Ohio Hunters Harvest 186,000 Deer during 2017-2018 Season

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunters checked 186,247 white-tailed deer throughout Ohio’s 2017-2018 deer season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Last year, 182,169 deer were checked during the 2016-2017 season. In Meigs County this season, 3,115 deer were checked in which is down from 2016-2017 which had 3,476.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio’s deer populations. 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.

Deer hunting regulations over the past three seasons have been designed to allow for moderate herd growth throughout most of the state. Herd growth is achieved by reducing harvest and protecting female deer.

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 the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation publication.

Find more information about deer hunting in the Ohio 2017-2018 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.gov.

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.

Editor’s Note: A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during the 2017-2018 deer season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest number for the 2017-2018 season, and the 2016-2017 season number is in parentheses.

Adams: 3,231 (3,272); Allen: 979 (1,039); Ashland: 3,254 (2,954); Ashtabula: 5,076 (5,040); Athens: 3,732 (3,646); Auglaize: 848 (751); Belmont: 2,931 (3,236); Brown: 2,521 (2,448); Butler: 1,401 (1,231); Carroll: 3,935 (3,586); Champaign: 1,197 (1,118); Clark: 685 (661); Clermont: 2,471 (2,343); Clinton: 810 (719); Columbiana: 3,257 (3,189); Coshocton: 6,559 (5,929); Crawford: 1,222 (1,113); Cuyahoga: 1,033 (1,124); Darke: 731 (679); Defiance: 1,600 (1,675); Delaware: 1,574 (1,527); Erie: 1,119 (868); Fairfield: 1,969 (1,800); Fayette: 353 (312); Franklin: 788 (837); Fulton: 745 (826); Gallia: 2,599 (2,720); Geauga: 1,818 (1,871); Greene: 778 (816); Guernsey: 4,753 (4,565); Hamilton: 1,639 (1,589); Hancock: 1,228 (1,179); Hardin: 1,253 (1,220); Harrison: 3,674 (3,763); Henry: 733 (708); Highland: 2,668 (2,587); Hocking: 3,321 (3,275); Holmes: 4,108 (3,731); Huron: 2,377 (2,279); Jackson: 2,984 (2,870); Jefferson: 1,903 (2,800); Knox: 4,658 (4,495); Lake: 883 (961); Lawrence: 1,784 (1,942); Licking: 5,009 (4,971); Logan: 2,055 (1,919); Lorain: 2,255 (2,511); Lucas: 748 (755); Madison: 511 (482); Mahoning: 2,032 (1,933); Marion: 893 (886); Medina: 2,012 (2,109); Meigs: 3,115 (3,476); Mercer: 677 (661); Miami: 787 (774); Monroe: 2,618 (2,571); Montgomery: 704 (591); Morgan: 3,278 (2,992); Morrow: 1,544 (1,486); Muskingum: 5,274 (5,118); Noble: 3,036 (2,855); Ottawa: 482 (450); Paulding: 1,022 (954); Perry: 2,769 (2,787); Pickaway: 822 (724); Pike: 1,934 (2,083); Portage: 2,289 (2,211); Preble: 969 (847); Putnam: 781 (709); Richland: 3,505 (3,246); Ross: 3,053 (3,029); Sandusky: 904 (862); Scioto: 2,326 (2,479); Seneca: 1,895 (1,842); Shelby: 983 (961); Stark: 2,880 (2,778); Summit: 1,474 (1,572); Trumbull: 3,640 (3,699); Tuscarawas: 5,722 (5,039); Union: 939 (842); Van Wert: 499 (458); Vinton: 2,802 (2,668); Warren: 1,186 (1,095); Washington: 3,327 (3,402); Wayne: 2,226 (2,020); Williams: 1,598 (1,687); Wood: 931 (857); Wyandot: 1,559 (1,484). Total: 186,247 (182,169).