1501:31-15-10 Wild turkey regulations.

 

 

 

1501:31-15-10             Wild turkey regulations.

 

 

 

(A)  Season dates

 

(1)    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take wild turkeys at any time except in accordance with this rule or any provisions of this rule:

 

(a)   Spring wild turkey season is open statewide from April 22, 201321, 2014 through May 19, 201318, 2014.

 

(b)   Youth spring wild turkey season is open on April 20 and 21, 201319 and 20, 2014 for persons holding a valid youth hunting license and turkey permit. All spring wild turkey season rules apply to these dates with the following exceptions:

 

(i)   It shall be unlawful for any youth to hunt or take more than one wild turkey.

 

(ii)       It shall be unlawful for any youth, regardless of age, who participates in the youth spring wild turkey season to hunt if they are not accompanied by a non-hunting adult eighteen years of age or older.

 

(iii)    It shall be unlawful for a non-hunting adult eighteen years of age or older to accompany more than two persons holding a valid youth hunting license and turkey permit.

 

(iv)   It shall be unlawful for any non-hunting adult eighteen years of age or older who is accompanying any person holding a valid youth hunting license and turkey permit to hunt or possess any hunting implements.

 

(v)   It shall be unlawful for the responsible, non-hunting adult, eighteen years of age or older, to allow a person holding a valid youth hunting license and turkey permit to hunt unaccompanied during the youth turkey season.

 

(c)    Fall wild turkey season is open from the Monday immediately following the second consecutive Saturday and Sunday of October through the Sunday immediately following Thanksgiving in the following counties: Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Cuyahoga, Defiance, Delaware, Fairfield,  Franklin,  Gallia,  Geauga,  Guernsey,  Hamilton,  Harrison,

 

 

Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Portage, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Seneca, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Williams counties.

(B)  Bag limits

(1)   It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess a wild turkey during the spring wild turkey season that does not have a visible beard.

(2)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take or possess more than one wild turkey per day.

(3)    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take or possess more than two bearded wild turkeys during the spring wild turkey season.

(4)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take or possess more than one wild turkey of either sex during the fall wild turkey season.

(C)  Hunting implements

(1)   Archery:

(a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a wild turkey with any archery equipment except:

(i)   A longbow and arrow.

(ii)   A crossbow and arrow.

(b)    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt wild turkey while being in possession of, or take a wild turkey with, explosive or poisoned arrows.

(c)    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take wild turkey with a longbow having a draw weight less than forty pounds, or with a crossbow having a draw weight less than seventy-five pounds.

(d)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a wild turkey with a broadhead having less than two cutting edges measuring less than three quarters inch wide.

(2)   Firearms:

(a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take wild turkeys with any firearm except:

A shotgun using shot.

(3)   It shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than one hunting implement, singly or in the aggregate, to include a firearm, longbow or crossbow while hunting wild turkey.

(D)  Hunting methods and hours

(1)   It shall be unlawful for any person during the spring wild turkey season to hunt or take a wild turkey at any time other than from one half hour before sunrise to twelve p.m. during the period of April 22, 201321, 2014 through May 5, 20134, 2014.

(2)   It shall be unlawful for any person during the spring wild turkey season to hunt or take a wild turkey at any time other than from one half hour before sunrise to sunset during the period of May 6, 20135, 2014 through May 19, 201318, 2014.

(3)   It shall be unlawful for any person during the spring youth wild turkey season to hunt or take a wild turkey at any time other than from one half hour before sunrise to sunset.

(4)   It shall be unlawful for any person during the fall wild turkey season to hunt or take a wild turkey at any time other than from one half hour before sunrise to sunset.

(5)    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a wild turkey by the aid of baiting or on or over any baited area.

(6)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a wild turkey by the use or aid of live birds as decoys.

(7)    It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or use any electronic calling device capable of producing recorded turkey or other wild animal calls or sounds, or recorded and/or electronically amplified imitations of turkey or other wild animal calls or sounds, while hunting wild turkey.

(8)   It shall be unlawful for any person to take a wild turkey when it is in a tree.

(9)   It shall be unlawful for any person during the spring wild turkey season to hunt or take a wild turkey with the aid of a dog, except wounded wild turkeys may be tracked using a dog that is leashed.

(E)  Permits

(1)    It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a wild turkey during the spring wild turkey season without possessing a valid spring turkey permit.

(2)   It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a wild turkey during the fall turkey season without possessing a valid fall turkey permit.

(3)   It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or use a spring turkey permit or a fall turkey permit of another while hunting wild turkey.

