohiogamecheck.com
- Call 877-TAG-ITOH (824-4864); Landowners and others not required to purchase a turkey permit cannot use the 877-TAG-ITOH option. Instead, those hunters have the option to call 866-703-1928 for operator assisted landowner game-check (a convenience fee of $5.50 applies).
- Visit a license agent. A list of agents can be found at wildohio.gov or by calling 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).
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