Hunting News

Bowhunters check 4,795 deer Nov. 6; total hits 66,626 deer by Nov. 14

Bowhunters check 4,795 deer Nov. 6; total hits 66,626 deer by Nov. 14

By Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Ohio bowhunters checked 4,795 white-tailed deer Nov. 6, the highpoint for the Buckeye State’s archery season. In total, bowhunters across Ohio have harvested 66,626 deer as of Sunday, Nov. 14.

The three-year average for deer harvested over the same eight-week period in 2018, 2019 and 2020 is 65,271.

“Many hunters have found a special date through the years that produces a memorable hunt. It might be a date around Halloween, the first Saturday in November, or the onset of the new moon,” said Kendra Wecker, Division of Wildlife chief. “Deer hunting on a particular date or weekend year after year is a fun way to create memories and traditions that can be passed down for generations.”

So far during the 2021 deer archery hunting season, the top 10 most popular and successful harvest dates in Ohio are Saturday, Nov. 6 (4,795 deer checked); Sunday, Nov. 7 (3,380); Friday, Nov. 5 (3,056); Saturday, Nov. 13 (2,938); Thursday, Nov. 4 (2,722); Saturday, Sept. 25 (2,552); Wednesday, Nov. 3 (2,469); Tuesday, Nov. 2 (2,306); Monday, Nov. 1 (2,163); and Monday, Nov. 8 (2,142).

Ohio’s top 10 counties for deer harvested during the first eight weekends of the 2021-22 deer season include: Coshocton (2,534), Tuscarawas (1,953), Licking (1,884), Muskingum (1,788), Knox (1,763), Holmes (1,707), Ashtabula (1,689), Guernsey (1,608), Trumbull (1,607), and Richland (1,341).

Bowhunting for white-tailed deer has become increasingly popular in Ohio, especially during October and November. These months mark the peak of the rut, or breeding season, for deer. They are moving through the landscape more readily this time of year as bucks pursue does, making it an exciting time to be out in the field.

Ohio offers many more opportunities for hunters to pursue deer. Young hunters have a chance to harvest a deer during the youth gun weekend, Nov. 20-21. The deer gun season is Monday, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 5, and again on Dec. 18-19. Deer muzzleloader season is Saturday, Jan. 8, through Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. Bowhunting is open until Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022. Find complete details in the 2021-22 Ohio hunting regulations.

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