Turkey hunt numbers expected to stay high
Basted breast of wild turkey might not be a staple of the contemporary Thanksgiving table, but hunting families in Ohio still can do the fowl thing.
The state’s fall wild turkey season, during which a single bird of either sex may be killed, opens Saturday and runs through Thanksgiving weekend, concluding Nov. 26. A total of 67 counties — 11 more than a year ago — are open to the autumn hunt.
None of the 11 newly opened counties is contiguous to Franklin County, though Champaign, Logan, Hardin and Wyandot aren’t far away. Union, Madison and Pickaway counties remain closed to fall turkey hunting, while Franklin, Delaware, Licking and Fairfield remain open.
A year ago, hunters reported tagging 2,168 turkeys, a 41 percent increase from the 2015 fall season.
Some of the increase last year resulted from a strong hatch of young birds during the spring that coincided with the emergence of the 17-year cicada in eastern and central Ohio.
Turkey numbers will continue on a residual high in the coming season. Despite the uptick in the 2016 harvest, hunters purchased 11,506 fall turkey permits a year ago, a slight decrease from the previous year, the Ohio Division of Wildlife reported.
Some deer archery hunters purchase a fall turkey permit in case a bird struts or stumbles past their stand.
Turkey hunting begins 30 minutes before sunrise and concludes at sunset. Crossbows, longbows and shotguns using shot are legal. Turkeys must be reported using the automated game-check system by 11:30 p.m. on the day taken. On the hunt
A revised course booklet and enhanced online learning options highlight alterations to Ohio’s hunter education course that is required of first-time license buyers.
The booklet contains 11 chapters covering firearms safety, preparation, equipment and conservation, among other facets.
Requirements of the mandatory hunter education course can be completed in the classroom or online. The no-cost classroom course, taught by volunteer instructors, typically takes eight to 12 hours spread over two days and is a chance to bond and exchange information with experienced hunters.
Classroom courses are scheduled this month at the Sportsmen’s Alliance in Columbus, at the Bullet Ranch and Summit Station Lions Club in Pataskala, and at the Johnstown Community Sportsmen’s Club.
An online course, which generally takes about four hours to complete, is available through the wildohio. gov website to aspiring hunters age 12 or older. The fee is $15. A home-study course, which also requires a $15 fee, for the under-12 age group also can be accessed at the site.
An apprentice hunting license remains an option for anyone who wants to try hunting. It allows an individual to hunt when in the company of a licensed hunter at least age 21.
Trap drawings
A drawing for a limited number of trapping permits on specified public sites is scheduled for Saturday at each of the five Ohio Division of Wildlife district offices. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with drawings scheduled at noon.
Six permits for central Ohio sites are at stake at District One headquarters, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus. The available permits include one for Big Island Wildlife Area near Marion, two for Deer Creek State Park, two for Deer Creek Wildlife Area and one for Delaware Wildlife Area.
For details, call 614-644-3925.
A total of 25 permits will be up for grabs in southeastern Ohio during the drawing held at the District Five office in Athens. For a comprehensive list of permit sites broken down by wildlife district and location, visit wildohio. gov and click on the link “Controlled Hunting and Trapping Events.”