Ohio Hunters Take 24,078 Deer During Muzzleloader Season

[FFKEVIN]

Hunters Take 24,078 White-tailed Deer During Statewide Muzzleloader Season
A 17% increase over last year

Hunters took 24,078 deer during Ohio's four-day muzzleloader season, January 9-12, with Tuscarawas County again leading the state with 1,345 deer checked. In 2008, a preliminary total of 20,659 deer was taken during muzzleloader season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

Counties reporting the highest number of deer checked during the muzzleloader season included: Tuscarawas-1,345; Harrison-1,025; Guernsey-1,000; Washington-937; Athens-816; Belmont-735; Coshocton-692; Licking-679; Meigs-645; and Jefferson-616.

A total of 251,826 deer have been harvested so far this season when combining the gun seasons, early and statewide muzzleloader seasons, and the first nine weeks of the archery season. Hunters took a total of 252,017 deer during all of last year's hunting seasons.

Hunters can continue to enjoy deer hunting through February 7, 2010 as the archery season continues. Hunters who wish to share their success can submit a photo of themselves and the deer they killed this year at wildohio.com.

Hunters can still donate extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who give their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and funding for the effort lasts. Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org.

The Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

NOTE: The following is a list of deer checked and tagged by hunters during the statewide muzzleloader deer hunting season. The number taken during the 2008-09 Season Is Marked In ( ): 2010 (2008)

Adams -326 (305); Allen –83 (86); Ashland –603 (541); Ashtabula –293 (322); Athens –816 (511); Auglaize –31 (47); Belmont –735 (539); Brown –232 (352); Butler –156 (117); Carroll –300 (244); Champaign –80 (151); Clark –117 (88); Clermont –310 (316); Clinton –117 (103); Columbiana –510 (403); Coshocton –692 (598); Crawford –126 (156); Cuyahoga –32 (40); Darke –43 (46); Defiance –104 (92); Delaware –127 (124); Erie –94 (81); Fairfield –417 (371); Fayette –11 (49); Franklin –109 (80); Fulton –46 (38); Gallia –312 (282); Geauga –114 (92); Greene –72 (60); Guernsey –1,000 (565); Hamilton –106 (116); Hancock –66 (82); Hardin –100 (75); Harrison –1,025 (764); Henry –29 (41); Highland –367 (353); Hocking –510 (376) ; Holmes –407 (528); Huron –146 (196); Jackson –583 (431); Jefferson –616 (457); Knox –503 (416); Lake –45 (75); Lawrence –317 (288); Licking –679 (688); Logan –187 (152); Lorain –209 (180); Lucas –49 (72); Madison –53 (24); Mahoning –208 (136); Marion –42 (54); Medina –163 (157); Meigs –645 (613); Mercer –35 (22); Miami –33 (22); Monroe –498 (533); Montgomery –65 (55); Morgan –439 (294); Morrow –162 (199); Muskingum –493 (419); Noble –539 (446); Ottawa –22 (23); Paulding –86 (76); Perry –521 (351); Pickaway –105 (60); Pike –182 (207); Portage –147 (133); Preble –118 (86); Putnam –67 (96); Richland –147 (187); Ross –487 (413); Sandusky –49 (67); Scioto –275 (363); Seneca –178 (148); Shelby –93 (77); Stark –486 (339); Summit –143 (76); Trumbull –290 (272); Tuscarawas –1,345 (934); Union –73 (80); Van Wert –55 (69); Vinton –364 (201); Warren –182 (135); Washington –937 (774); Wayne –103 (171); Williams –103 (97); Wood –67 (63); and Wyandot –117 (98). Total –24,078 (20,659)