COLUMBUS — Many young hunters found success during Ohio’s 2013 youth spring wild turkey season after 1,784 birds were harvested, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Hunters age 17 and under were eligible to participate in the two-day season Saturday and Sunday. The total harvest was a 9 percent increase from 2012, when 1,632 wild turkeys were checked.
The counties that reported the most checked wild turkeys during the 2013 youth spring season were: Monroe (56), Muskingum (54), Ashtabula (52), Jefferson (52), Coshocton (51), Belmont (49), Knox (48), Guernsey (48), Tuscarawas (48) and Washington (47).
All participants were required to possess a valid Ohio youth hunting license and youth spring turkey permit, and must have been accompanied by a non-hunting adult. The youth turkey season was open statewide with the exception of Lake La Su An State Wildlife Area in Williams County, which required a special hunting permit.
The youth spring turkey season is one of four special youth-only hunting seasons designed by the ODNR Division of Wildlife to offer a safe and productive early hunting experience for young hunters. Special seasons are also set aside for upland game, white-tailed deer and waterfowl hunting opportunities.