Young hunters across Ohio harvested 10,039 white-tailed deer during the two-day youth season on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18-19, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Each fall, hunters 17 and younger can enjoy a weekend of deer gun hunting with a nonhunting adult before the statewide gun season begins.
The top 10 counties for deer taken during Ohio’s 2023 youth season include: Tuscarawas (391); Coshocton (365); Muskingum (304); Knox (293); Holmes (267); Guernsey (261); Licking (256); Harrison (239); Belmont (209); and Richland (205).
This year’s youth season total is the second highest harvest on record. In 2007, youth hunters took 10,059 deer with firearms during the two-day youth season.
Youth hunters checked 5,736 antlered and 4,303 antlerless deer during the weekend. In 2022, hunters harvested 9,510 deer during the two-day youth gun season. The three-year average from 2020 to 2022 is 7,649 deer.
The Division of Wildlife has issued 41,866 youth deer permits through Sunday, Nov. 19. Youth permits are valid for all remaining Ohio deer hunting seasons.
Ohio’s youth hunting opportunities are available to anyone who is 17 years old or younger during the season dates. Youth hunting seasons are also available for small game, wild turkey, and waterfowl. Anyone interested in learning to hunt or becoming a mentor to a new hunter can visit the Wild Ohio Harvest Community for information on how to get started, hunting-related workshops, and special hunting opportunities for mentors and new hunters.
Gun hunters of all ages can participate in the upcoming seven-day gun season which begins Monday, Nov. 27 and runs until Sunday, Dec. 3. A bonus weekend of gun hunting will occur Dec. 16-17; muzzleloader season will be Jan. 6-9, 2024. The archery season runs through Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. All hunters, regardless of the implement they use, are required to wear hunter orange during the gun seasons. Find complete details in the 2023-24 hunting and trapping regulations.
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).
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.
An Ohio county list of all white-tailed deer checked on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18-19, 2023, by youth hunters using a shotgun, straight-walled cartridge rifle, muzzleloader, or handgun is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2023, and the three-year average of deer taken from 2020 to 2022 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, crop harvest, and other unavoidable factors. Harvest numbers below are raw data and subject to change.
Adams: 149 (106); Allen: 86 (58); Ashland: 176 (153); Ashtabula: 175 (153); Athens: 116 (132); Auglaize: 97 (57); Belmont: 209 (144); Brown: 117 (84); Butler: 44 (43); Carroll: 203 (148); Champaign: 64 (48); Clark: 30 (23); Clermont: 69 (48); Clinton: 45 (37); Columbiana: 181 (146); Coshocton: 365 (303); Crawford: 87 (55); Cuyahoga: 4 (1); Darke: 72 (43); Defiance: 153 (108); Delaware: 51 (31); Erie: 33 (29); Fairfield: 88 (68); Fayette: 27 (24); Franklin: 19 (15); Fulton: 53 (37); Gallia: 135 (134); Geauga: 75 (69); Greene: 42 (27); Guernsey: 261 (206); Hamilton: 8 (8); Hancock: 137 (81); Hardin: 98 (68); Harrison: 239 (176); Henry: 80 (47); Highland: 189 (134); Hocking: 84 (78); Holmes: 267 (250); Huron: 182 (121); Jackson: 111 (116); Jefferson: 130 (107); Knox: 293 (223); Lake: 13 (15); Lawrence: 90 (80); Licking: 256 (163); Logan: 141 (89); Lorain: 92 (67); Lucas: 21 (8); Madison: 42 (22); Mahoning: 63 (44); Marion: 46 (38); Medina: 86 (68); Meigs: 148 (149); Mercer: 79 (44); Miami: 46 (28); Monroe: 178 (121); Montgomery: 22 (16); Morgan: 133 (141); Morrow: 108 (67); Muskingum: 304 (221); Noble: 172 (129); Ottawa: 25 (16); Paulding: 121 (82); Perry: 119 (106); Pickaway: 55 (35); Pike: 82 (65); Portage: 81 (63); Preble: 47 (36); Putnam: 99 (55); Richland: 205 (141); Ross: 154 (139); Sandusky: 55 (37); Scioto: 96 (93); Seneca: 153 (115); Shelby: 83 (54); Stark: 144 (86); Summit: 14 (14); Trumbull: 149 (91); Tuscarawas: 391 (313); Union: 87 (43); Van Wert: 59 (37); Vinton: 77 (75); Warren: 26 (26); Washington: 204 (182); Wayne: 143 (100); Williams: 105 (62); Wood: 67 (45); Wyandot: 114 (89).
2023 total: 10,039
3-year average total: 7,649
