Hunters harvested 3,315 wild turkeys during the opening weekend of the south zone spring hunting season on April 23-24. Youth hunters harvested 1,103 wild turkeys during the youth season April 9-10.
The top 10 counties for wild turkey harvest reported during the opening weekend of the 2022 south zone include Guernsey (110), Harrison (104), Tuscarawas (104), Carroll (101), Belmont (93), Meigs (92), Adams (89), Brown (88), Jefferson (88), and Muskingum (86).
Wild turkey hunting in Ohio’s south zone is open until Sunday, May 22. Hunting in the northeast zone, comprised of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Trumbull counties in Ohio’s snow belt, is open from April 30 to May 29. Find additional information in the current hunting regulations here.
The Division of Wildlife issued 38,971 wild turkey permits that are valid throughout the 2022 spring hunting season. This is the second year spring turkey season began on a Saturday instead of the traditional Monday opener. Ohio hunters checked 3,875 turkeys during the 2021 opening weekend. The average harvest during the first two days of the previous three seasons is 3,974 birds.
The spring hunting season limit is one bearded wild turkey. A turkey is required to be checked no later than 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest using the HuntFish OH mobile app, the automated game-check system, by phone at (877)824-4864 or at a participating license agent.
The free HuntFish OH mobile app provides convenient resources while out in the field. HuntFish OH is available for Android and iOS users through the app store. Wild turkey hunters can use the app to check a harvest, even without a connection. When a hunter checks game without a clear signal, information is recorded and stored until moving to a location with better reception. Users can also purchase licenses and permits and view wildlife area maps through the app.