Ohio proposing new bag limit

[eggshell]

After all the discussion here about declining flocks, public land use and limiting harvest, I thought many would be interested to see Ohio is proposing a change to the bag limit. The new proposal taking effect 2022, if passed, would limit you to harvesting one bearded bird from public land. You can still kill two, but only one can be from public land. Oddly, they site poor reproductive years, but they leave the fall season intact. Of course, the fall kill is a very small fraction of the spring harvest. Annual fall harvest is around 1200-1500 birds and about half and half on sexes. While spring harvest averages around 18,000 -20,000 bearded birds, almost all gobblers. Maybe they should restrict the harvest of gobblers in the fall to insure more breeding males in the spring? I am a fall hunter and usually shoot gobblers, but I'm mostly on private controlled land that has plenty to spare. I will support whatever they decide. This seems to be a national problem and I'm still unsure why it's happening. I hope they figure it out.

[the Ward]

Interesting, i had not heard of this. I support this, as the turkey population in my area of ohio has seen a decline. Problem is, they need the restriction across the board, public and private. I honestly believe the fall kill is way higher than reported. People on private land baiting deer in bow season, shooting turkeys as a target of opportunity. With the check stations gone, people just are not reporting the kill, and i think it happens in the spring season too, turkeys being taken and tagged, but not reported. I don't know what the answer is, but it is a step in the right direction. At least Odnr is recognizing that there is a problem.Baiting has caused problems with the spread of disease in the deer herd, i suppose it does the same in the turkey flocks to an extent also. I am not against baiting deer, as it is an effective tool to help control high deer populations, but it can have unintended consequences on other species.

[DD]

But they are opening the 2021 on a Saturday instead of the traditional Monday.
This adds two days to the season, and increases hunting pressure early in the season.
I hunt public and private, but won't be near public on opening weekend.
They claim it increases hunter opportunity,...we know it's all about  license sales regardless
of the turkey population!

[joey46]

Going away from the Monday opener was a dumb move.  Public land pressure will be a hoot.

[the Ward]

Going away from the Monday opener was a dumb move.  Public land pressure will be a hoot.

Yea that is going to be bad. Owl hooters of Ohio, unite!

[albrubacker]

It will be interesting to see how many other states make changes.

[the Ward]

I just hope they are actually studying the problem and come up with a scientific and viable plan to help the flock, and not just a knee-jerk reaction. Odnr seems to only care about managing for deer, at the exclusion of other game species it seems.

[Spurs Up]

Way to go Ohio!  The different limit between private and public makes sense.

[BigSlam51]

This might also limit the out of state pressure on public land. Personally I'd like to see some restrictions on the fall season. I guess this is a start, at least they're recognizing it.

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[eggshell]

Going away from the Monday opener was a dumb move.  Public land pressure will be a hoot.

I agree, I just cringed when I saw that.

It's a new breed running the show now, not at all like when I was with the division. I rarely kill any birds on public land, but I do hunt it with others, I'll even go myself if I need a bird in late season.

I honestly believe the fall kill is way higher than reported. People on private land baiting deer in bow season, shooting turkeys as a target of opportunity. With the check stations gone, people just are not reporting the kill, and i think it happens in the spring season too, turkeys being taken and tagged, but not reported.

I have mixed feelings on this. I think it did make it easier to cheat, but I'm not sure it's a big problem. If someone is going to poach they have no intention of checking it either way. I don't think the fall kill is any  greater around me, maybe in other parts. I do know some deer hunters take birds of opportunity, but most buy a tag and report the kill. For me I like the call in check and I hunted other states that done it way before Ohio. I ran a check station for 30 years and it was cool to see all the birds and we got a lot of good info. I am undecided on thsi

[sippy cup]

That could be good and bad personally in Virginia I would love to see them stop killing jakes and no fall season but if they dropped bag limits from 3 here to 2 all its going to do is make guys not check in birds I know guys who kill 8 gobblers a year and they are all checked in  if anything I would love to see all day hunting stopped and rifles banned

[the Ward]

I have mixed feelings on this. I think it did make it easier to cheat, but I'm not sure it's a big problem. If someone is going to poach they have no intention of checking it either way. I don't think the fall kill is any  greater around me, maybe in other parts. I do know some deer hunters take birds of opportunity, but most buy a tag and report the kill. For me I like the call in check and I hunted other states that done it way before Ohio. I ran a check station for 30 years and it was cool to see all the birds and we got a lot of good info. I am undecided on thsi
[/quote] Don't get me wrong, i like the automated reporting system they have now. After thinking about it, you are right. If someone wants to cheat, they could do it under either system of check-in.I still think the game laws on limits should be the same for public and private. Game animals belong to the state, and not the property it is standing on, for good reasons. It could be done county by county, or by zones, so the areas with high populations could have a higher bag limit vs areas with a lower/declining population could be lowered, instead of a one size fits all plan.They are sort of doing that now with the NE. ohio zone, with a later start date than down south, but kept the all-day hunting and fall season. That doesn't make sense

[tracker vi]

Wouldn't it be shame if oosers couldn't come in and kill 2 birds on private. Might even put some "outfitters" out business . And no all day hunting Lawdy what's this world coming too!!!!

[obro]

I think we should just go one bird and no fall hunt . If you want to get the numbers back then do what needs to be done and don't make the appearance that you are .

[Greg Massey]

Our limited was reduce this year from 4 birds to 3 birds. I have no problem with it, i will take birds to hunt as to having no birds to hunt, i remember those years of be lucky to hear 2 gobblers a season, back in those days birds were hard to come by.. I can see your point also about it could or couldn't add more pressure to public land ...