Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR)
DEER HUNTERS HAVE ANOTHER TWO DAYS TO HUNT WITH
A GUN
December 15-16 open for deer-gun hunting in Ohio
COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio's popular deer-gun season will again run an
additional weekend, Saturday and Sunday, December 15-16, according to the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
The extra days were added beginning in 2006 in response to comments
received from hunters for more weekend time to hunt.
"These two additional weekend days were a great success last year and were
helpful to us in meeting our deer management goals," said David M. Graham,
chief of the Division of Wildlife.
So far this season, hunters have taken 53,982 deer during the first six
weeks of the statewide archery season, which began September 30 and
continues through February 3. The special youth season, held November
17-18, resulted in young hunters bagging a record 10,515 deer. Hunters
checked 103,195 deer during the statewide deer-gun season held November 26
through December 2. Another 273 deer were taken during the early
muzzleloader deer season held in October on the Shawnee, Salt Fork and
Wolf Creek wildlife areas.
The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently
pursued by generations of hunters. Deer hunting contributes an estimated
$266 million to the state's economy each year and helps to support
thousands of jobs.
Venison is delicious and nutritious meat, low in fat and cholesterol. It
is the number one wild game served by hunters in Ohio. Deer hunters also
contribute thousands of pounds of venison to organizations that help feed
less-fortunate Ohioans through special programs.
Ohio is divided into three deer hunting zones. A limit of one deer may be
taken in Zone A (20 counties). Hunters may take a second deer in Zone B
(30 counties). A total of three deer may be harvested in eastern and
southeastern Ohio's Zone C (38 counties). Hunters may purchase up to four
antlerless deer permits that can now only be used to take antlerless deer
within the designated urban deer zones located around Columbus, Cleveland,
Akron, Youngstown, Toledo, Dayton, and Cincinnati or at Division of
Wildlife controlled hunts.
Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting
method or season. A deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio
hunting license. Hunter orange is required. Only deer, coyote and
waterfowl can be hunted during the extra deer-gun weekend.
Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state's deer zones are
contained in the
2007-2008 Ohio Hunting Regulations. This free publication is available
wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at wildohio.com or by calling
1-800-WILDLIFE.
Ohio hunters and birdwatchers are reminded that they will need to be aware
of one another as the pursue deer and birds on this shared weekend.
Hunters need to remember that there may be other people in the
woods-hunters and non-hunters. Birders are also reminded that hunters are
allowed to hunt wherever they have written permission to hunt. And, while
hunters are required to wear hunter orange in the field, birders should
also give consideration to wearing a hunter orange vest or hat during the
deer-gun weekend.
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For Further Information Contact:
Dave Risley, Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6330
-or-
Mike Tonkovich, Division of Wildlife
(740) 589-9922
