Final deer numbers are in for Ohio

[Curran]

Didn't we have a thread back in August or September with our final number predictions?



From The Outdoor Wire

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/story/1422933529hqxk1v44pah

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Ohio Hunters Check More Than 175,000 Deer in 2014-15

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio's white-tailed deer archery season closed Sunday, Feb. 1, marking the end of Ohio's 2014-2015 deer hunting season. Across the state, hunters checked a total of 175,745 deer during all 2014-2015 hunting seasons.

In the last few years, through increased deer harvests, dramatic strides have been made in many counties to approach acceptable populations. The effectiveness of these management efforts are reflected in the decreased number of deer checked this season. During the 2013-2014 hunting season, Ohio hunters checked 191,455 deer. Bag limits were reduced in 46 counties prior to the 2014-2015 deer hunting season, and antlerless permits were eliminated in 29 counties.

Deer population goals will be revised this summer through a random survey of hunters and farmers. Participants in the survey will have the opportunity to provide input about the future of deer management in Ohio.

The Ohio counties that reported the most checked deer for all implements during the 2014-2015 season: Coshocton (5,727), Licking (5,281), Tuscarawas (4,883), Muskingum (4,748), Ashtabula (4,418), Knox (4,191), Guernsey (4,181), Holmes (3,625), Harrison (3,448) and Carroll (3,406). Coshocton County also reported the most deer harvested in 2013-2014 (6,270).

Ohio ranks fifth nationally in resident hunters and 11th in the number of jobs associated with hunting-related industries. Hunting has a more than $853 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation publication.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio's deer populations through a combination of regulatory and programmatic changes. The goal of Ohio's Deer Management Program is to provide a deer population that maximizes recreational opportunities, while minimizing conflicts with landowners and motorists. This ensures that Ohio's deer herd is maintained at a level that is both acceptable to most, and biologically sound.

Find more information about deer hunting in the Ohio 2014-2015 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.gov. A detailed deer harvest report was posted online each Wednesday during the season, and a final report was posted on Monday, Feb. 2.

Hunters continue to utilize various methods to report deer kills. Since the deer season began on Sept. 27, 2014, 46 percent of hunters phoned in their report, 29 percent reported online, 15 percent used the mobile-friendly website and 9 percent traveled to a license agent's location.

Ohio's first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, and hunters checked 168 deer. Deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties in 1956, and hunters harvested 3,911 deer during the one-week season.

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.



Editor's Note: A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during Ohio's 2014-2015 hunting season is shown below. The first number following the county's name shows the harvest numbers for 2014-2015, and the 2013-2014 numbers are in parentheses.

Adams: 3,278 (3,847) ; Allen: 1,027 (1,057) ; Ashland: 2,903 (2,931) ; Ashtabula: 4,418 (4,981) ; Athens: 3,317 (4,053) ; Auglaize: 786 (788) ; Belmont: 3,128 (3,953) ; Brown: 2,596 (2,526) ; Butler: 1,391 (1,503) ; Carroll: 3,406 (4,203) ; Champaign: 1,317 (1,243) ; Clark: 755 (779) ; Clermont: 2,689 (2,830) ; Clinton: 915 (883) ; Columbiana: 2,996 (3,669) ; Coshocton: 5,727 (6,270) ; Crawford: 1,081 (1,033) ; Cuyahoga: 725 (681) ; Darke: 730 (589) ; Defiance: 1,724 (1,576) ; Delaware: 1,586 (1,516) ; Erie: 951 (760) ; Fairfield: 1,931 (2,245) ; Fayette: 380 (292) ; Franklin: 790 (719) ; Fulton: 736 (859) ; Gallia: 2,564 (2,899) ; Geauga: 1,859 (1,849) ; Greene: 849 (956) ; Guernsey: 4,181 (5,307) ; Hamilton: 1,743 (2,069) ; Hancock: 1,116 (908) ; Hardin: 1,149 (1,207) ; Harrison: 3,448 (4,533) ; Henry: 697 (642) ; Highland: 2,662 (2,714) ; Hocking: 2,856 (3,513) ; Holmes: 3,625 (3,958) ; Huron: 2,064 (2,139) ; Jackson: 2,560 (2,769) ; Jefferson: 2,565 (3,286) ; Knox: 4,191 (4,529) ; Lake: 897 (793) ; Lawrence: 1,791 (2,238) ; Licking: 5,281 (5,711) ; Logan: 1,885 (1,917) ; Lorain: 2,401 (2,342) ; Lucas: 655 (736) ; Madison: 493 (451) ; Mahoning: 1,991 (2,207) ; Marion: 819 (833) ; Medina: 2,013 (1,937) ; Meigs: 3,125 (3,336) ; Mercer: 583 (625) ; Miami: 835 (881) ; Monroe: 2,162 (2,623) ; Montgomery: 780 (687) ; Morgan: 2,822 (3,080) ; Morrow: 1,537 (1,549) ; Muskingum: 4,748 (5,547) ; Noble: 2,419 (3,091) ; Ottawa: 488 (402) ; Paulding: 1,072 (1,047) ; Perry: 2,495 (2,731) ; Pickaway: 806 (804) ; Pike: 1,880 (2,096) ; Portage: 1,968 (2,005) ; Preble: 1,020 (1,070) ; Putnam: 759 (687) ; Richland: 3,141 (3,242) ; Ross: 2,921 (3,087) ; Sandusky: 935 (773) ; Scioto: 2,148 (2,705) ; Seneca: 1,677 (1,641) ; Shelby: 1,118 (1,103) ; Stark: 2,625 (2,578) ; Summit: 1,436 (1,428) ; Trumbull: 3,185 (3,592) ; Tuscarawas: 4,883 (5,774) ; Union: 904 (826) ; Van Wert: 576 (491) ; Vinton: 2,503 (3,133) ; Warren: 1,244 (1,344) ; Washington: 2,954 (3,298) ; Wayne: 1,923 (1,908) ; Williams: 1,790 (1,903) ; Wood: 1,077 (729) and Wyandot: 1,568 (1,410). Total: 175,745 (191,455).

