PRESS RELEASE – Ohio hunters checked 85,448 deer during the weeklong gun season that concluded on Sunday, Dec. 7, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
In 2024, hunters reported harvesting 87,191 deer during the seven-day gun season. The three-year average for the gun season is 76,409.
The Division of Wildlife annually reports deer harvest totals at notable points during the hunting season. During the deer gun week, hunters checked 27,934 antlered deer (33% of the total reported) and 57,514 antlerless deer (67%).
The top 10 counties for deer taken during the gun season were: Coshocton, 3,037 – Coshocton County also led the state in 2024 with 2,955 deer checked; Ashtabula, 3,031; Tuscarawas, 2,764; Muskingum, 2,581; Knox, 2,558; Carroll, 2,440; Licking, 2,046; Ashland, 2,037; Columbiana, 1,968; Harrison, 1,912.
Harvest totals for this year were lower than average in Athens, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties as a result of an unprecedented outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in that region over the summer.
Coinciding with the start of the seven-day gun season, the bag limit in those counties was reduced in response to the disease outbreak.
Legal hunting equipment during the deer gun season includes shotguns, straight-walled cartridge rifles, muzzleloaders, handguns, and archery equipment. Straight-walled cartridge rifles have been legal for deer gun hunting since 2014.
Deer checked by hunting implement includes: Straight-walled cartridge rifle, 67% (57,623 deer); Shotgun, 27% (23,217 deer); Muzzleloader, 3% (2,630 deer); Archery equipment, 2% (1,544 deer); Handgun, less than 1% (434 deer)
Since the deer archery hunting season opened in September, archery and firearms hunters have taken 187,283 deer through Sunday, Dec. 7.
Hunters have another opportunity to take a deer with a firearm during the additional gun weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20-21. The muzzleloader season is Jan. 3-6, 2026. The archery season remains open until Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Find more details in the 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Regulations.
This year, 397,907 deer permits were issued through Sunday, Dec. 7.
This total includes sales of deer management permits and either-sex permits. Deer management permits are available for purchase and use on both public hunting areas and private land through Sunday, Dec. 21.
Either-sex permits are valid until the close of the deer archery season on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. Licenses and permits can be purchased at wildohio.gov, via the HuntFish OH app, or at any authorized sales agent.
Nonresidents have purchased 34,147 hunting licenses, many of them to enjoy Ohio’s terrific deer hunting opportunities.
The most popular states that hunters traveled to Ohio from include: Pennsylvania (6,457 nonresident licenses); Michigan (4,210); North Carolina (2,871); West Virginia (2,684); New York (2,645)
All deer harvested in Ohio are required to be checked in the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System. This gives the Division of Wildlife a long-term dataset that aids wildlife biologists in monitoring deer health, distribution, and relative abundance.
Successful deer hunters can check their game using the HuntFish OH mobile app, available for free in the Android and Apple app stores. Users can also explore public hunting areas, purchase hunting licenses or deer permits, and see county bag limits.
Hunters can also check game by visiting ohiogamecheck.com, calling 1-877-TAG-IT-OH (1-877-824-4864), visiting a license sales agent, or calling 1-866-703-1928 (landowner operator-assisted; fees apply).
Hunters interested in tracking the season’s count can view weekly deer harvest reports at wildohio.gov. The Division of Wildlife posts deer hunting results each Wednesday throughout the hunting season. A final report is also posted after the conclusion of the archery 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.