COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio’s white-tailed deer archery season closed Sunday, Feb. 1, marking the end of Ohio’s 2014-2015 deer hunting season. Across the state, hunters checked a total of 175,745 deer during all 2014-2015 hunting seasons.
In the last few years, through increased deer harvests, dramatic strides have been made in many counties to approach acceptable populations. The effectiveness of these management efforts are reflected in the decreased number of deer checked this season. During the 2013-2014 hunting season, Ohio hunters checked 191,455 deer. Bag limits were reduced in 46 counties prior to the 2014-2015 deer hunting season, and antlerless permits were eliminated in 29 counties.
Deer population goals will be revised this summer through a random survey of hunters and farmers. Participants in the survey will have the opportunity to provide input about the future of deer management in Ohio.
The Ohio counties that reported the most checked deer for all implements during the 2014-2015 season: Coshocton (5,727), Licking (5,281), Tuscarawas (4,883), Muskingum (4,748), Ashtabula (4,418), Knox (4,191), Guernsey (4,181), Holmes (3,625), Harrison (3,448) and Carroll (3,406). Coshocton County also reported the most deer harvested in 2013-2014 (6,270).
Ohio ranks fifth nationally in resident hunters and 11th in the number of jobs associated with hunting-related industries. Hunting has a more than $853 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservationpublication.
The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio’s deer populations through a combination of regulatory and programmatic changes. The goal of Ohio’s Deer Management Program is to provide a deer population that maximizes recreational opportunities, while minimizing conflicts with landowners and motorists. This ensures that Ohio’s deer herd is maintained at a level that is both acceptable to most, and biologically sound.
Hunters continue to utilize various methods to report deer kills. Since the deer season began on Sept. 27, 2014, 46 percent of hunters phoned in their report, 29 percent reported online, 15 percent used the mobile-friendly website and 9 percent traveled to a license agent’s location.
Ohio's first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, and hunters checked 168 deer. Deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties in 1956, and hunters harvested 3,911 deer during the one-week season.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
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Editor’s Note: A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during Ohio’s 2014-2015 hunting season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2014-2015, and the 2013-2014 numbers are in parentheses.
Adams: 3,278 (3,847); Allen: 1,027 (1,057); Ashland: 2,903 (2,931); Ashtabula: 4,418 (4,981); Athens: 3,317 (4,053); Auglaize: 786 (788); Belmont: 3,128 (3,953); Brown: 2,596 (2,526); Butler: 1,391 (1,503); Carroll: 3,406 (4,203); Champaign: 1,317 (1,243); Clark: 755 (779); Clermont: 2,689 (2,830); Clinton: 915 (883); Columbiana: 2,996 (3,669); Coshocton: 5,727 (6,270); Crawford: 1,081 (1,033); Cuyahoga: 725 (681); Darke: 730 (589); Defiance: 1,724 (1,576); Delaware: 1,586 (1,516); Erie: 951 (760); Fairfield: 1,931 (2,245); Fayette: 380 (292); Franklin: 790 (719); Fulton: 736 (859); Gallia: 2,564 (2,899); Geauga: 1,859 (1,849); Greene: 849 (956); Guernsey: 4,181 (5,307); Hamilton: 1,743 (2,069); Hancock: 1,116 (908); Hardin: 1,149 (1,207); Harrison: 3,448 (4,533); Henry: 697 (642); Highland: 2,662 (2,714); Hocking: 2,856 (3,513); Holmes: 3,625 (3,958); Huron: 2,064 (2,139); Jackson: 2,560 (2,769); Jefferson: 2,565 (3,286); Knox: 4,191 (4,529); Lake: 897 (793); Lawrence: 1,791 (2,238); Licking: 5,281 (5,711); Logan: 1,885 (1,917); Lorain: 2,401 (2,342); Lucas: 655 (736); Madison: 493 (451); Mahoning: 1,991 (2,207); Marion: 819 (833); Medina: 2,013 (1,937); Meigs: 3,125 (3,336); Mercer: 583 (625); Miami: 835 (881); Monroe: 2,162 (2,623); Montgomery: 780 (687); Morgan: 2,822 (3,080); Morrow: 1,537 (1,549); Muskingum: 4,748 (5,547); Noble: 2,419 (3,091); Ottawa: 488 (402); Paulding: 1,072 (1,047); Perry: 2,495 (2,731); Pickaway: 806 (804); Pike: 1,880 (2,096); Portage: 1,968 (2,005); Preble: 1,020 (1,070); Putnam: 759 (687); Richland: 3,141 (3,242); Ross: 2,921 (3,087); Sandusky: 935 (773); Scioto: 2,148 (2,705); Seneca: 1,677 (1,641); Shelby: 1,118 (1,103); Stark: 2,625 (2,578); Summit: 1,436 (1,428); Trumbull: 3,185 (3,592); Tuscarawas: 4,883 (5,774); Union: 904 (826); Van Wert: 576 (491); Vinton: 2,503 (3,133); Warren: 1,244 (1,344); Washington: 2,954 (3,298); Wayne: 1,923 (1,908); Williams: 1,790 (1,903); Wood: 1,077 (729) and Wyandot: 1,568 (1,410).Total: 175,745 (191,455).
For more information, contact:
John Windau, ODNR Division of Wildlife
419-429-8359
Matt Eiselstein, ODNR Office of Communications
614-265-6860
Retrieved on: 02/03/2015 From ODNR
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