# Split Season



## meats52 (Jul 23, 2014)

For the first time as far as I can remember there is a split turkey season. Turkey season starts in Ohio on April 24 with the exception of 5 northeast counties where it doesn't start until May 1st. The ODNR did a survey and they said that the hens in the 5 counties don't start nesting until up to 2 weeks later than they do in the rest of the state so they decided to start the season a week later. I guess this means that we actually have a 5 week season instead of the usual 4 week season.http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/hunting...apping-regulations/turkey-hunting-regulations


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Yea they've been studying that for a while. It's basically the snow belt. Several years that I know, they would still have a foot of snow on the ground when we were hunting in green camo and finding mushrooms.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

It's a tough call for the whole state. I'm in Cincinnati all week and man it's really green down here already. That are breeding at home in Hocking county. Tough season to juggle for the odnr.


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm mowing grass already and dug a bunch of ramps today. Bus have been strutting for a while here.


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## marshal45 (Mar 8, 2007)

Yeah I live in Geauga county where it opens in May 1st. I'm not very happy about the split season. In a warm winter like this one and last year things happen faster. I could not find a gobbler after May 10th last year they shut up completely. Way different than the prior year that was very cold in which they were gobbling like crazy all the way through the end of the season. All in all though if the turkey population thrives due to the new regs it will be worth it. I have already been out doorknocking and have grabbed a couple of spots in the southern counties so I guess I will have a five week season.


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

It's like duck season dates. The dates will be better more often than not in my opinion. They can't predict weird warm winters . That isn't the norm.

I live about as far south as you can in ohio, and I thought the last two weeks of season was better than the first two last year. I didn't have problems getting vocal birds at any part of the season, but the first two they were henned up so bad that they were hard to work. The second couple weeks they were more than willing to work for us. 

Turkey are like waterfowl. You can drive 20 miles and everything be completely different, and then vise versa the next week. I think the dates are about as good as they can be for the hunters and turkeys as a whole. It's not going to be perfect for everyone every season. 

There are a bunch of guys from the Geauga NWTF chapter that come down and hunt on our properties and stay at our house every year. We have a good time, but the funny thing is they kill more up there it seems.


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## marshal45 (Mar 8, 2007)

beaver said:


> It's like duck season dates. The dates will be better more often than not in my opinion. They can't predict weird warm winters . That isn't the norm.
> 
> I live about as far south as you can in ohio, and I thought the last two weeks of season was better than the first two last year. I didn't have problems getting vocal birds at any part of the season, but the first two they were henned up so bad that they were hard to work. The second couple weeks they were more than willing to work for us.
> 
> ...


Yes I agree with this Beaver. It's like anything else. If I have to wait longer it makes it tough as waiting for the opening day of gobbler season is like my wife telling me in the morning she will be waiting for me in lingerie when I get home from work. I want it now haha. It will be tough watching strutters around my house during what is normally the first week of the season. I'm a big boy though I'll get over it.


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## beaver (Sep 28, 2010)

Haha, just head south and get your fix the first week. That's what I do for duck season except I head north.


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## meats52 (Jul 23, 2014)

beaver said:


> Haha, just head south and get your fix the first week. That's what I do for duck season except I head north.


That's what I'm going to do. I live in Trumbull county but I also have a couple of places that I hunt in Mahoning county so that's where I'll be hunting the first week.


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## slashbait (Jun 26, 2008)

Them birds are sure cranked up right now. Had 3 gobbling away at the sounds and voices of bike trail bikers! And after bikers passed threw and next ones came by they fired up again! Just a guess but I'll bet late start in Ashtabula drops that county from number 1


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## marshal45 (Mar 8, 2007)

I'm pretty pumped. I have grabbed three nice spots to hunt the beginning of the split in southern counties. I'll hunt them the first week then back to Geauga county to hunt my other 8 spots. Thanks Odnr for extending my season (or just making me more tired ).


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