Hunters in Ohio had a productive weekend on Saturday and Sunday, taking down 17,373 white-tailed deer, which marks an increase from last year's tally of 15,470 deer during the same period. The weekend hunt saw 4,491 antlered deer harvested, which represents 26% of the total catch, with antlerless deer making up the remaining 74%. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife
The counties leading the count were Ashtabula, with 580 deer, and Coshocton, trailing just behind at 574. Tuscarawas, Knox, and Licking rounded out the top five. A considerable number, 11,413 of the deer, were taken with straight-walled cartridge rifles, a hunting tool legal since 2014. Hunters who still wish to track down a deer or two have the option of participating in the ongoing archery season, which extends until Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, or they can wait for the muzzleloader season, slated for Jan. 4-7, 2025.
The data also indicates a notable interest in Ohio's deer hunting from out-of-state visitors, with 39,861 non-residents purchasing hunting licenses. Neighboring Pennsylvania led the list of outside states with 7,643 licenses, followed by Michigan, West Virginia, North Carolina, and New York. The overall season total for deer checked through Sunday, Dec. 22, is 209,459, spanning all deer taken with archery equipment and firearms since the commencement in September.
The ODNR mission emphasizes conservation and provides the public with various recreational activities. With 75 years of service, ODNR ensures a balance between using and protecting natural resources. The department also offers the HuntFish OH app, which allows hunters to manage their licensing and permits digitally and access helpful features such as wildlife area maps and sunrise and sunset times, even when off the cell network grid.
