Data supplied by the Ohio Division of Wildlife appears to demonstrate the state’s wild turkey flock is on the road to recovery, thanks in some measure to tightening of bag limits.
It is important note, too, that the totals shown for this year and last year includes the results of their respective two-day, youth-only wild turkey-hunting seasons. This year, youth hunters were blessed with absolutely ideal turkey-hunting weather.
Not so to-date with the general season, including - and perhaps, especially - in the five-county Northeast Zone consisting of Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, and Trumbull counties.
Even so, the figures are impressive. The 2023 to-day total through April 30th is 10,351 birds. The comparable 2022 figure is 7,551 birds, and the three-year average total is 9,433 birds.
“Most counties across the state have harvest totals exceeding the three-year average, and despite some unfortunate weather conditions during the Northeast Zone’s opening weekend, harvest in that zone is currently greater than the three-year average,” said Mark Wiley, the Wildlife Division’s lead wild turkey management biologist told “Ohio Outdoor News.”
“And please note, too the three-year average includes two years in which the bag limit was two bearded birds. Even so, the 2023 harvest total is well above the harvest total at the same point in 2022,” Wiley said.
“Based on trends in permit sales and “the harvest in 2023, as well as hunter anecdotes, it appears wild turkey abundance is improved over the past few years. This corroborates the poult index data from 2021 and 2022 which showed above average poult numbers in those years,” Wiley said.
Very true, adds Geoffrey Westerfield, Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor for the agency’s District Three/Northeast Ohio Office in Akron.
“Sometimes you just have to believe the word of the biologists,” said a chuckling Westerfield.
“For several seasons the turkey harvest was down due to a somewhat unprecedented three years of consistently well below average poult production as noted on the 2018, 2019, and 2020 hen-to-poult ratio,” Westerfield said.
This ratio, Westerfield told “Ohio Outdoor News,” is “determined by reports from hunters and landowners using an online reporting tool through our website.”
“However, this year so far the harvest seems to be staying in line with what we saw with both the 2021 and 2022 hen-to-poult ratio which was above the 10-year average,” said Westerfield.
Westerfield said also that the last five years has helped demonstrate that some bird species, turkeys included, “can have booms and busts” in reproductive success.
“While we can have wet springs that don’t favor turkey population growth, a following season of good weather during late nesting and early brood rearing can help offset those ‘bust years,’” Westerfield said.
Further, says Westerfield, by limiting the turkey kill statewide to one bearded turkey it should also help offset those three consecutive years of poor turkey production.
“While you may not be hearing turkeys, it appears by the harvest and the recent hen-to-poult ratios, that the turkeys are - in fact - out there for the hunters,” Westerfield said.
Also, through April 30th, the Division of Wildlife had issued more than 45,000 spring turkey permits. This total is nearly identical to the permit total at the same point in 2022. The 2023 permit total falls well below the permit totals in years prior to the bag limit reduction, however.
A to-date total of all wild turkeys checked by hunters in each of Ohio’s counties is shown below. The data is shown as 2023 to-date; 2022 to-date as supplied to “Ohio Outdoor News” by the Wildlife Division; and the to-date three-year average.
All figures are comprised by the first nine days of hunting in the South Zone, two days in the Northeast Zone, and the youth hunting season. Numbers are raw data and subject to change.
Adams: 264;177;232; Allen: 57;38;46; Ashland: 116;93;102; Ashtabula: 170;132;144; Athens: 200;146;204; Auglaize: 28;14;20; Belmont: 279;203;284; Brown: 198;168;227; Butler: 161;86;117; Carroll: 225;186;207; Champaign: 56;46;53; Clark: 18;14;12; Clermont: 200;132;177; Clinton: 41;33;43; Columbiana: 239;212;265; Coshocton: 268;185;23); Crawford: 33;32;27; Cuyahoga: 1;0;1; Darke: 46;38;37; Defiance: 128;92;119; Delaware: 56;50;65; Erie: 30;16;19; Fairfield: 79;59;64; Fayette: 8;3;7; Franklin: 17;5;11; Fulton: 82;56;68; Gallia: 297;184;227; Geauga: 97;44;55; Greene: 19;16;13; Guernsey: 249;224;283; Hamilton: 85;50;61; Hancock: 30;14;21; Hardin: 72;53;(also 53); Harrison: 241;208;244; Henry: 34;21;31; Highland: 229;156;213; Hocking: 184;122;153; Holmes: 132;119;133; Huron: 59;38;59; Jackson: 186;127;188; Jefferson: 252;198;246; Knox: 156;133;170; Lake: 31;14;21; Lawrence: 166;111;131; Licking: 210;140;181; Logan: 90;81;72; Lorain: 68;53;67; Lucas: 25;34;31; Madison: (All 4); Mahoning: 124;84;109; Marion: 24;18;24; Medina: 61;60;64; Meigs: 269;184;277; Mercer: 18;12;13; Miami: 22;23;19; Monroe: 277;186;273; Montgomery: 32;9;16; Morgan: 171;134;175; Morrow: 95;81;84; Muskingum: 316;213;261; Noble: 243;173;226; Ottawa: (All zero); Paulding: 50;37;42; Perry: 215;138;162; Pickaway: 16;3;12; Pike: 169;100;110; Portage: 109;100;127); Preble: 110;70;65; Putnam: 20;17;28; Richland: 153;108;124; Ross: 189;145;177; Sandusky: 19;13;17; Scioto: 187;89;146; Seneca: 83;63;70; Shelby: 24;22;28; Stark: 171;134;150; Summit: 25;33;38; Trumbull: 120;92;11); Tuscarawas: 287;223;278; Union: 35;38;29; Van Wert: 11;17;13; Vinton: 162;114;162; Warren: 58;45;55; Washington: 265;176;245; Wayne: 69;67;70; Williams: 145;113;118; Wood: 15;12;14; Wyandot: 76;45;50. 2023 to-date total: 10,351; 2022 to-date total: 7,551; Three-year average to-date total: 9,433.