For more information, contact: John Windau, ODNR Division of Wildlife 419-429-8359 Matt Eiselstein, ODNR Office of Communications 614-265-6860

 

[Gern186]

What is everyones prediction for deer kill next season?

 

[finelyshedded]

If not for the higher harvest numbers in the counties that aren't normally in the discussion when talking high deer numbers our numbers would have been much worse!

I predict it will be about the same if not a little lower.

 

[Redhunter1012]

What is everyones prediction for deer kill next season?

Well, that'll depend on the acorn crop, the amount of wet days during gun season, price of gas, global warming, and a ton of other factors that the "experts" will factor in. Honestly, I'd say 168,000. I think there are gonna be less people in the woods

 

[Rutin]

Good ole Fayette County was banging them out this year!!! 380 compared to 292 last year, def glad I moved down here LOL!
As far as next year.....164,000 tops!

 

[Buckmaster]

2015= 158,170 (10% decrease)

 

[Beentown]

153k

 

[bowhunter1023]

Well, that'll depend on the acorn crop, the amount of wet days during gun season, price of gas, global warming, and a ton of other factors that the "experts" will factor in. Honestly, I'd say 168,000. I think there are gonna be less people in the woods

And dead squirrels on the roads, bad moon phase during the rut, and the price of tea in China.

I agree there will be less people in the woods and there will be more people willing holding off on killing deer. I say we drop below 160K.

 

[Hortontoter]

I think we will have a slight decrease next season (170,000). I think we will have less hunters in the woods as the years go by. And as the hunters age they will not see the need to shoot as many deer to stroke their ego. Also I believe as the older hunters pass away or are limited in the ability to hunt they will not be replaced by new younger hunters. Most kids today would rather play games or text on the smart phones.

 

[brock ratcliff]

Good ole Fayette County was banging them out this year!!! 380 compared to 292 last year, def glad I moved down here LOL!
As far as next year.....164,000 tops!

Fayette is on the rebound, thakfully!

 

[jagermeister]

Hard to make a guess until we know how the bag limits will be changed, if at all.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Hard to make a guess until we know how the bag limits will be changed, if at all.

If anything, they will do more to increase kill opportunities so they can say "look, the kills are the same again, it's working". Next up, early rifle season the last week prior to the opening of bow season.

 

[RedCloud]

That's about 4300 lower than I thought. We had a thread awhile back and when I said it would be around 180k people thought I was crazy lol. Guess I wasn't crazy enough.

 

[themedic]

I don't think we will see any dramatic change in bag limits next year, can't see gun season weather being any worse than it was this year…..so I'll go out on a limb and say harvest numbers will be a little higher but not by much. Maybe 5k higher in 2015

 

[MK111]

I see it being lower. Some hunters will stop because it isn't easy anymore. Some older hunters are just getting older or aren't with us anymore. And the younger aged kids don't have time (or think they don't have time) to set in the empty woods waiting for a deer to walk by.
To me I'll be out there as I've lived through no deer at all until what we have today. I enjoy the quite time and I don't need to be entertained to set in a empty woods. Much better than being not of this world.

 

[Boarhead]

Depends on bag limits.
162,375 my guess if they stay the same

 

[JD Boyd]

I'll say around 210,000

 

[Bigslam51]

I'll say around 210,000

Have you been partying with Manziel?

 

[finelyshedded]

Have you been partying with Manziel?

LMAO

Chad, JD likes to use his crayons and color outside the lines!

 

[Jackalope]

The only reason bag limits will be lowered is to maintain the low population. The DNR will not lower a bag limit if they think it will result in a population growth. Don't be fooled by lower limits thinking it's a good thing. The lower the population the lower the tags need to be to keep it low. You could have 10 deer in the whole county, issue only 2-3 tags for the whole county and that would keep the population low.