HUNTER'S BAG 7,744 WILD TURKEYS DURING FIRST WEEK OF THE SEASON SEASON CONTINUES UNTIL MAY 15.

COLUMBUS, OH -- The following information was released by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR):

Written by: news editor

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.

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.

EDITORS NOTE - 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.