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Darke S.W.C.D.
Rain and Snow Greet Hunters on Opening Day of Ohio’s Deer-Gun Season
Darke County hunters checked 61 deer this opening day compared to 65 last year
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio hunters checked 10,904 white-tailed deer during a
snowy and rainy opening day of the gun hunting week, according to the
Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Over
the last three years, hunters took an average of 17,145 deer on opening
day. Last year, there were 15,513 deer taken during the gun opener. The
deer-gun season is open again Dec. 19-20.
“The recovery of the white-tailed deer is a remarkable wildlife
management success story in Ohio,” said Division of Wildlife Chief
Kendra Wecker. “Almost completely removed from the landscape at one
time, deer now provide an abundant, healthy source of protein and many
meals for Ohioans. Good luck to all of our hunters this week.”
The top 10 counties for deer harvest on the opening day of the gun
season include: Coshocton (356), Tuscarawas (352), Knox (336),
Muskingum (328), Licking (308), Ashtabula (289), Carroll (279), Holmes
(278), Guernsey (277), and Harrison (258). In 2019, Coshocton County
also led the state on opening day with 664 deer taken.
Ohio is known as a quality deer hunting state, and as a result attracts
many out-of-state hunters. The top five states for purchasing a
nonresident hunting license in Ohio include: Pennsylvania (6,639
licenses sold), Michigan (4,634), West Virginia (3,567), North Carolina
(2,814), and New York (2,168). Deer hunting participation remains high
for all hunters, with 353,539 deer hunting permits sold or issued
through Monday, Nov. 30.
Ohio archery hunters have taken 78,607 deer through Monday, Nov. 30.
Plus, Ohio’s young hunters checked 5,909 white-tailed deer during the
2020 two-day youth gun season, Nov. 21-22.
Deer hunters are reminded to download the HuntFish OH mobile app, which
allows hunters to check in their deer while in the field, even without
a Wi-Fi connection. When a hunter checks game without a clear signal,
harvest information is recorded and stored until the hunter moves to a
location with better reception. Users can also purchase licenses and
permits and view wildlife area maps through the app. HuntFish OH is
free and available for Android and iOS users through the app store.
Ohio offers more opportunities for hunters to pursue deer.
Deer-muzzleloader season is Saturday, Jan. 2, through Tuesday, Jan. 5,
2021. Deer-archery season is open now through Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021.
Find complete details in the 2020-2021 Ohio Hunting Regulations or at
wildohio.gov. More information on previous seasons can be found in the
Deer Harvest Summary.
Connect with the Ohio Division of Wildlife through Twitter and Facebook
for instant news stories, outdoor recreation ideas, and local wildlife
information. The Your Wild Ohio Hunter Facebook page provides hunting
tips and useful information as you get outside this season.
The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish
and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and
appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.
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 county list of all white-tailed deer checked by
hunters during opening day of the 2020 deer-gun hunting season is shown
below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest
numbers for opening day 2020, and the three-year average of deer
harvested on opening day in 2017, 2018, 2019 is in parentheses. A
three-year average provides a better overall comparison to this year’s
harvest numbers, eliminating year-to-year variation because of weather,
misaligned season dates, timing of the crop harvest, and other
unavoidable factors. Harvest numbers below are raw data and subject to
change. These numbers may include controlled hunts.
Adams: 166 (249); Allen: 48 (74); Ashland: 218 (353); Ashtabula: 289
(637); Athens: 180 (357); Auglaize: 69 (76); Belmont: 184 (286); Brown:
181 (208); Butler: 64 (57); Carroll: 279 (430); Champaign: 76 (93);
Clark: 23 (39); Clermont: 122 (118); Clinton: 38 (60); Columbiana: 215
(349); Coshocton: 356 (723); Crawford: 98 (137); Cuyahoga: 7 (12);
Darke: 61 (65); Defiance: 209 (204); Delaware: 73 (102); Erie: 26 (54);
Fairfield: 129 (154); Fayette: 18 (23); Franklin: 33 (32); Fulton: 79
(91); Gallia: 152 (282); Geauga: 77 (121); Greene: 26 (41); Guernsey:
277 (495); Hamilton: 12 (24); Hancock: 57 (101); Hardin: 109 (122);
Harrison: 258 (389); Henry: 82 (96); Highland: 206 (230); Hocking: 179
(328); Holmes: 278 (485); Huron: 161 (282); Jackson: 132 (270);
Jefferson: 141 (198); Knox: 336 (558); Lake: 18 (39); Lawrence: 103
(174); Licking: 308 (457); Logan: 135 (170); Lorain: 73 (150); Lucas:
27 (23); Madison: 25 (31); Mahoning: 88 (160); Marion: 57 (100);
Medina: 64 (125); Meigs: 166 (295); Mercer: 63 (72); Miami: 29 (46);
Monroe: 185 (285); Montgomery: 26 (29); Morgan: 181 (340); Morrow: 129
(156); Muskingum: 328 (592); Noble: 216 (325); Ottawa: 15 (26);
Paulding: 136 (119); Perry: 170 (279); Pickaway: 27 (75); Pike: 98
(150); Portage: 88 (121); Preble: 39 (52); Putnam: 65 (76); Richland:
253 (325); Ross: 157 (233); Sandusky: 39 (53); Scioto: 89 (145);
Seneca: 126 (189); Shelby: 55 (87); Stark: 119 (200); Summit: 13 (23);
Trumbull: 213 (371); Tuscarawas: 352 (612); Union: 67 (72); Van Wert:
55 (45); Vinton: 97 (233); Warren: 51 (49); Washington: 171 (386);
Wayne: 112 (208); Williams: 166 (203); Wood: 53 (62); Wyandot: 133
(180).
2020 Total: 10,904
Three-Year Average Total: (17,145)
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