Deer Season Facts and Figures

This year, 397,907 deer permits were issued through Sunday, Dec. 7. This total includes sales of deer management and either-sex permits. Deer management permits are available for purchase and can be used on both public hunting areas and private land through Sunday, Dec. 21. Either-sex permits are valid until the close of the deer archery season . On Dec. 7, Ohio hunters wrapped up the weeklong statewide gun season for whitetail deer. According to the Division of Wildlife, 85,448 deer were taken during the hunt, slightly lower than the 87,191 taken during 2024 during the same period. The latest harvest still bests the three-year statistical average of 76,409. During the deer gun week, hunters checked 27,934 antlered (33% of the total reported) and 57,514 antlerless deer (67%). The top-ten reporting counties were: Coshocton, 3,037 – Coshocton County also led the state in 2024 with 2,955 deer checked; Ashtabula, 3,031; Tuscarawas, 2,764; Muskingum, 2,581; Knox, 2,558; Carroll, 2,440; Licking, 2,046; Ashland, 2,037; Columbiana, 1,968 and Harrison, 1,912. Local results were: Allen: 616 (488); Defiance: 810 (834); Hancock: 923 (701); Hardin: 770 (609); Henry: 581 (501); Putnam: 537 (467); Sandusky: 467 (364); Seneca: 1,335 (1,047); Wood: 527 (422) and Wyandot: 1,029 (739). The widely reported EHD (Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease) outbreak in southeast Ohio did have an impact on the week-long totals. Harvest records show that Athens: 316 (1,257), Meigs: 344 (1,230), Morgan: 714 (1,435), and Washington: 313 (1,728) deer were killed. Besides EHD reducing the number of deer available, a down-graded bag limit in those counties was used in response to the disease outbreak which also lowered the harvest numbers. Other interesting statistical information gathered during the season reveals the type and frequency of hunting implement that hunters are using. Legal equipment during the deer gun season includes shotguns, straight-walled cartridge rifles, muzzleloaders, handguns, and archery equipment. Straight-walled cartridge rifle, 67% (57,623 deer) Straight-walled cartridge rifles have been legal for deer gun hunting since 2014.Shotgun, 27% (23,217 deer) Muzzleloader, 3% (2,630 deer) Archery equipment, 2% (1,544 deer) Handgun, less than 1% (434 deer)It isn't just Ohioans that enjoy hunting the state's only big game animal. Nonresidents have purchased 34,147 hunting licenses, hoping to fill the freezer and for the chance at one of the legendary Ohio Big Bucks. The most numerous nonresident visiting hunters were from: Pennsylvania (6,457 nonresident licenses); Michigan (4,210); North Carolina (2,871); West Virginia (2,684) and New York (2,645). Since the deer archery hunting season opened in September, archery and firearms hunters have taken 187,283 deer through Sunday, Dec. 7. Hunters have another opportunity to take a deer with a firearm during the additional gun weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20-21. The muzzleloader season follows on Jan. 3-6, 2026. The archery season remains open until Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. "Passion for hunting runs deep; it connects generations and cultivates a love for wildlife conservation." – Brittany Smith Along the Way Lake sturgeon are an endangered species in Ohio. They were once abundant in Lake Erie and the Ohio River, spawning in tributary rivers of those larger bodies of water, but declined over the last 150 years because of dams blocking access to spawning sites and unregulated harvest. Ohio lost all known spawning populations of lake sturgeon. Following water quality improvements and barrier removals, habitat assessments have demonstrated that the Cuyahoga, Maumee, Sandusky, and Scioto rivers have suitable habitat to support spawning lake sturgeon. Due to the results of these positive studies, in 2025 the Division of Wildlife expanded reintroduction efforts for lake sturgeon to include those four rivers. 6- to 8-inch-long juvenile sturgeon were released in them for the first time, as well as in the Maumee River as part of ongoing restoration efforts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Toledo Zoo reared the fish for release. Two-thousand sturgeon were released in the Cuyahoga River in October as part of a widely attended public event. Also in October, 3,000 sturgeon were released in the Maumee River during Toledo's annual Sturgeon Fest, while an additional 750 swam away into the Sandusky River. 30 juvenile sturgeon were surgically implanted with monitoring tags by The Ohio State University and released in the Scioto River in November. It will be interesting what this monitoring will reveal about their travel, feeding, growth and spawning habits. Lake sturgeon are a bottom-dwelling fish that feed on invertebrates and small fish. They are capable of reaching 6 to 8 feet in length and upwards of 200 pounds over their 100-year lifespan, making sturgeon the largest fish in the Great Lakes. Female sturgeon need up to 25 years to reach sexual maturity and only reproduce every few years, meaning species recovery is a long-term project. Biologists expect lake sturgeon released in the Cuyahoga, Maumee, and Sandusky rivers to travel downstream to Lake Erie, while those released in the Scioto River would move into the Ohio River, with hope that as the fish mature they'll return to these waterways to spawn. "In the quiet depths of the river, the sturgeon moves with the grace of a forgotten era." – Anonymous Step Outside • If you're interested in getting your deer examined for Chronic Wasting Disease any time during the deer seasons, you can use the self-serve kiosks to drop off the head for testing. Participation is voluntary outside of the mandatory days. Kiosk locations, instructions, and dates of operation are available at wildohio.gov. • Tomorrow: Ham Shoot. Includes 10-bird shoots, still shoots, protections, and Annie Oakley's. Shooting begins at noon. Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Delaware Township 186. Public welcome. Questions: Bob Yoder, 419-273-5057. • Dec. 16: Exploring Rabbit Hunting. Anyone interested in learning about rabbit hunting are encouraged to attend this free class on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Division of Wildlife, 952 Lima Ave. Findlay, OH. Instructors will cover rabbit habitat, behavior, equipment needed, hunting with dogs vs. without dogs, and preparing for the shot. If you have questions about the class, contact Jaron at Jaron.Beck@dnr.ohio.gov. • Dec. 20-21: Last Chance - Ohio Statewide Deer Gun Season. • Jan. 3-6: Ohio's Statewide Primitive Weapons Deer Season. • The Division of Wildlife's free HuntFish OH mobile app for Android and iOS users is available through the app store. Users can purchase licenses and permits, view wildlife area maps, discover birding resources, camping and boating information, events calendar and more. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via e-mail at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com.