Ohio

Statewide results tell partial story about overall Ohio turkey numbers, hunter enthusiasm

Published

2 years ago

June 2, 2024

Statewide results tell partial story about overall Ohio turkey numbers, hunter enthusiasm

Dave Golowenski
| Special to The Columbus Dispatch

Turkey hunters need wild turkeys, and the Ohio Division of Wildlife needs both to help maintain a functional livelihood derived from the sale of licenses and permits.

As far as it goes, then, the end of the 2024 spring turkey season last Sunday suggests results could’ve been worse. They have been. Results could also be better. They have been.

While only the present actually matters, the turkey timeline stretches into a tangled past of cause, effect and numbers.

Hunters might not be as concerned with the statewide take as much as is each with his or her personal success, that being measured in the effort required to carry home one bearded bird in the spring. If one gets carried home.

Statewide results at season’s end additionally tell a partial story about overall turkey numbers and hunter enthusiasm.

Figuring totals from the April youth hunt, the South Zone season and the North Zone hunt, 15,535 turkeys officially were removed from the Ohio landscape during the season just passed.

That’s down a few from the 15,673 checked in 2023, but up considerably more than a few from the 2022 total of 11,872 birds and the 2021 count of 14,546.

All the counting invites comment from the field biologist who tracks these things for the wildlife division.

“The 2024 harvest fell in line with expectations,” turkey specialist Mark Wiley wrote in an email last week. “The poult indices from 2021 and 2022 were similar, which suggested 2-year-old gobbler numbers would be comparable in 2023 and 2024. The spring permit and harvest totals were similar across those years.”

Poults are spring-hatched turkeys whose numbers and survival form the basis of the future population. While chills and rain during the hatch is thought to cause high poult mortality, this year’s hatchlings enjoyed mostly favorable spring weather, Wylie said.

The take this year and last pushed past the 2021 spring total of 14,546, a 21-year low during a period of two-turkey spring limits and higher harvest averages. The limit was reduced to one in 2022.

One variable is the number of turkeys. Another is the number of turkey hunters.

Permit sales plunged from 61,135 in 2021 to 48,815 in 2022 when the one-bird spring limit was inaugurated. The number of sold permits rebounded to 50,174 in 2023 and to a slightly higher 51,530 this spring.

“The exact cause of the increase has not yet been determined, but it is possible we are seeing the return of spring hunters who may have taken a hiatus when turkey numbers dipped a few years ago,” Wiley noted.

What’s likely coming in 2025 rhymes with results in 2023 and this year rather than with either recent lows or past highs.

“The summer poult index was down slightly in 2023, so I expect spring harvest rates and totals to follow suit in 2025,” Wiley wrote. “I expect this will be a minor shift, with spring harvest rates falling only a percentage point or two.”

Probably unknowable is whether the annual spring turkey take has hit some new and more moderate normal at around 15,000 birds instead of the 20,000 or so averaged in the not-distant past.

A project involving Ohio State University that started last year is ongoing, although preliminary data from 2023 suggests hen survival is not an issue except for increased vulnerability during the period when they are incubating eggs.

When the dust settles,” Wylie said, “we may find that a focus on improved nesting habitat could improve rates of hen and nest survival.”

Ashtabula led Ohio counties with 470 turkeys checked.

outdoors@dispatch.com

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Ohio

Which central Ohio boys wrestlers advanced to OHSAA state tournament?

Published

10 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Which central Ohio boys wrestlers advanced to OHSAA state tournament?

The Dublin Coffman boys wrestling team continued its dominance in central Ohio at the Division I level, winning its eighth consecutive district title March 7 at Hilliard Darby.

The Shamrocks scored a tournament-record 263.5 points in the two-day event, easily outdistancing runner-up Olentangy Liberty (153.5). Coffman set the previous record of 247 in 2022.

Coffman had six champions and qualified 10 wrestlers for the state tournament March 13-15 at Value City Arena.

The top four wrestlers in each weight class advanced.

“The [tournament] record was a good goal for the team to set,” Coffman coach Chance Van Gundy said. “We just have to wrestle our best [at state] and see where that lands us.”

