Photo by Ron Sinfelt

In 1904, a wild turkey was hard to find in Ohio. Later, as large tracts of land reverted to wooded areas, the Ohio Division of Wildlife began a 40-year effort to reestablish wild turkeys in the Buckeye State. Wild turkeys were trapped in other states and released in Ohio during the late 1950s through the 1960s. The project was a success, and now Ohio boasts a hunt-able turkey population all 88 counties of the state.

In 2005, the regular spring turkey season will open for all hunters on April 18 and continue through May 15, 2005. The statewide bag limit will continue to be two bearded birds. The annual youth special season will be April 16-17. Youth hunters may harvest one bearded bird during this time. Check Ohio's 2005 hunting regulations for a complete list of special hunting areas and specific season opening and closing dates.

Ohio Division of Wildlife turkey biologists are conservatively predicting a better season for 2005, at least compared to the 2004 spring turkey season. Overall, last year Ashtabula County led Ohio's 88 counties during the 2004 season with 673 bearded birds. Rounding out the top five counties were Belmont (542 birds), Jefferson (532) Knox (529) and Harrison (522).

Overall, the spring harvest increased in 29 counties, declined in 57 counties and stayed the same in two counties. Some 57 percent of the harvest total was accomplished during the first week of the season. See the ODOW's Web site (listed below) for more details.

A good indicator of the coming spring season is the poult count, which refers to the number of young birds seen with each hen. This year's poult-to-hen ratio was calculated at 3.7 to 1. The 2003 season had a 2.2 to 1 ratio (indicating a drop in the population followed by a below-average spring turkey season). The average over the last 10 years has been 3.3 to 1, so one could speculate that there will be a good number of jakes for the 2005 season and an increase in the number of mature birds in the next two years.

During the 2004 season, Ohio's spring gobbler hunters harvested 16,927 bearded birds, down 16.9 percent from 2003. Youth hunters took 1,520 of these birds during the special statewide youth hunting season.

According to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, hunters purchased 56,176 spring turkey permits. The success rate for spring hunters was calculated by the ODOW to be 24.5 percent for the spring 2004 season.

Here's a district-by-district look at what hunters can expect this spring.

DISTRICT ONE
Gary Ludwick, an ODOW District One turkey biologist, offered an optimistic forecast for hunters throughout his district.

"Although the weather can change everything, the poult count is up compared to the last three years, so there should be more jakes for hunters this spring and more mature birds the year after."

Ludwick recommended the Delaware Wildlife Area, covering 6,875 acres, and the 7,250-acre Deer Creek Wildlife Area for good hunting in his district this spring.

The terrain of both areas consists of the flat-to-rolling land typical to the central part of the state. Both of these areas offer a good mixture of woodlands and agriculture. The ODOW plants crops or leases the land to local farmers. Hunting areas are clearly marked with signs indicating that the activity is permitted.

According to Ludwick, the turkey potential is improving on both of these wildlife areas. The wooded parts of both locales contain oak, hickory and beech trees. According to Ludwick there are plenty of food sources within or near these wildlife areas to ensure a healthy turkey population. There are a few ODOW roads that are closed to vehicular access within the confines of each these areas that turkey hunters can use as walk-in routes.

According to Ludwick, the hunting pressure during the spring turkey season is moderate, but there is less pressure on weekdays. Hunters willing to walk a little farther, do a little more scouting and spend a little more time in the woods finding roosting and strutting areas should have a reasonable chance at success.

For more information on the wildlife areas in District One, hunters should contact the ODOW's Wildlife District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215; or call (614) 644-3925.