COLUMBUS – Ohio deer hunting regulations for the 2001 season will be similar to last year’s, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
The Ohio Wildlife Council has approved deer regulations for this year, and established fall hunting and trapping seasons. The most notable change approved by the wildlife council involves the reduction in standard antler length used for determining an antlered deer. This year, the length will be reduced from 5 to 3 inches.
The change was made due to increased numbers of 11/2-year-old bucks with antlers less than 5 inches. With this change, the wildlife division will be able to more precisely register antlered bucks, making population models even more accurate. Ohio will continue to be separated into three deer hunting zones.
* Zone A: Hunters can take one deer, which could be a deer of either sex, during the first two days of the gun season or a buck only during the last five days.
* Zone B: Hunters can take a deer of either sex during the seven days, with a bag limit of one deer.
* Zone C: Hunters can take a deer of either sex during the seven days, with a two-deer limit, only one of which could be a buck.
Regardless of zone or season, a hunter may take only one antlered deer. Seventy-four of the 88 counties will remain in the same zone as last year, 10 counties move from Zone B to Zone C, three counties move from Zone A to Zone B, and one county moves from Zone B to Zone A.
The deer archery season will run from Oct. 6, 2001 through Jan. 31, 2002 and the statewide gun season from Nov. 26 through Dec. 2, 2001. Deer permits will continue to cost $20 and can be used to tag either an antlered or antlerless deer during any season or at a special controlled hunt anywhere in the state. Urban permits remain $10 and can be used to tag only antlerless deer taken in designated urban units or at special controlled hunts. Hunters must purchase a regular deer permit before they can purchase and use an urban permit.
All urban unit boundaries and bag limits of four additional antlerless deer remain unchanged. Legal hunting hours remain from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset during the archery season, and from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset during the deer gun and primitive deer hunting seasons.
Primitive weapon.
The statewide primitive weapon season will open Dec. 27 and run through Dec. 30 for deer or either sex. A special area primitive hunt will be open Oct. 22 through Oct. 27 at Salt Fork, Shawnee and Wildcat Hollow state wildlife areas for antlered deer only.
Hunting coyotes between sunset and one-half hour before sunrise is prohibited during the deer gun season and the statewide primitive season. All daylight hunting except for deer, coyote, wild boar and waterfowl is prohibited during deer gun season and on special areas (Salt Fork, Shawnee and Wildcat Hollow) during the early primitive hunts.
Hunting zones.
New Deer Hunting Zones are as follows:
* Zone A: Henry, Wood, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Hancock, Van Wert, Mercer, Auglaize, Darke, and Shelby.
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