Ohio's wild turkey hunters have tagged 11,044 birds so far during the 2026 spring season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
Ohio's wild turkey hunting season opened on Saturday, April 25 in the 83 counties that comprise the south zone, and on Saturday, May 2 in the five counties of the northeast zone. This year's results include all birds taken statewide through Sunday, May 3, as well as the 2,058 turkeys checked during youth-only hunting.
In 2025, hunters checked 10,078 wild turkeys during the same time period, with a three-year average (2023 to 2025) of 10,335.
The 10 counties with the most wild turkeys checked so far in 2026 are Tuscarawas (326), Highland (314), Gallia (310), Adams (305), Belmont (305), Monroe (300), Guernsey (288), Brown (269), Meigs (267), and Jefferson (262).
The Division of Wildlife has issued 48,546 spring wild turkey permits that are valid throughout the 2026 season. Hunting is open in the south zone until Sunday, May 24, with hunting hours 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. Hunting hours in the northeast zone are from 30 minutes before sunrise to noon until Sunday, May 10. The northeast zone's hours are from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset from May 11 to May 31.
The season bag limit is one bearded turkey. Complete details can be found in the 2025-26 hunting and trapping regulations.
Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license in addition to a spring turkey permit, unless exempted. Successful hunters are required to game-check their turkey no later than 11:30 p.m. on the day of harvest. Game check, licenses, and permits are available on the HuntFish OH app, via the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System, or at a participating license agent. Game check can also be completed by phone at 1-877-TAG-IT-OH (877-824-4864).
Each summer, the Division of Wildlife collects information on young wild turkeys, called poults. Brood surveys in 2022, 2023, and 2024 showed positive results that will benefit Ohio's wild turkey population numbers this spring. The average poults per hen observed was 2.9 in 2024, 2.8 in 2023, and 3.0 in 2022, with a long-term average of 2.8. Ohio's turkey biologists have found that spring turkey hunting success is closely tied to the hatch productivity two years prior. Hatch productivity in 2025 was 2.7 poults per hen.
Wild turkeys disappeared (extirpated) from Ohio by 1904 and were reintroduced in the 1950s by the Division of Wildlife. Ohio's first modern-day turkey season opened in 1966 in nine counties, and hunters took 12 birds. The turkey harvest topped 1,000 for the first time in 1984. Spring turkey hunting opened statewide in 2000.
The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
A total of all wild turkeys checked by hunters in each of Ohio's counties through Sunday, May 3, 2026 is shown below. These results include nine days of hunting in the south zone, two days of hunting in the northeast zone, and the youth hunting season. The first number following the county's name represents the 2026 harvest, with the three-year average for the corresponding dates (2023-2025) shown in parentheses. Numbers shown below are raw data and subject to change.
Adams: 305 (256); Allen: 67 (53); Ashland: 116 (116); Ashtabula: 191 (113); Athens: 149 (200); Auglaize: 23 (31); Belmont: 305 (315); Brown: 269 (212); Butler: 161 (136); Carroll: 253 (244); Champaign: 53 (48); Clark: 17 (16); Clermont: 239 (191); Clinton: 74 (49); Columbiana: 233 (248); Coshocton: 229 (258); Crawford: 37 (31); Cuyahoga: 4 (3); Darke: 50 (46); Defiance: 138 (125); Delaware: 67 (49); Erie: 29 (28); Fairfield: 36 (61); Fayette: 10 (8); Franklin: 8 (14); Fulton: 98 (97); Gallia: 310 (280); Geauga: 77 (67); Greene: 28 (19); Guernsey: 288 (279); Hamilton: 48 (69); Hancock: 52 (32); Hardin: 86 (64); Harrison: 257 (259); Henry: 44 (38); Highland: 314 (227); Hocking: 117 (165); Holmes: 147 (150); Huron: 61 (59); Jackson: 211 (191); Jefferson: 262 (262); Knox: 198 (154); Lake: 29 (17); Lawrence: 184 (160); Licking: 176 (187); Logan: 101 (82); Lorain: 102 (75); Lucas: 58 (46); Madison: 6 (3); Mahoning: 160 (141); Marion: 38 (30); Medina: 96 (71); Meigs: 267 (276); Mercer: 30 (19); Miami: 27 (23); Monroe: 300 (308); Montgomery: 29 (20); Morgan: 141 (174); Morrow: 113 (94); Muskingum: 227 (299); Noble: 221 (249); Ottawa: 0 (1); Paulding: 79 (50); Perry: 151 (186); Pickaway: 9 (14); Pike: 196 (147); Portage: 212 (156); Preble: 86 (83); Putnam: 47 (30); Richland: 123 (148); Ross: 204 (182); Sandusky: 36 (25); Scioto: 234 (201); Seneca: 84 (83); Shelby: 36 (25); Stark: 188 (181); Summit: 44 (33); Trumbull: 137 (103); Tuscarawas: 326 (294); Union: 41 (30); Van Wert: 12 (12); Vinton: 158 (162); Warren: 79 (55); Washington: 251 (268); Wayne: 68 (75); Williams: 164 (155); Wood: 22 (17); Wyandot: 91 (82).
2026 total: 11,044
3-year average total: 10,335