Reduced Deer Bag Limit Proposed in Athens, Meigs, and Washington Counties

 
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife proposed reducing the white-tailed deer bag limit in Athens, Meigs, and Washington counties from three deer to two in response to an unprecedented outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in these locations.
 
If approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council, the proposed bag limit reduction would take effect on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 coinciding with opening day of the seven-day deer gun season. The proposed bag limit would remain in place until the close of the 2025-26 deer hunting season on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
 
The Ohio Wildlife Council heard details of the proposed bag limit reduction during a special meeting in Athens last night. Public comments on the recent proposal will be accepted online at wildohio.gov until Thursday, Oct. 16. A statewide hearing for the proposed rule will be held during the wildlife council’s scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
 
If the Ohio Wildlife Council passes the proposed bag limit reduction, Athens, Meigs, and Washington counties will have three-deer bag limit until Sunday, Nov. 30.
 
Deer bag limits in the rest of the state remain unchanged. Please see the 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Regulations for more information on current bag limits across the state.
 
Ohio Wildlife Council 
The Ohio Wildlife Council approves all Division of Wildlife proposed rules and regulations. Council meetings are open to the public. Individuals interested in providing comments are asked to call 614-265-6304 at least two days prior to the meeting to register. All comments are required to be three minutes or less.

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.