05/06/2026
🦃 NEWS: Hunters have harvested 11,044 turkeys so far this spring. 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 (11.044) 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).
We have 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.
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