Hunters took nearly 27K deer Monday

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Hunters across Ohio checked 26,667 white-tailed deer on Monday, December 2, the opening day of the weeklong gun hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This is the highest harvest for opening day since 2012 (29,297). Ohio’s seven-day gun season is open until Sunday, December 8, with an additional gun hunting weekend on Saturday and Sunday, December 21-22.

This year’s opening day harvest total includes 9,602 antlered deer and 17,065 antlerless deer (antlerless deer are does and button bucks). In 2023, hunters took 19,363 deer on opening day of the gun season, which traditionally falls on the Monday after Thanksgiving. From 2021 to 2023, hunters checked an average of 19,439 deer during the gun season opener. 
 
The top 10 counties for deer checked on opening day were: 1. Coshocton (1,053); 2. Tuscarawas (954); 3. Knox (881); 4. Muskingum (852); 5. Carroll (804); 6. Guernsey (750); 7. Ashtabula (686); 8. Harrison (671); 9. Ashland (653); 10.Columbiana (592).

So far this deer season, archery and firearms hunters have taken a total of 128,408 deer through Monday, December 2. Hunters ages 17 and younger checked 10,449 deer in the two-day youth season. In addition to the weeklong gun season and December gun weekend, the state hosts a muzzleloader season from Jan. 4-7, 2025. Finally, the archery season remains open statewide until Sunday, February 2, 2025.

A county list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during opening day of the 2024 deer gun hunting season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for opening day 2024. The three-year average of deer harvested on opening day in 2021, 2022, and 2023 is in parentheses. A three-year average provides a better overall comparison to this year’s numbers, eliminating year-to-year variation because of weather, misaligned season dates, timing of the crop harvest, and other unavoidable factors. Numbers below are raw data and subject to change.

Adams: 360 (254); Allen: 132 (92); Ashland: 653 (436); Ashtabula: 686 (630); Athens: 459 (333); Auglaize: 157 (128); Belmont: 456 (320); Brown: 262 (215); Butler: 91 (70); Carroll: 804 (547); Champaign: 165 (112); Clark: 73 (48); Clermont: 187 (144); Clinton: 118 (65); Columbiana: 592 (418); Coshocton: 1,053 (767); Crawford: 279 (183); Cuyahoga: 6 (8); Darke: 133 (78); Defiance: 244 (288); Delaware: 143 (105); Erie: 121 (77); Fairfield: 266 (207); Fayette: 62 (36); Franklin: 46 (39); Fulton: 193 (139); Gallia: 441 (269); Geauga: 258 (170); Greene: 68 (57); Guernsey: 750 (538); Hamilton: 30 (24); Hancock: 218 (162); Hardin: 176 (136); Harrison: 671 (419); Henry: 177 (148); Highland: 360 (270); Hocking: 386 (297); Holmes: 583 (498); Huron: 516 (351); Jackson: 342 (272); Jefferson: 432 (266); Knox: 881 (579); Lake: 22 (43); Lawrence: 252 (175); Licking: 538 (480); Logan: 230 (192); Lorain: 276 (179); Lucas: 49 (29); Madison: 77 (48); Mahoning: 213 (167); Marion: 148 (107); Medina: 260 (157); Meigs: 429 (316); Mercer: 164 (118); Miami: 74 (51); Monroe: 417 (281); Montgomery: 48 (44); Morgan: 467 (357); Morrow: 289 (189); Muskingum: 852 (630); Noble: 434 (338); Ottawa: 67 (48); Paulding: 162 (174); Perry: 364 (329); Pickaway: 132 (73); Pike: 233 (152); Portage: 232 (167); Preble: 99 (69); Putnam: 157 (131); Richland: 562 (361); Ross: 340 (241); Sandusky: 117 (75); Scioto: 262 (164); Seneca: 424 (293); Shelby: 145 (100); Stark: 335 (269); Summit: 44 (37); Trumbull: 558 (359); Tuscarawas: 954 (675); Union: 111 (100); Van Wert: 112 (72); Vinton: 231 (191); Warren: 101 (66); Washington: 537 (415); Wayne: 419 (217); Williams: 314 (266); Wood: 143 (93); Wyandot: 243 (206).