Weeklong deer season concludes
Ohio hunters checked 87,192 deer during the weeklong gun season that concluded Sunday, Dec. 8.
Ohio hunters checked 87,192 white-tailed deer during the weeklong gun season that concluded Sunday, Dec. 8, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. This is the highest total since 2011 (90,282). In 2023 hunters reported 70,103 deer during the seven-day gun season, and the three-year average is 70,806.
During the deer gun week, hunters checked 28,606 antlered deer (33% of the total reported) and 58,586 antlerless deer (67%). Antlerless deer include does and button bucks.
The top 10 counties for deer taken during the gun season were as follows:
—Coshocton with 2,954: Coshocton County also led the state in 2023 with 2,440 deer checked.
—Tuscarawas with 2,673.
—Knox with 2,525.
—Muskingum with 2,515.
—Carroll with 2,399.
—Ashtabula with 2,281.
—Guernsey with 2,201.
—Washington with 1,970.
—Ashland with 1,893.
—Licking with 1,860.
Legal hunting equipment during the deer gun season includes shotguns, straight-walled cartridge rifles, muzzleloaders, handguns and archery equipment. Straight-walled cartridge rifles have been legal for deer gun hunting since 2014.
Deer checked by hunting implement includes the following:
—Straight-walled cartridge rifle, 64%, 55,611 deer.
—Shotgun, 30%, 26,486 deer.
—Muzzleloader, 4%, 3,271 deer.
—Archery equipment, 2%, 1,357 deer.
—Handgun, less than 1%, 467 deer.
For all deer hunting seasons, archery and firearms hunters have reported 188,931 deer from Sept. 28 to Dec. 8. Hunters have another opportunity to take a deer with a firearm during the additional gun weekend Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22. The muzzleloader season is Jan. 4-7. The archery season remains open until Sunday, Feb. 2. Find more details in the 2024-25 Hunting and Trapping Regulations.
This year 404,331 deer permits have been issued through Sunday, Dec. 8. This total includes sales of deer management permits and either-sex permits. Under a newly expanded timeline for use, deer management permits are available for purchase and valid through Sunday, Dec. 22. Either-sex permits are valid until the close of the deer archery season on Sunday, Feb. 2. Licenses and permits can be purchased at www.wildohio.gov, via the HuntFish OH app or at any authorized sales agent.
Nonresidents have purchased 39,055 hunting licenses. Some states hunters traveled to Ohio from include Pennsylvania, 6,167 nonresident licenses; Michigan, 4,536; North Carolina, 2,821; West Virginia, 2,785; and New York, 2,672.
Successful deer hunters can check their game using the HuntFish OH mobile app, available for free in the Android and Apple app stores. Users also can explore public hunting areas, purchase hunting licenses or deer permits, and see county bag limits. Hunters also can check game by visiting www.ohiogamecheck.com, calling 1-877-824-4864, visiting a license sales agent or calling 1-866-703-1928 (landowner operator-assisted; fees apply).
Hunters interested in tracking the season’s count can view weekly deer harvest reports at www.wildohio.gov. The Division of Wildlife posts deer hunting results each Wednesday throughout the hunting season. A final report also is posted after the conclusion of the archery season.