Ohio is ranked as one of country's best states for whitetail hunting, as shown in this Buckeye State buck downed by the author. (Photo by Honeycutt Creative)
October 16, 2024
By Josh Honeycutt
This whitetail hunting forecast for the state of Ohio is part of Game & Fish’s “Great States" project identifying the best deer-hunting states in the country. Read more: America's Top Whitetail States Ohio is Big on Trophies, Hunter Satisfaction Those who’ve hunted Ohio know what it has to offer. It’s a top-three whitetail state in the Midwest—and top five in the nation, according to Game & Fish’s "America’s Top Whitetail States” rankings. It’s a one-buck state, but offers an excellent chance at a mature deer.
The Ohio deer herd is about 700,000-800,000 strong, and is no stranger to hunting pressure. Ohio has approximately 400,000-450,000 deer hunters, according to the Ohio DNR.
DID YOU KNOW?
TROPHY DEER Ohio hunters have harvested 464 Boone and Crockett bucks over the last 10 seasons.
Ohio’s deer numbers are impressive. In the G&F rankings, Ohio is second in the U.S. in trophy potential, and in the top 10 in hunting days and five-year average harvest. More than 200,000 whitetails are harvested each year.
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Ohio hunters have harvested 464 Boone and Crockett bucks over the last 10 seasons.
Ohio’s quality whitetail hunting is no secret, as non-residents have been coming here for decades.
According to a report from the Ohio DNR , hunters checked in nearly 214,000 deer during the 2023-24 deer season.
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Given that hunters can’t pursue deer during the rut with firearms, that means compound bows and crossbows are king here. Ohio's archery season runs Sept. 28, 2024 to Feb. 2, 2025.
White-tailed deer. (Photo by Honeycutt Creative) A record 100,951 deer were taken during the 2023-24 archery season. More than two-thirds of all deer harvested last year were killed in October and November.
Other deer-hunting opportunities include: two-day youth gun season, Nov. 16-17; statewide seven-day gun season Dec. 2-8; two-day gun season, Dec. 21-22; late-season muzzleloader hunting, Jan. 4-7, 2025.
THAT'S A FACT
HARVEST NUMBERS Ohio’s five-year average whitetail harvest is just over 200,000 deer per season.
One big change for this season, according to Ohio DNR Deer Biologist Mike Tonkovich, is that hunters can now use the $15 Deer Management Permit through the two-day December gun season. In the past, these expired after the seven-day gun season. This permit is for antlerless deer only, but costs much less than an either-sex tag. It’s good for resident and non-resident deer hunters. (Note: This is not allowed for public land hunting.)
The DNR says Ohio’s whitetail population is growing, as is hunter satisfcation. The 2023 hunter survey said 75 percent of hunters were satisfied with their hunting experience.
EHD impact in Ohio. (Map courtesy of Ohio DNR) On the negative side, epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) has taken a toll. The state was slammed in 2022, and this year, it’s back, with hotspots in central, northwestern and northeastern counties. In some areas, death counts are getting quite high.
Unless impacted by EHD at the local level, expect a good 2024 deer season. With a heavy mast crop this year, don’t ignore red and white oak trees.
Get more info: Buy your hunting licenses, deer permits, etc. here . Check out the 2024 deer season dates here .
