Hunters Gear up for Ohio’s Deer Seasons

Ohio’s deer archery season is open, and with the first firearm season just around the corner, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife reminds hunters of several regulation adjustments for the 2014-2015 white-tailed deer hunting season. Hunters are reminded to review the 2014-2105 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations before heading afield. Regulations are available at wildohio.gov and where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

Ohio’s 2014-2015 deer seasons include:

· Archery: Sept. 27-Feb. 1, 2015.

· Antlerless muzzleloader: Oct. 11-12.

· Youth gun: Nov. 22-23.

· Gun: Dec. 1-7.

· Muzzleloader: Jan. 2-5, 2015.

Antlerless permits are no longer valid in some counties during the 2014-2015 deer season. See the attached bag limit map or county list to confirm if antlerless permits are valid in the county you plan to hunt this season. Antlerless permits are no longer valid in the following counties: Belmont, Carroll, Coshocton, Defiance, Fairfield, Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hardin, Harrison, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Meigs, Miami, Monroe, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Richland, Van Wert, Washington, and Williams counties. Hunters who check a deer in these counties need to use an either-sex permit.

Antlerless permits are valid in the remaining counties through Nov. 30, 2014, the Sunday before the deer-gun season. Only one antlerless permit may be used per county, regardless of the bag limit. Antlerless permits are also valid for use during Ohio Division of Wildlife authorized controlled hunts.

New this year, specific straight-walled cartridge rifles are legal for use during the deer-gun and youth deer-gun seasons. These specific straight-walled cartridge rifles are legal for deer hunting: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110 and .500 Smith & Wesson.

Also a change for the 2014-15 season, shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles may have no more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined while deer hunting.

For the first time, historical records of Ohio’s top-scoring deer can be searched online through a partnership effort between the ODNR Division of Wildlife and the Buckeye Big Buck Club. A complete database of top deer scores, complete with rankings, hunter’s name, county of the kill and more, is available at wildohio.gov. Ohio ranks No. 7 nationally for the number of trophy deer as compiled by the Boone and Crockett Club through 2011.

For the second season, hunters can check their harvest on their mobile device at ohiogamecheck.com. A valid email address and phone number are required to use the service, and hunters still need to make their own temporary tag.

Deer hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset for all deer seasons. This includes gun and muzzleloader seasons.

It is legal to bowhunt during the antlerless deer muzzleloader hunting season, Oct. 11-12, but no antlered deer may be killed regardless of hunting implement during these two days.

Hunters can harvest one buck during the 2014-2015 deer hunting season.