OHIO — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is asking the public to report any sightings of wild turkeys and ruffed grouse this summer to help its annual population surveys. 

The reports can be submitted on the Wildlife Reporting System webpage at wildohio.gov or on the HuntFish OH mobile app.

ODNR said wildlife biologists use the sightings in July and August to help estimate population statuses and reproductive success. 

The public is specifically asked to report the number of gobblers/hens and young turkeys seen. For ruffed grouse, the number of adults and young should be reported. 

These summer observations of wild turkeys have been tracked since 1962, and grouse since 1999, according to ODNR. Wild turkey brood surveys in 2021, 2022 and 2023 showed above-average nest productitivity after several years of below-average results.