(4)   It shall be unlawful for any person, during the spring wild turkey season, to hunt or take wild turkey or aid another person in the hunting or taking of wild turkey, while having in their possession a hunting implement, while being solely in possession of a spring turkey permit for which a game check confirmation number has been issued or the associated game tag has been validated.

(5)   It shall be unlawful for any person, during the fall wild turkey season, to hunt or take wild turkey or aid another person in the hunting or taking of wild turkey, while having in their possession a hunting implement, while being solely in possession of a fall turkey permit for which a game check confirmation number has been issued or the associated game tag has been validated.

(F)   Tagging and game check

(1)    It shall be unlawful for any person required to have a turkey permit under section 1533.11 of the Revised Code, after having killed a turkey, to fail to immediately attach a validated game tag to the dead turkey at the place where the turkey fell. Persons covered by this section shall provide their own game tag. A game tag is considered validated when the hunter has written on the tag, legibly in the English language, their name, the date, time, and county of kill and also written in the spaces provided on the corresponding turkey permit.

(2)    It shall be unlawful for any person exempt from having a turkey permit under section 1533.11 of the Revised Code, to fail to immediately attach a valid game tag to the dead turkey at the place where the turkey fell. Persons covered by this section shall provide their own game tag. Such game tag is considered valid when the hunter has written on the tag, legibly in the English language their full name, the date, time and county of kill.

(3)   It shall be unlawful to remove a game tag from any turkey until the turkey has been game checked and a valid game check confirmation number has been affixed to the turkey.

(4)    It shall be unlawful for any person to attach a game tag to any wild turkey which was taken by another person.

(5)   It shall be unlawful to attach a game check confirmation number to a turkey or parts thereof taken by another person.

(6)   It shall be unlawful to attach a game tag associated with or use a turkey permit on or for any turkey that was taken before the permit was purchased or otherwise obtained.

(7)    It shall be unlawful to manufacture, counterfeit, sell, trade, distribute, forge and/or falsify a turkey permit or game tag for a turkey.

(8)     It shall be unlawful to manufacture, counterfeit, sell, trade distribute, forge and/or falsify a game check confirmation number for a turkey.

(9)    It shall be unlawful to possess, attach, affix or otherwise use a counterfeit or falsified turkey permit or game tag on or for any turkey.

(10)    It shall be unlawful to possess, attach, affix or otherwise use a counterfeit or falsified game check confirmation number on or for any turkey.

(11)   It shall be unlawful to possess any turkey, or part thereof, which has attached or affixed a counterfeit or otherwise falsified game tag.

(12)   It shall be unlawful to possess any turkey, or part thereof, which has attached or affixed a counterfeit or otherwise falsified game check confirmation number.

(13)    It shall be unlawful to attach a game tag from an invalid or voided turkey permit to any turkey. A turkey permit is void after it has been used to game check a turkey.

(14)   It shall be unlawful to use or attempt to use an invalid or voided turkey permit to obtain a game check confirmation number through the game check process.

(15)   It shall be unlawful to attach, affix or otherwise use a game check confirmation number for a turkey, or parts thereof, other than for the turkey the game check confirmation number was issued to at the time of game checking.

(16)   It shall be unlawful for any person to leave the state of Ohio with a turkey that was taken by hunting that has not been game checked and the game check confirmation number permanently attached.

(17)   It shall be unlawful to attach a game check confirmation number from a spring wild turkey permit to a wild turkey taken during the fall wild turkey season.

(18)    It shall be unlawful to attach a game check confirmation number from a fall wild turkey permit to a wild turkey taken during the spring wild turkey season.

(19)   It shall be unlawful to remove the feet, beard and feathers of a turkey until the turkey has been game checked and tagged with a valid game check confirmation number. It shall be lawful to eviscerate or field dress the turkey prior to game checking and attaching the game check confirmation number.

(20)    It shall be unlawful for each person who kills a wild turkey to fail to game check and permanently attach the game check confirmation number to the turkey, regardless of the season, by eleven-thirty p.m. on the same day the wild turkey is killed.

(21)    It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to immediately and permanently attach their valid game check confirmation number to the turkey after it as been game checked. A game check confirmation number is valid when the owner has attached their division of wildifewildlife game check confirmation number to the turkey. Writing the game check confirmation number on the existing game tag will validate the game check process.

(22)    It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a wild turkey or parts thereof unless such person has a tag, seal, certificate, permanent tag number, game

check confirmation number or license showing the turkey or parts thereof were taken or acquired legally.

(23)     It shall be unlawful to provide any false information or data when game checking any turkey.

