The Ohio Wildlife Council approved 2025-26 hunting and trapping seasons for white-tailed deer, migratory birds, small game, and furbearers during its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
A total of 23 deer taken by hunters in Allen, Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties tested positive for CWD. Those counties were designated as disease surveillance areas by the Division of Wildlife.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife confirmed that 24 white-tailed deer taken during the 2024-25 hunting season tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
The 2025-26 Ohio hunting and trapping season dates that begin in the fall of this year were proposed to the Ohio Wildlife Council on Wednesday, Feb. 19, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Both white-tailed deer and waterfowl seasons were included in these proposals.
The final total, the fourth highest number of deer taken on record, represents all deer bagged during archery, gun, muzzleloader, and youth seasons since Sept. 14, 2024.
January 8, 2025, press release from the the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunters checked 13,476 white-tailed deer from Saturday, Jan. 4 to Tuesday, Jan. 7 during Ohio’s muzzleloader hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This total accounts for all deer taken with muzzleloaders or archery equipment during the annual four-day season. Last year, hunters checked 12,714 deer during the muzzleloader season. Over the last three years, hunters bagged an average of 13,081 deer in the same timeframe.
December 23, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunters across Ohio checked 17,373 white-tailed deer on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21-22, during the state’s additional weekend of deer gun hunting, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Last year, hunters tagged 15,470 deer during the gun weekend, with a three-year average of 13,417.
September 12, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunters in Ohio have additional dates this season to pursue white-tailed deer in Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance areas, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. For the 2024-25 season, the disease surveillance area includes all of Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties as well as Auglaize and Jackson townships in Allen County. The Division of Wildlife established earlier hunting seasons within the disease surveillance area to slow the spread of CWD by reducing deer numbers before the breeding season. Archery hunting season begins Saturday, Sept. 14. An early gun hunting season is open from Saturday, Oct. 12 to Monday, Oct. 14.
August 27, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s hunting seasons for squirrels, doves, and specific waterfowl open in early September, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Archers can look forward to white-tailed deer hunting beginning later in the month. Hunting seasons for squirrel (fox, red, and gray), dove, rail (Virginia and sora), snipe, and gallinule begin Sunday, Sept. 1. Early Canada goose hunting runs from Saturday, Sept. 7 to Sunday, Sept. 15, and early teal (blue-winged and green-winged) hunting is Saturday, Sept. 7 to Sunday, Sept. 22. The deer archery season is not far behind, with statewide hunting opening on Saturday, Sept. 28.
June 24, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio State University Extension Allen County: Allen County – Are you a hunter, landowner, or wildlife enthusiast? If so, please join the Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife for an evening workshop about chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Ohio’s wild deer herd.