In Division II at Wilmington, DeSales won the title (230.5) ahead of CCL rival and defending state champion Watterson (212).

DeSales had three champions and qualified nine wrestlers for state, while Watterson had four champions and advanced eight to state.

“The guys wrestled tough from whistle to whistle,” DeSales coach Collin Palmer said. “Some of them had to dig deep and figure out ways to win matches, and they did just that.”

Here are the central Ohio state qualifiers from the boys district tournaments. When four qualifiers are listed for a weight class, they are in order of finish.

Division I (Hilliard Darby)

106 pounds: Jacob Willaman (Olentangy Berlin), Ryan Noble (Watkins Memorial), Cole Perry (Olentangy Liberty), Ricky Molasso-Matessa (Upper Arlington)

113: Loc Webber (Dublin Coffman), Zac Dodt (Thomas Worthington), Trevor Bridges (Teays Valley), Brian Waller (Marysville)

120: Oliver Lester (Coffman), Brady Todd (Worthington Kilbourne), Nick Coverstone (Hilliard Darby), Mason Spence (Westerville North)

126: Tommy Wurster (Coffman), Josh Zimmer (Teays Valley), Jake Shirck (New Albany), Cole Dodson (UA)

132: Blaze Van Gundy (Coffman), Jack Williams (Marysville), Grant Sedlick (UA), Maddux Nauman (Berlin)

138: Finnegan Cox (Delaware Hayes), Preston Schuler (Olentangy), Alex Mickens (Liberty), Brayden Becker-Shaw (Berlin)

144: Huggy Williams (Liberty), Trent Sharp (Marysville), Austin Rohrbach (Hilliard Bradley), Isaiah Callahan (Coffman)

150: Aiden Milam (Liberty), Cash Clark (Berlin), Landon Moses (Olentangy), Daksh Adengada (Dublin Jerome)

157: Eli Esguerra (Coffman), Mavrik Gregory (Mount Vernon), Carter Shank (Marysville), Jacob Ramirez (Central Crossing)

165: Grayson Woodcock (Coffman), Chase Cone (Berlin), Keegen Andrews (Marysville), Derek Deichert (Westerville South)

175: Kile Sentieri (Marion Harding), Rylan Moran (Westerville Central), Gauge Woods (Bradley), Hamde Bakeye (Whitehall-Yearling)

190: Dylan Frass (Liberty), Michael Feeney (Coffman), Luke Mullins (Mount Vernon), Peter Graham (Teays Valley)

215: Logan Krooner (Darby), Mason Parrill (Coffman), Jackson Lane (Liberty), Cooper Frye (Delaware)

Heavyweight: Daniel Stephens (Olentangy), Tyson Keyes (Darby), Braylon Wright (Coffman), WoJo Moore (Watkins Memorial)

Division II

Wilmington

106: Mark Mobley (DeSales, first), Sid Hunt (Watterson, second)

113: Henry Geiger (Granville, third)

120: Rayce Watson (Jonathan Alder, first), Eddie Vitu (DeSales, second), Nash Finley (Granville, third)

126: Josh Sheets (DeSales, first), Anthony Bergeron (Granville, second), Elias Kline (Bloom-Carroll, fourth)

138: Grayson Debevoise (DeSales, first), Thomas Lindsay (Watterson, second)

144: Blake Eckelbarger (DeSales, second)

150: James Lindsay (Watterson, first), Reed Bodie (DeSales, second)

157: Tommy Rowlands (Watterson, first), Jonah Jenkins (DeSales, second)

165: Luke Sanchez (Granville, second), Joel Welch (DeSales, third), Miles D’Orazio (Watterson, fourth)

175: Paul Byerly (Jonathan Alder, fourth)

190: Landon Lucas (Watterson, second)

215: Michael Boyle (Watterson, first), Tanner Arledge (DeSales, second)

Heavyweight: A.J. DeMassimo (Watterson, first)

Norwalk

106: Brody Miller (Licking Valley, third)

113: Vincent Martiah (Hartley, second)

120: Brady Byler, (Highland, third)

