Hunters harvest nearly 27,000 deer on opening day
Hunters checked 26,667 deer during the opening day of Ohio’s deer gun season.
Hunters across Ohio checked 26,667 white-tailed deer on Monday, Dec. 2 during the opening day of the weeklong gun hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. This is the highest harvest for opening day since 2012 (29,297). Ohio’s seven-day gun season is open until Sunday, Dec. 8, with an additional gun hunting weekend Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22.
This year’s opening day harvest total includes 9,602 antlered deer and 17,065 antlerless deer. Antlerless deer are does and button bucks. In 2023 hunters took 19,363 deer on opening day of the gun season, which traditionally falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving. From 2021-23 hunters checked an average of 19,439 deer during the gun season opener.
The top 10 counties for deer checked on opening day were Coshocton (1,053), Tuscarawas (954), Knox (881), Muskingum (852), Carroll (804), Guernsey (750), Ashtabula (686), Harrison (671), Ashland (653) and Columbiana (592).
So far this deer season, archery and firearms hunters have taken a total of 128,408 deer through Monday, Dec. 2. Hunters age 17 and younger checked 10,449 deer in the two-day youth season.
Ohio’s deer hunting opportunities draw both residents and nonresidents outdoors. Residents and nonresidents have purchased a combined 360,800 deer permits this year. Either-sex permits and deer management permits are on sale at license vendors, on the HuntFish OH mobile app and at www.wildohio.gov. Under a newly expanded timeline for use, deer management permits are available for purchase and valid through Sunday, Dec. 22. These permits may be used on private land and select public hunting areas for antlerless deer. Either-sex permits are valid statewide through the end of the archery season.
The most popular states that nonresident hunters have visited from include Pennsylvania (6,079 licenses sold), Michigan (4,477), West Virginia (2,777), North Carolina (2,773) and New York (2,655).
In addition to the weeklong gun season and December gun weekend, the state hosts a muzzleloader season Jan. 4-7, 2025. Finally, the archery season remains open statewide until Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025.
If you join the ranks of successful deer hunters, use the free HuntFish OH app to game check your harvest, even without a Wi-Fi connection. Hunters also can use the app to view public hunting area maps, buy hunting licenses and deer permits, check county bag limits and more. Beyond the app hunters can check game by visiting www.ohiogamecheck.com, calling 1-877-824-4864, visiting a license sales agent or calling 1-866-703-1298 (landowner operator-assisted; fees apply).