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Hunters bag 7,744 wild turkeys during first week of season

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Ohio hunters harvested a preliminary total of 7,744 bearded wild turkeys during the first week of the spring turkey-hunting season, which is open statewide through May 15, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

Jeremy Edenfield of New Vienna harvested two wild turkeys this season, one taken in Clinton County on April 22, at 17 pounds and had a 10-inch beard; and another taken in Highland County on April 30. That one weighed 23 pounds and had a 8 1/2-inch beard.

Top counties for wild turkeys killed last week were: Tuscarawas – 259; Guernsey – 247; Ashtabula – 241; Knox – 238; Harrison – 224; Adams – 213; Coshocton 210; Muskingum – 207; Licking – 199; and Columbiana – 191.

The Division of Wildlife estimates that more than 70,000 people will hunt turkeys during the four-week season. Legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon from April 18 to May 1, 2011. Hunting hours May 2-15 will be a half hour before sunrise to sunset. Ohio's wild turkey population was estimated at 200,000 prior to the start of the spring season.

A special youth-only hunt for hunters age 17 and younger was held statewide on April 16-17. Young hunters killed an additional 1,455 birds statewide.

Only bearded wild turkeys may be taken during the spring hunting season. A hunter is required to check in their turkey by 11 p.m. on the day of harvest. Hunters with the proper permits may take a limit of two bearded gobblers during the four-week season, but not more than one wild turkey per day.

Hunters must still report their turkey harvest, but they are no longer required to take their turkey to a check station for physical inspection. Instead, hunters have three options to complete the new automated game check:

- On the Internet at wildohio.com or ohiogamecheck.com

- By telephone at 1-877-TAG-ITOH (1-877-824-4864). This option is only available to those who are required to have a turkey permit to hunt turkeys.

- At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com

Game-check transactions will be available online and by telephone seven days a week and during holidays.  License agents’ locations will be available for turkey check-in during normal business hours.  Please call the license agent for specific hours of operation.  All turkeys must be checked in by 11 p.m. the day of kill.

Below is a list of preliminary wild turkey harvest results for the first week of the 2011 spring season opening day:

Adams – 213; Allen – 23; Ashland – 108; Ashtabula – 241; Athens – 164; Auglaize – 15; Belmont – 191; Brown – 162; Butler – 76; Carroll – 138; Champaign – 42; Clark – 10; Clermont – 157; Clinton – 26; Columbiana – 191; Coshocton – 210; Crawford – 40; Cuyahoga – 4; Darke – 11; Defiance – 73; Delaware – 61; Erie – 25; Fairfield – 43; Fayette – 2; Franklin – 9; Fulton – 40; Gallia – 155; Geauga – 119; Greene – 8; Guernsey – 247; Hamilton – 53; Hancock – 17; Hardin – 29; Harrison – 224; Henry – 16; Highland – 166; Hocking – 115; Holmes – 112; Huron – 72; Jackson – 118; Jefferson – 181; Knox – 238; Lake – 27; Lawrence – 109; Licking – 199; Logan – 72; Lorain – 74; Lucas – 20; Madison – 2; Mahoning – 85; Marion – 28; Medina – 52; Meigs – 169; Mercer – 8; Miami – 10; Monroe – 176; Montgomery – 8; Morgan – 137; Morrow – 87; Muskingum – 207; Noble – 122; Ottawa – 1; Paulding – 28; Perry – 124; Pickaway – 9; Pike – 100; Portage – 94; Preble – 32; Putnam – 18; Richland – 188; Ross – 148; Sandusky – 12; Scioto – 108; Seneca – 76; Shelby – 16; Stark – 84; Summit – 13; Trumbull – 150; Tuscarawas – 259; Union – 21; Van Wert – 9; Vinton – 101; Warren – 49; Washington – 174; Wayne – 49; Williams – 92; Wood – 10; Wyandot – 42.  Total – 7,744.[[In-content Ad]]

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