Ohio's Deer-Gun Season Opens with more than 22,000 Deer Harvested

COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters checked 22,256 white-tailed deer on Monday, Nov. 30, the opening day of Ohio’s deer-gun hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Ohio’s deer-gun season remains open through Sunday, Dec. 6. New this year, an additional two days (Monday, Dec. 28, and Tuesday, Dec. 29) have been added to increase the opportunity for people to hunt with firearms. Find more information about deer hunting in the Ohio 2015-2016 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.gov. Past year’s harvest summaries and weekly updated harvest reports can be found at wildohio.gov/deerharvest. Deer Management Goals 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. Until recently, deer populations in nearly all of Ohio’s counties were well above goal. In the last few years, through increased antlerless harvests, most counties are now at or near goal. Therefore, to help stabilize deer populations, bag limits were reduced, and antlerless permit use has been eliminated in most counties for the 2015-2016 season. The ODNR Division of Wildlife is in the process of resetting Ohio’s population goals and is asking hunters that receive the survey to help by completing and returning the survey as soon as they are done hunting or at the end of the season. Landowner surveys have already been distributed, and hunter surveys should arrive in the mail later this week. Hunters for this year’s survey were randomly selected from the list of hunters who purchased a license and deer permit by Nov. 16. Public input is an important part of Ohio’s deer management program, and survey participants are asked to complete and return their surveys. Hunting Popularity 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 theNational Shooting Sports Foundation’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation publication. ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website atohiodnr.gov. - 30 - Editor’s Note: A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during opening day of the 2015 deer-gun hunting season is shown below. A report of last year’s opening day harvest is attached. Adams: 373; Allen: 116; Ashland: 483; Ashtabula: 772; Athens: 420; Auglaize: 99; Belmont: 429; Brown: 248; Butler: 66; Carroll: 571; Champaign: 104; Clark: 52; Clermont: 154; Clinton: 79; Columbiana: 522; Coshocton: 888; Crawford: 177; Cuyahoga: 7; Darke: 74; Defiance: 316; Delaware: 110; Erie: 66; Fairfield: 219; Fayette: 33; Franklin: 31; Fulton: 140; Gallia: 372; Geauga: 167; Greene: 54; Guernsey: 647; Hamilton: 44; Hancock: 135; Hardin: 149; Harrison: 556; Henry: 125; Highland: 300; Hocking: 521; Holmes: 552; Huron: 367; Jackson: 377; Jefferson: 386; Knox: 619; Lake: 44; Lawrence: 224; Licking: 563; Logan: 249; Lorain: 195; Lucas: 27; Madison: 28; Mahoning: 165; Marion: 120; Medina: 152; Meigs: 418; Mercer: 76; Miami: 52; Monroe: 334; Montgomery: 28; Morgan: 387; Morrow: 184; Muskingum: 722; Noble: 352; Ottawa: 20; Paulding: 157; Perry: 399; Pickaway: 107; Pike: 209; Portage: 157; Preble: 80; Putnam: 90; Richland: 462; Ross: 320; Sandusky: 76; Scioto: 207; Seneca: 273; Shelby: 97; Stark: 248; Summit: 24; Trumbull: 468; Tuscarawas: 658; Union: 97; Van Wert: 63; Vinton: 401; Warren: 61; Washington: 490; Wayne: 211; Williams: 327; Wood: 87; Wyandot: 227.  Total: 22,256. For more information, contact: John Windau, ODNR Division of Wildlife 614-265-6325 Matt Eiselstein, ODNR Office of Communications 614-265-6860