COLUMBUS, Ohio ­­­­­– Ohio’s 2020 white-tailed deer archery hunting season has proven to be bountiful for many Buckeye State hunters, with 74,892 deer taken through Tuesday, Nov. 25, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This represents an 11% increase from the average harvest total from the same date during the past three seasons, which is 67,318.

The top 10 counties for deer taken by archery hunters so far during Ohio’s 2020 archery hunting season include: Coshocton (2,689), Licking (2,232), Tuscarawas (2,146), Ashtabula (2,021), Knox (1,910), Holmes (1,856), Muskingum (1,806), Trumbull (1,748), Guernsey (1,599), and Richland (1,505).

“Ohio’s archery season for white-tailed deer is enjoyed by thousands of hunters,” said Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “We hope you have the chance to get out this fall. The hunting season provides the chance to make cherished memories with family and friends.”

Deer tend to be highly active during October and November because of the breeding season, making these months popular for many Ohio bowhunters. The top five days for bowhunter success so far in 2020 were Saturday, Oct. 31 (4,374 deer checked); Saturday, Nov. 14 (3,995); Saturday, Nov. 7 (3,475); Saturday, Sept. 26 (2,687); and Friday, Nov. 13 (2,552). Participation remains high for all hunters, with 299,573 permits sold or issued through Wednesday, Nov. 24. Ohio’s deer-archery season began in September and is open until Feb. 7, 2021.

Ohio is a popular hunting destination for many out-of-state hunters. The top five states for purchasing a nonresident hunting license in Ohio include: Pennsylvania (6,954 permits sold), Michigan (4,515), West Virginia (3,321), North Carolina (2,955), and New York (2,335).

Young hunters harvested 5,795 deer during the youth gun season, Nov. 21-22. Ohio offers many more opportunities for hunters of all ages to pursue deer. The deer-gun season is Monday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 6, as well as Dec. 19-20. Deer-muzzleloader season is Saturday, Jan. 2, through Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021. Find complete details in the2020-2021 Ohio Hunting Regulations or wildohio.gov. More information on previous seasons can be found in the Deer Harvest Summary.

Anyone interested in learning to hunt or becoming a mentor to a new hunter can visit the Wild Ohio Harvest Community Page for information on how to get started, hunting-related workshops and special hunting opportunities for mentors and new hunters.

For more information about hunting in Ohio download the HuntFish OH mobile app or visit wildohio.gov. Follow the Your Wild Ohio Hunter Facebook page for hunting tip and useful information as you get outside this season.

The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website atohiodnr.gov.

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Editor’s Note: A county list of all white-tailed deer checked by archery hunters through Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2020. The number following in parentheses is the three-year average harvest by archery hunters in 2017, 2018, and 2019 during the same time period. A three-year average provides a better overall comparison to this year’s harvest numbers, eliminating year-to-year variation because of weather, misaligned season dates, crop harvest, and other unavoidable factors. Harvest numbers below are raw data and subject to change.

Adams: 1,227 (1,230); Allen: 387 (420); Ashland: 1,257 (1,108); Ashtabula: 2,021 (1,735); Athens: 1,121 (1,212); Auglaize: 381 (351); Belmont: 873 (822); Brown: 988 (895); Butler: 732 (688); Carroll: 1,284 (1,115); Champaign: 561 (511); Clark: 360 (353); Clermont: 1,165 (1,104); Clinton: 250 (308); Columbiana: 1,229 (1,024); Coshocton: 2,689 (2,410); Crawford: 464 (373); Cuyahoga: 663 (600); Darke: 332 (293); Defiance: 686 (502); Delaware: 832 (736); Erie: 415 (377); Fairfield: 818 (714); Fayette: 126 (120); Franklin: 456 (389); Fulton: 350 (270); Gallia: 798 (741); Geauga: 981 (814); Greene: 435 (365); Guernsey: 1,599 (1,462); Hamilton: 834 (946); Hancock: 582 (454); Hardin: 493 (436); Harrison: 1,248 (1,126); Henry: 300 (232); Highland: 1,006 (934); Hocking: 928 (1,090); Holmes: 1,856 (1,593); Huron: 834 (716); Jackson: 1,012 (1,066); Jefferson: 735 (605); Knox: 1,910 (1,611); Lake: 542 (438); Lawrence: 676 (586); Licking: 2,232 (1,922); Logan: 837 (813); Lorain: 1,132 (925); Lucas: 467 (425); Madison: 250 (210); Mahoning: 873 (820); Marion: 360 (279); Medina: 1,137 (875); Meigs: 1,105 (986); Mercer: 337 (285); Miami: 394 (389); Monroe: 704 (652); Montgomery: 466 (393); Morgan: 990 (974); Morrow: 697 (568); Muskingum: 1,806 (1,638); Noble: 1,098 (959); Ottawa: 259 (210); Paulding: 474 (332); Perry: 897 (815); Pickaway: 224 (272); Pike: 667 (746); Portage: 1,124 (989); Preble: 487 (434); Putnam: 351 (317); Richland: 1,505 (1,300); Ross: 1,116 (1,091); Sandusky: 500 (401); Scioto: 834 (828); Seneca: 722 (634); Shelby: 418 (376); Stark: 1,359 (1,176); Summit: 946 (837); Trumbull: 1,748 (1,469); Tuscarawas: 2,146 (1,852); Union: 466 (408); Van Wert: 225 (180); Vinton: 755 (910); Warren: 573 (553); Washington: 959 (900); Wayne: 1,107 (876); Williams: 753 (588); Wood: 438 (395); Wyandot: 518 (441).

2020 Total: 74,892
Three-Year Average Total: (67,318)

For more information, contact:
Brian Plasters, Division of Wildlife
(614) 601-3836