Deer Seasons Include County Management, Addition Of Early Muzzleloading

The 2013-14 Ohio hunting and trapping season dates have been released by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The seasons include changes to address deer management on a county level, and increase hunting opportunities through extended hours and a new early muzzleloader season.

Deer archery: Sept. 28 – Feb. 2, 2014
Antlerless deer muzzleloader: Oct. 12-13
Youth deer: Nov. 23-24
Deer gun: Dec. 2-8
Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 4-7, 2014
Squirrel (gray, red and fox): Sept. 1 – Jan. 31, 2014
Ruffed grouse: Oct. 12 – Jan. 31, 2014
Fall wild turkey: Oct. 14 – Dec. 1
Youth upland game: Oct. 19-20, Oct. 26-27
Cottontail rabbit: Nov. 1 -Feb. 28, 2014
Ring-necked pheasant: Nov. 1 – Jan. 5, 2014
Bobwhite quail: Nov. 1 – Dec. 1
Fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk and weasel: Nov. 10 – Jan. 31, 2014
Mink and muskrat: Nov. 10 – Feb. 28, 2014
Mink, muskrat, raccoon, opossum, skunk and weasel (Erie, Ottawa and Sandusky counties, and Lucas County east of the Maumee River):
Nov. 10 – March 15, 2014
Beaver: Dec. 26 – Feb. 28, 2014
River otter: Dec. 26 – Feb. 28, 2014
Crow: June 7 – March 8, 2014; June 6, 2014 – March 7, 2015 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday only)
Youth spring wild turkey: April 19-20, 2014
Spring wild turkey: April 21, 2014 – May 18, 2014
Coyote and feral swine (wild boar): No closed season
Groundhog: Closed only during deer gun season
Deer bag limits are now determined by county. Deer bag limits, by county:

One either-sex permit, one antlerless permit (eight counties): Darke, Erie, Fayette, Hancock, Madison, Ottawa, Sandusky and Wood.

Two either-sex permits, one antlerless permit (23 counties): Auglaize, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Gallia, Harrison, Henry, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Logan, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Preble, Ross, Shelby, Van Wert and Washington.

Three either-sex permits, one antlerless permit (57 counties): Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Defiance, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Fulton, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hardin, Highland, Holmes, Huron, Knox, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Paulding, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Putnam, Richland, Scioto, Seneca, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Vinton, Warren, Wayne, Williams and Wyandot.

Deer hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset for all deer seasons. Antlerless permits will be valid until Dec. 1, the Sunday before the deer-gun season.

Hunters may kill only one buck in Ohio, regardless of method of take or location. The statewide bag limit is nine deer, but a hunter cannot exceed a county bag limit. Additional controlled hunting opportunities do not count against the statewide bag limit.

The antlerless deer muzzleloader season was added in October. The December bonus gun weekend, the early muzzleloader season at three public hunting areas (Salt Fork Wildlife Area, Shawnee State Forest and Wildcat Hollow), and urban hunting zones are discontinued.

The fall wild turkey season begins on Oct. 14, the Monday following the antlerless deer muzzleloader season. Butler, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Hamilton, Huron, Seneca and Warren counties are added to the list of counties open for fall turkey hunting.

Deer and fall turkey permits will go on sale July 1.

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