Spring turkey seasons open
Several states kicked off spring turkey seasons this weekend: Wisconsin’s season is open through May 26 across all seven management zones, Ohio’s youth wild turkey hunt runs April 18–19 with a separate April 25–26 youth weekend in five northeast counties, and West Virginia’s spring gobbler season opens April 20 statewide. (lacrossetribune.com) Officials remind successful hunters to register birds with state DNRs. (uppermichiganssource.com)
Spring turkey seasons are opening across parts of the Midwest and Appalachia this weekend, sending hunters into the woods in Wisconsin, Ohio and West Virginia. (dnr.wisconsin.gov) Wisconsin’s regular spring season opened April 15 and runs through May 26, with all seven turkey management zones open across six seven-day periods from A through F. Hunters must carry a spring turkey license, a wild turkey stamp and a valid harvest authorization. (dnr.wisconsin.gov) Ohio split its 2026 youth hunt into two windows for the first time: April 18–19 in most of the state and April 25–26 in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties. The regular season opens April 25 in the south zone and May 2 in the northeast zone. (ohiodnr.gov) West Virginia starts with a youth spring gobbler season on April 18–19, then opens the regular season statewide on April 20 for five weeks. Adult hunters may take one bearded bird per day, with a season bag limit of two. (wvdnr.gov) States stagger turkey dates because nesting timing and bird activity differ by region. Ohio said its two-zone calendar is meant to match the timing of turkey nesting in the south and northeast parts of the state. (ohiodnr.gov) The spring hunt is tightly regulated because agencies are trying to preserve hunting access while tracking turkey numbers. Wisconsin requires harvest registration by 5 p.m. the day after recovery, and Ohio and West Virginia both direct hunters to state check-in and licensing systems. (wispolitics.com) Ohio’s season also arrives as biologists expand research on hen survival and gobbling patterns. Since 2023, Ohio researchers have fitted 319 hens with GPS transmitters, and the state said those findings will shape future turkey regulations. (ohiodnr.gov) Last spring, Ohio hunters checked 16,014 turkeys, including 1,740 taken by hunters 17 and younger during the youth season. The top five counties for harvest were Ashtabula, Monroe, Belmont, Guernsey and Muskingum. (ohiodnr.gov) Wisconsin and West Virginia are also pushing safety as the woods get busier. Wisconsin told hunters to avoid wearing red, white or blue because those colors can be mistaken for a turkey’s head, and West Virginia bars electronic calls, baiting and the harvest of turkeys without beards in spring. (wispolitics.com, wvdnr.gov) For hunters who tag a bird in the next few days, the paperwork is part of the season. State wildlife agencies are reminding them to register the harvest promptly and follow zone-specific dates before heading back out. (wispolitics.com, wvdnr.gov)
