DEER LIMIT CHANGE

[TinyTucky]

Ohio reduces deer hunting limits in several counties for 2025-26 season

The Ohio Wildlife Council approved new white-tailed deer hunting limits in Athens, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.

www.cleveland19.com

 

[reffitt20]

must be pretty bad if they actually did something in season. That must be where all my booners went

 

[tak]

Just a question, if you already shot a doe in Athens county does that mean no hunting during gun season?

 

[bowhunter1023]

Just a question, if you already shot a doe in Athens county does that mean no hunting during gun season?

It means you can hunt gun season in another county, but not Athens.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I wish this was in effect Day 1, but am pleased to see it got done. Kudos to all involved in getting this responsive measure through.

 

[reffitt20]

percent of die off estimates?

 

[bowhunter1023]

percent of die off estimates?

60-70% conservatively across the landscape. Before the season even started, just the reported cases of EHD in Athens, Meigs, and Washington was equal to 60+% of our average annual harvest. This was truly a dieoff of "biblical proportions" as a wise man predicted early in the process.

 

[bowhunter1023]

First number is 2025, number is parentheses is last 3 years average. This is through 11/2.

Athens 142 (591) 76%
Meigs 203 (622) 67.4%
Morgan 170 (567) 70.1%
Washington 91 (625) 85.5%

 

[reffitt20]

Being down here for the weekend what i noticed other than the terrible weather is how many acorns are on the ground around every oak i have passed. It was a great year for white oaks by me or there’s just no deer to eat them. i may have to change plans for youth gun and regular gun.

 

[giles]

No deer eating them. Another bumper crop for raccoons.

 

[switchhitter]

Those numbers are really depressing
I have been watching and the larger percentage of deer checked in are bucks for those counties, makes me think hunters were already not shooting doe’s before the limits changed

 

[giles]

Those numbers are really depressing
I have been watching and the larger percentage of deer checked in are bucks for those counties, makes me think hunters were already not shooting doe’s before the limits changed

Yes. Another flaw for ohio setting herd size judged on buck havest.

 

[Sgt Fury]

First number is 2025, number is parentheses is last 3 years average. This is through 11/2.

Athens 142 (591) 76%
Meigs 203 (622) 67.4%
Morgan 170 (567) 70.1%
Washington 91 (625) 85.5%

Do you have the numbers for Hocking and Vinton counties?

 

[bowhunter1023]

Do you have the numbers for Hocking and Vinton counties?

Hocking 683 (763) 10.5%
Vinton 565 (634) 10.9%

That's as of the latest #s released on Wednesday last week.

 

[Johnny44]

I am wanting to make sure I understand the parameters here. If you have already shot a deer, you are done come gun season? Am I understanding that right?

 

["J"]

I am wanting to make sure I understand the parameters here. If you have already shot a deer, you are done come gun season? Am I understanding that right?

In that county you are done for the remainder of the season.

 

[giles]

I would email to get an answer. I am not reading it that way. Right now the limit is what it is, so that would not change mid season. If you already killed one, that counts toward the bag limit now. You would still have one tag starting December 1st. Otherwise, what happens with the guy that already killed 2 or more?

 

[at1010]

I wish this was in effect Day 1, but am pleased to see it got done. Kudos to all involved in getting this responsive measure through.

Great job by you going to the meeting, presenting, etc. You represented many sportsmen, and that is so critical. Great job, buddy.