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1-gobbler limit this year in Ohio

I was just checking the regs and it looks like for the first time since 1993 the limit on spring gobblers is 1 Tom. It used to be 2.

I am supportive of this. I have to say that while the deer hunting in my area is fantastic, the turkey hunting was not. I'll give it a try again this spring but am not too optimistic.

Hopefully you guys have some good spots to hunt birds.

Birds seem to be in decline in my area, used to have them year round in my back field and coming to my feeder, but this is either the 3rd or 4th year I haven't even seen nor heard a single turkey... Same with other fields around... Actually haven't hunted them in a few years so really can't say for sure, but they seem to be pretty scarce now days in my area...

The spring season just kills gobblers and probably a few bearded hens, and other hens are usually bred by season and if not will be to left over Toms that can do the job so I really don't see how limiting to one gobbler is going to matter much, it's killing the hens in the fall season that can hurt populations... Eliminating the fall season all together would likely help, but it's the mercy of spring weather that really takes the toll of the poults, along with predators....

I agree completely. They should close the fall season completely. I never understood that either sex fall season in areas that are not overrun with birds.

I agree with eliminating the fall season in areas that never traditionally held turkeys before the transplanting program that began in the 1990's. I live in Huron County and the first spring season for our county was 1999. I believe the birds were transplanted here around 1993 or 1994. Up until around 2015 the population was strong in areas of the county with the right habitat. Winter flocks of over 100 birds were common then but flocks of that size haven't been seen for several years. I believe that without the elimination of the fall season, a strong population of turkeys will never return to the non traditional counties. ODOW has reduced the fall season's length but it needs to be eliminated. Eliminating it means no income from fall turkey permits. A reduced season means the same amount of permits could be sold but less time for the hunting. Their plan may save a few hens but not as many that could be saved by doing away with the fall season. It is true that wet springs can't be controlled but hen harvests can be.

The turkey population by me is still huntable but dropping. It appears that most nests are being destroyed by racoons or other predators. If the eggs do hatch the mortality rate seems to be high. There are bobcats, coyotes, birds of prey and other things taking a high percentage of the few that do hatch. Adjusting hunting seasons maybe necessary but will probably have very little impact. The lack of turkeys is being caused by high predator populations and not by human hunting. If we stop all hunting, I think that the turkey population will continue to fall until predator populations falls.

Yeah, agree high mortality rates of small poults due to predation, especially raccoons destroying nests, and probably a major reason grouse populations have never recovered either.. Haven't seen or heard a grouse in years... Back in the day when coon pelts were worth a little and a LOT of coonhunters, grouse populations were high... I know, I know about the supposive 10 year grouse cycle, but once that cycle hit a natural low, they've never recovered since...

With the few lucky turkey poults that do make it to the fall season, it's really a shame to kill one before a chance to repopulate.

I remember once either the first or second year they adopted the fall season, was in a evening treestand when a small flock of turkeys flew up to roost around me... I managed to climb down and get out of there just before dark without spooking them all, and went back the next morning with shotgun in hand and blasted a Jenny... Afterwards kinda felt bad because she only weighed seven and a half pounds and that was before gutting her... There wasn't much meat...

Although I've killed a few fall jakes since, it's the only female turkey I've ever killed...

I'm afraid you're right. Predators are likely decimating turkey populations.

I see bobcats all the time. Even in broad daylight. And coons? Those bastards are everywhere - especially since I leave my crops standing.

I'm surprised Ohio doesn't allow us to shoot racoons all year long, just like coyotes. And Ohio needs a bobcat season. I hear this from several of my Ohio friends across the state. Seems there's plenty of them around according to the reports I'm hearing.

There are still people that coon hunt. My oldest son is one of them. One of the problems is that it can be tough getting permission to hunt in some places. People aren't happy with the raccoon population and then they deny hunting permission. Fortunately in our immediate area most farmers welcome coon hunting but our turkey population is still struggling.

I agree with needing a bobcat season. I routinely get bobcats on cameras. I am reluctant to trap coyotes for fear of having to deal with a bobcat in a leg hold. My neighbor has already had to release one by himself. It did not sound like he wanted to repeat the experience.

Old Reb, thank you for hunting raccoons.

Don't forget about Fishers. Been seeing more and more in N.W. PA. and N.E Ohio.

Wow Cliff, can't even imagine trying to release a bobcat from a leghold trap without getting a scratch...8^)))

Gary, here is a picture from one of my plots from this spring. Two cats in daylight.