126: Joe Curry (Licking Valley, first), Carson Schehl (Lakewood, second)

138: Ayden Douglas (Licking Valley, second)

144: Kasey Clark (Highland, third)

165: Cael Gilmore (Highland, first)

215: Joe Zang (Hartley, fourth)

Gallipolis

106: Kevin Downing (Circleville, fourth)

190: Eli Wright (Westfall, second)

Division III

Coshocton

113: Conner Wygle (Utica, second)

Troy

106: Parker Frakes (Liberty Union, fourth)

113: Rocco Castricone (Mount Gilead, third)

138: Jimmy Landis (Liberty Union, third)

165: Rylan Puckett (West Jefferson, second)

190: Bobby Kapala (Ready, second)

215: Ayden Cordle (West Jefferson, fourth)

High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at @DispatchFrank on X.

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Ohio

At the Buzzer: Ohio State 91, Indiana 78

Published

22 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

At the Buzzer: Ohio State 91, Indiana 78

Quick thoughts on a 91-78 loss at Ohio State:

How it happened

Indiana’s defense was non-existent in the first half of Saturday’s regular-season finale at Ohio State. The Buckeyes feasted on a soft Hoosier defense, scoring 50 points on 67.9 percent shooting from the field. Ohio State scored 1.46 points per possession and led 50-33, the largest halftime deficit for Indiana in a game this season. The Buckeyes were red hot from the perimeter, shooting 8-for-13 on 3s. Three different Ohio State players scored in double figures – Amare Bynum with 14, Bruce Thornton with 12 and John Mobley Jr. with 11. For Indiana, it was a half to forget offensively as well. The Hoosiers shot 1-for-8 on 3s and committed eight turnovers.

Things didn’t get better early in the second half, as the Buckeyes extended their margin early in the half. Ohio State stretched the lead to 24 points at 69-45 on a pair of Thornton free throws with 12:18 to play. The Hoosiers, however, didn’t fold completely and made five of seven shots to cut the deficit to 15 points at 73-58 by the under-eight media timeout. Indiana then trimmed the lead to 13 at 81-68 with 4:48 left on a pair of Tucker DeVries free throws and then to 11 at 81-70 on a DeVries layup with 4:03 to play. The Hoosiers, however, would get no closer than 10 down the stretch as they dropped a critical game and finished the regular season 18-13 overall and 9-11 in the Big Ten.

Standout performers

Lamar Wilkerson led Indiana with 18 points and now has the single-season record for points by a Hoosier in Big Ten play. DeVries added 17 points, five assists and three rebounds.

Statistics that stand out

The Hoosiers were carved up defensively as Ohio State scored 1.34 points per possession. The Buckeyes shot 11-for-24 on 3s and had five players score in double figures. The 91 points for Ohio State were the second-most in a Big Ten game this season for the Buckeyes.

Up next for IU

Indiana begins postseason play on Wednesday night in the 2026 Big Ten tournament at the United Center in Chicago. The Hoosiers will be the No. 10 seed and will play the winner of the No. 15 vs. No. 18 game at 6:30 p.m. ET on BTN on Wednesday.

Final IU individual statistics

Ohio State final stats.

Final tempo-free statistics

Final Ohio State tempo-free stats.

Assembly Call postgame show

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

See More: Commentary, Ohio State Buckeyes

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Ohio

Ohio Gov. DeWine to deliver 2026 State of the State address on Tuesday

Published

1 day ago

March 7, 2026

Press Room

Ohio Gov. DeWine to deliver 2026 State of the State address on Tuesday

Gov. Mike DeWine is set to deliver his 2026 State of the State address to a joint session of the Ohio General Assembly on Tuesday.

The address will take place at noon in the House Chamber of the Ohio Statehouse. DeWine will speak at the invitation of legislative leadership, a tradition that brings together members of both the Ohio House and Senate to hear the governor’s agenda for the year.

The address will be broadcast and streamed live on The Ohio Channel at 12:00 p.m.

Theis annual speech typically serves as a roadmap for an administration’s policy priorities, ranging from economic development to education and public safety.

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