(24)    It shall be unlawful at any time to possess a wild turkey or wild turkey parts that were taken in violation of any Administrative Code rule or the Ohio Revised Code.

(25)   It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a dead wild turkey, or any part thereof, unless such wild turkey, or parts thereof, are accompanied by an attached valid tag, game check confirmation number, seal, certificate of legal ownership, statement or receipt. For the purposes of this section a valid tag, seal, permanent tag number, game check confirmation number, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt for any wild turkey, or part thereof, is any one or more of the following:

(a)    A valid Ohio division of wildlife temporary wild turkey tag, permanent wild turkey tag, permanent wild turkey tag number or game check confirmation number.

(b)   An Ohio division of wildlife tag or seal approved under the authority of section 1533.74 of the Revised Code if the wild turkey or parts thereof were sold for food.

(c)    A signed statement or receipt, legible in the English language, which states the previous owners name, address and phone number and the valid commercial propagation permit number if the wild turkey or parts thereof were sold or given away under the authority of section 1533.71 of the Revised Code.

(d)  A tag or certificate as described in section 1533.731 of the Revised Code.

(e)   A signed statement or receipt, legible in the English language, which lists the owner or previous owners name, address and phone number, the state and county of kill, the date of kill and the assigned permanent wild turkey tag number or game check confirmation number, if applicable.

(f)     An official tag, seal or other official documentation to show legal ownership and an accompanying valid hunting license issued by another state or province if the wild turkey was killed outside of Ohio.

(g)    A certificate for legal ownership issued by a law enforcement officer within their jursidictionjurisdiction.

(h)     A valid tag, seal, permanent tag number, game check confirmation number, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt for the purposes of this rule is considered attached if it is physically affixed to the wild turkey, or parts thereof, in the following manner:

(i)   The valid tag, seal, permanent tag number, game check confirmation number, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt must remain attached to the wild turkey until the wild turkey has been processed into a taxidermy product. At this time the valid tag, seal, permanent tag number, game check confirmation number, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt may be removed from the wild turkey and placed in another location on the taxidermy product which allows for visual inspection. However the tag, permanent tag number, game check confirmation number, seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt must remain affixed permanently to the taxidermy product.

(ii)   If through the butchering process one or more packages of meat are produced the tag, game check confirmation number, seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt shall be maintained and available for inspection until the entire wild turkey is consumed.

(26)   It shall be unlawful for any person to place or leave a wild turkey, or any part thereof, in the custody of another person for the purpose of skinning, processing, taxidermy, transportation, shipping, storage, including temporary storage, or any other reason, unless such wild turkey or parts thereof are accompanied by an attached valid tag, permanent tag number, game check confirmation number, seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt.

(G)  Sales of turkey parts

(1)   It shall be unlawful for any person to buy, sell or offer for sale any wild turkey, or part thereof, taken from the wild, except:

(a)    Legally acquired and possessed turkey feathers, bones, spurs, feet, skin and beards may be bought and sold at any time individually or as a

wildlife ornamental product by the legal owner.

(b)   Wild turkey taxidermy products may be bought or sold at any time. At the time of the purchase or sale the taxidermy product must be accompanied by a signed statement or receipt, legible in the English language, which lists the previous owner's name, address and phone number, the state of kill(s) and the assigned tag, game check confirmation number, seal, certificate for legal ownership or permit number(s), if applicable, and the number of wild turkey, from which the said wild turkey parts originated, that were sold during the transaction. This information must remain with the taxidermy product unless said product(s) are disassembled and manufactured into a wildlife ornamental product(s).

(H)  Special areas

(1)   It shall be unlawful for any person not possessing a valid youth hunting license and turkey permit to hunt or take a wild turkey during the spring or fall wild turkey season on any area designated youth hunting only.

(I) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.

Effective:                                                     01/01/2014

R.C. 119.032 review dates:                         08/19/2013 and 01/01/2019

CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY

Certification

10/24/2013

Date

Promulgated Under:                           119.03

Statutory Authority:                           1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10

Rule Amplifies:                                  1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10

Prior Effective Dates:                         6/25/75, 2/5/77, 6/1/77, 6/1/78, 6/1/79, 6/1/80, 6/1/81,

6/1/82, 6/1/84, 6/1/85, 6/1/87, 9/15/87, 7/31/92,

6/30/94, 8/15/95, 6/10/96, 3/1/00, 7/22/01, 4/21/02,

6/4/03, 6/30/04, 5/27/05, 7/1/06, 7/1/07, 7/1/08,

11/24/08, 7/1/09, 7/1/10, 7/1/11, 1/1/12, 7/1/12,

1/1/2013, 7/11/2013