OHIO — While it’s not Thanksgiving yet, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is focused on the holiday bird, releasing its wild turkey poult index for 2025.
The metric is used to estimate nest success and poult survival of Ohio turkeys. This year, the results were 2.7 poults per hen. Ohio’s 10-year average for poults per hen is 2.8.
(Ohio Department of Natural Resources)
ODNR’s Division of Wildlife uses public reports of wild turkeys and their young, or poults, from July and August each year in order to estimate nest success and poult survival. The data can then help serve as an indicator of trends and inform harvest regulations in future years. In 2025, there were 742 responses collected.
While slightly below average, the 2025 brood results follow four years of above average success with the 2021 survey showing 3.1 poults per hen; the 2022 survey showing three poults per hen; the 2023 survey showing 2.8 poults per hen and the 2024 survey showing 2.9 poults.
“Turkey poult production varied slightly by region,” ODNR said in a news release. “This variability is due in part to differing regional weather patterns during the nesting season. Additionally, Ohio’s turkey population is typically stronger in eastern and southern counties because of landscape characteristics and habitat availability.”
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Southwest Ohio: 3.3 poults per hen
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Southeast Ohio: 2.9 poults per hen
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Northeast Ohio: 2.5 poults per hen
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Northwest Ohio: 2.4 poults per hen
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Central Ohio: 2.1 poults per hen
ODNR said the restoration of the wild turkey is one of the state’s most notable success stories. In 1904, turkeys were wiped out before being reintroduced in the 1950s. Over the next five decades, the population grew and expanded rapidly. By 1999, turkeys could be found in all 88 counties.
The state’s first modern-day spring wild turkey hunting season opened in 1966 in nine counties with 12 birds checked. In 1984, for the first time, the number of harvested turkeys topped 1,000. Statewide turkey hunting opened in 2,000 but the largest spring wild turkey harvest came in 2001, when hunters checked 26.156 birds.
Fall wild turkey hunting season remains open in 70 counties until Sunday, Oct. 26. ODNR said the season bag limit is one turkey of either sex. For more information on requirements and regulations, click here.