Ohio’s spring wild turkey kill numbers have been circling the drain for several years, and the to-date numbers through May22nd shows the speed of the draw down is accelerating.
From when the season began through May 22nd, 11,770 birds were killed – a precipitous drop from the three-year average of 17,060 bearded wild turkeys. And also a sharp decline from the same 2021 to-date kill of 14,450 turkeys.
It is important to note two other things, as well. This year, hunters could shoot only one bearded bird.
However, adding a second turkey to the mix would not have contributed much more to the tally. Last year the second-bird accounted for only 1,824 turkeys, says Mark Wiley, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s chief wild turkey biologist..
Likewise, the state’s Northeast Zone – consisting of Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Trumbull counties – concludes its spring season May 29th. Thus those final week numbers are not included: but which last year amounted to only 95 birds, said Wiley.
Spring harvest totals are down across much of the state for a number of reasons, Wiley said as well.
“Despite a boost in poult numbers during the summer of 2021, wild turkey numbers have not yet recovered from poor poult numbers in 2017 through 2019,” Wiley said.
“Spring turkey hunter numbers and permit totals also have been declining in the state for almost two decades, which has direct impact on the harvest total.”
As the season winds down, Wiley says, the Wildlife Division, “will get a better idea of the spring permit success rates.”
“These rates will provide a more accurate assessment of the 2022 spring season. We will soon distribute the post-season hunter survey which will provide even more detail on what Ohio hunter encountered this spring,” Wiley said.
Several factors play a role in fluctuating turkey populations, including weather events, predation, disease, and hatch productivity, the agency says.
Also, each summer, the Division of Wildlife conducts a turkey brood survey to estimate population changes. Biologists expect the population dip to be temporary given the 2021 brood survey showed encouraging results. Young turkeys will be tracked closely in the coming years. The brood survey is largely based on public reports. Submit observations of young turkeys during July and August at wildohio.gov.
Here is a list of all wild turkeys checked by hunters in each county through May 22nd. Results from the state include 30 days of hunting in the south zone, 23 days in the northeast zone, and the two-day statewide youth season. The first number following the county’s name shows the numbers for 2022, and the three-year average through the corresponding dates are in parentheses. All numbers below are raw data and are subject to change.
Adams: 278 (399); Allen: 56 (72); Ashland: 134 (178); Ashtabula 318 (424); Athens: 231 (389); Auglaize: 24 (42); Belmont: 314 (514); Brown: 278 (396); Butler: 144 (200); Carroll: 266 (347); Champaign: 72 (86); Clark: 21 (15); Clermont: 204 (317); Clinton: 56 (72); Columbiana: 309 (392); Coshocton: 271 (443); Crawford: 45 (58); Cuyahoga 5 (7); Darke: 57 (59); Defiance: 152 (200); Delaware: 74 (109); Erie: 24 (46); Fairfield: 83 (105); Fayette: 3 (12); Franklin: 10 (20); Fulton: 91 (112); Gallia: 280 (386); Geauga 132 (194); Greene: 22 (22); Guernsey: 312 (470) Hamilton: 78 (113); Hancock: 31 (37); Hardin: 80 (94); Harrison: 298 (428); Henry: 35 (55); Highland: 253 (372); Hocking: 170 (256); Holmes: 175 (230); Huron: 68 (106); Jackson: 176 (345); Jefferson: 292 (412); Knox: 198 (312); Lake 38 (61); Lawrence: 159 (215); Licking: 208 (320); Logan: 121 (106); Lorain: 87 (130); Lucas: 53 (58); Madison: 4 (9); Mahoning: 141 (188); Marion: 30 (35); Medina: 96 (120); Meigs: 267 (498); Mercer: 21 (19); Miami: 27 (24); Monroe: 277 (529); Montgomery: 19 (26); Morgan: 194 (329); Morrow: 116 (132); Muskingum: 294 (486); Noble: 251 (410); Ottawa: 0 (2); Paulding: 58 (71); Perry: 202 (280); Pickaway: 7 (23); Pike: 148 (208); Portage: 164 (230); Preble: 113 (114); Putnam: 29 (55); Richland: 173 (249); Ross: 223 (297); Sandusky: 19 (22); Scioto: 143 (261); Seneca: 98 (128); Shelby: 35 (40); Stark: 225 (269); Summit: 61 (74); Trumbull 258 (335); Tuscarawas: 338 (505); Union: 52 (47); Van Wert: 18 (17); Vinton: 170 (285); Warren: 65 (93); Washington: 276 (491); Wayne: 99 (116); Williams: 175 (200); Wood: 21 (25); Wyandot: 77 (83). 2022 to-date total through May 22nd: 11,770. To-date three-average total: 17,060.
- Jeffrey L. FrischkornJFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com
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