Ohio’s Deer Gun Hunting
Weekend Results
 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunters across Ohio checked 17,373 white-tailed deer on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22, during the state’s additional weekend of deer gun hunting, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Last year, hunters tagged 15,470 deer during the gun weekend, with a three-year average of 13,417.
 
During the additional gun weekend, hunters checked 4,491 antlered deer (26% of the total) and 12,882 antlerless deer (74%). The antlerless total includes does, button bucks, bucks with shed antlers, and bucks with antlers shorter than 3 inches.
 

 
The top 10 counties for deer taken during the 2024 additional gun weekend were:

1. Ashtabula (580)
2. Coshocton (574)
3. Tuscarawas (515)
4. Knox (491)
5. Licking (454)
6. Richland (447)
7. Carroll (429)
8. Muskingum (402)
9. Harrison (400)
10. Guernsey (380) 

Legal hunting equipment during the deer gun season includes specific 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:

1. Straight-walled cartridge rifle, 66% (11,413 deer)
2. Shotgun, 27% (4,723 deer)
3. Muzzleloader, 4% (706 deer)
4. Archery equipment, 2% (433 deer)
5. Handgun, less than 1% (98 deer)

Hunters have checked 115,014 deer during nine days of gun hunting and two days of the youth season. Youth hunters checked 10,449 deer on Nov. 16-17, and the weeklong gun season total was 87,192. The season total for deer checked through Sunday, Dec. 22 is 209,459, which includes all deer taken with archery equipment and firearms since the season began in September.

Nonresidents have purchased 39,861 hunting licenses, many of them to enjoy Ohio’s terrific deer hunting opportunities. The most popular states that hunters traveled to Ohio from include:

1. Pennsylvania (7,643 nonresident licenses)
2. Michigan (4,962)
3. West Virginia (3,581)
4. North Carolina (3,191)
5. New York (2,996)

Hunters still looking to pursue deer can take part in the ongoing archery season, which continues until Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, and the state’s muzzleloader season, Jan. 4-7, 2025. An either-sex deer permit is required after Sunday, Dec. 22, as deer management permits are no longer valid. Check the 2024-25 Hunting and Trapping Regulations for more information about deer hunting. Weekly reports and yearly summaries can be found on the Deer Harvest Summary page at wildohio.gov.
 
The free HuntFish OH app is available for deer hunters to buy licenses and permits, view wildlife area maps, check sunrise and sunset times, see county bag limits, and more. Hunters can check game even without cell signal and display licenses and permits digitally via the app.
 
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.