I found this fresh kill of a buck fawn last month. By how neatly the meat is eaten I suspect bobcats.

I was looking for sheds last night and found a dead mature buck. He had 1.25" pedicles. I hope it was the old buck that was decrepit. I tried to look at the jaw but there were too many maggots on him and I refused to touch it. Birds and coyotes cleaned him up pretty good.

I had no idea bobcats were common in Ohio now! I have heard wet springs cause high poult mortality. I also do not see nearly as many turkeys as 10-15 years ago.

If that's true Don, then this spring isn't gonna help. It's a soggy wet mess here in Carroll.

So many bobcats in Morgan Co. McConnelsville area. Nothing new, started getting trail cam pics of them over 10 years ago. Used to have great turkey, grouse and rabbit population, very, very few now. Coyotes not helping either.

Turkey population where I hunt is pretty much terrible....ha. Used to be you had to pick a bird to hunt as there were so many gobbling in the AM. Now if you hear a gobble at all it has been a successful day. Pretty much to the point now where I am thinking about just crappie fishing instead of turkey hunting.

I've been at my Ohio place all week, been outside several hours a day - not one gobble. Terrible.

I haven’t seen or heard turkeys in my area at all! Crazy. Reminds me of pa in the 90’s

Pretty sure I heard a gobble while working in my garage, stepped outside to listen and it was a peleated woodpecker.

I’m at the point now where even if I located a Tom I don’t think I should hunt it. It really is that bad.

Meanwhile at my Ny farm I’m getting 30 pics a day of hens, jakes and mature gobblers. And it gets -30 and 200” of snow there. Something is not right in Ohio.

I'm waiting for someone to start an Ohio turkey meat pole. Someone has have to filled a tag the first week.

Not me. I hunted once when I heard a gobbler one morning last week. It’s been pretty bad. My neighbor did kill a nice one a couple farms over.

Bad nesting conditions again this year. Cold, wet, and lots of predators.

Not me. I hunted once when I heard a gobbler one morning last week. It’s been pretty bad. My neighbor did kill a nice one a couple farms over.

Bad nesting conditions again this year. Cold, wet, and lots of predators.

I got a shot at one this Tuesday. Although the population is way down, I did have a good season. I hunted 8 days. Heard gobbling all but 1. Had toms at under 30 yards 3 times not including the one I shot and saw toms 3 more times. We have some high-quality hay fields that seem to be attracting the turkeys and trap raccoons which seems to help.

Through 5/8 the harvest in Coshocton County is 61% of what it was in 2021. It has been dropping for years. The one turkey limit may have a lot to do with the large decrease this year.

Congrats goyt ! Good to see that someone has a decent population of turkeys where they hunt. I assume you were on private ground because of the hay fields. Have you heard how the hunting has been at Woodbury?

Excellent! Glad to see someone got one. I had one gobbling but he went quiet.

At my NY farm I killed a big Tom my first day out and saw 30 jakes. Crazy good up there.

Thanks Old Reb. Yes I hunt private land. I have not heard anything about Woodbury since Covid hit. Before that I would go to have dinner sometimes at the Warehouse Tavern in Coshocton and there would always seem to be a group there that was hunting in Woodbury during the rut. One of the guys had shot a 120" buck. Never heard much about turkey hunting there. Never been there myself. You probably know more about it than I do.

Thanks Pat. Congratulations on your Tom.

Congrats Cliff, and other successful hunters...

Was talking to neighbor friend yesterday whos lives about a quarter mile or so away and he hunts a little... Ask him if he killed a turkey this year - says he!! no...

As said earlier in this thread, had turkeys coming to my backyard feeder for years, heck even had a goofy hen I named Crazy Mary that'd come up on my deck and even come out in the field to pick bugs while I mowed it just a few yards away, but haven't seen nor heard a turkey here in two years, and my neighbor friend said the same he hadn't seen nor heard one in a couple years...

We got into conversation of what happened to them... We both agree the coyotes got them... There's a pack I suspect mated pair and their annual pups we hear yipping and howling on the hill between us... I do think the coyotes wiped them all out,,, them and the dozens of coon raiding the nests... I miss seeing and hearing them...

Open up raccoon hunting to require a license, but eliminate any seasons or bag limits. Shoot all you want, whenever you want.

Coons have been liberalized to some degree. Landowners may shoot them raiding your garden and crops out of season, there are stipulations so check the game laws.

I had a dozen or so hens pass by me last fall while in a tree stand and I just enjoyed watching them. Don't think I will ever kill a hen , even if it is legal.

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