COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio's seven-day deer gun hunting season wrapped up on Sunday. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, hunters across the state took a total of 70,118 deer.
The ODNR reports that during the deer gun week, hunters checked 25,044 antlered deer (36% of the harvest) and 45,074 antlerless deer (64%).
According to the ODNR, the top 10 counties for deer taken during the week of gun season were:
- Coshocton (2,441)
- Tuscarawas (2,260)
- Ashtabula (2,189)
- Muskingum (2,076)
- Knox (1,880)
- Carroll (1,864)
- Guernsey (1,798)
- Washington (1,582)
- Licking (1,570)
- Harrison (1,533)
As of Dec. 3, a total of 389,181 deer permits have been issued in Ohio, with nonresidents purchasing 37,543 hunting licenses. Here are the most popular states that hunters traveled to Ohio from:
- Pennsylvania (7,078 nonresident licenses)
- Michigan (4,733)
- West Virginia (3,560)
- North Carolina (3,105)
- New York (2,852)
This year's total is slightly down from last year's figure of 71,931 deer taken during the gun week. Overall in the 2023 deer season, archery and firearms hunters have taken a total of 167,732 deer. A bonus weekend of gun hunting will occur Dec. 16-17. Muzzleloader season will be on Jan. 6-9, 2024, while the archery season runs through Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.
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, see county bag limits, and so much more.
Beyond the app, hunters can check game by visiting ohiogamecheck.com, calling 1-877-TAG-IT-OH (1-877-824-4864), visiting a license sales agent, or calling 1-866-703-1298 (landowner operator-assisted; fees apply).