REVISIONS TO OHIO DEER & TURKEY HUNTING REGULATIONS
Process for changing Ohio Deer & Turkey Hunting Rules
Rules that control deer and turkey hunting in Ohio are determined by the Ohio Wildlife Council. They face a delicate task of balancing hunter desires with the management of wildlife. Annual changes to the Ohio hunting regulations are based on state wildlife management assessments and the interest of the public. The public is afforded an opportunity each year to comment on proposed rule changes before the new year’s hunting regulations are published.
In early January, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife presents its proposed regulations for the next year to the Ohio Wildlife Council which may get revised slightly after reviewing data at the end of the deer season. The ODNR Division of Wildlife releases the change proposals to the public by publishing them on their website. Around the first week of March, an open house meeting is held in each of the state’s five wildlife districts to allow the public a chance to comment on the proposed hunting regulations. If you want to show support for or against these changes, you may want to mark your calendar and attend this meeting which is open to the public. About three weeks later, a state wide hearing is held at the wildlife district One Office in Columbus. The Ohio Wildlife Council considers the public’s input and determines the new rules.
Approved Changes to Regulations for 2012-2013
On Wednesday, 4 April 2012, the Ohio Wildlife Council approved changes to the Ohio hunting regulations for the 2012-2013 hunting seasons. The ODNR Division of Wildlife released the approved changes to the public by listing them in an article on their website at http://ohiodnr.com. Before making plans for next year’s hunting trips, you may want to read these new hunting rules. Some of them could impact your hunting plans. The new official hunting regulations, when published, will be available online from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources at http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/Default.aspx. Below are the major changes that deal with Ohio deer & turkey hunting for the 2012-2013 hunting seasons.
Changes have been made to deer hunting zones impacting bag limits and the use of antlerless permits. Deer antlerless permits will no longer be valid during the gun season. Deer hunters "hunting in urban units and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts may use the antlerless deer permits during all deer hunting seasons. Urban units and controlled hunts will again have a six-deer bag limit, and those deer will not count against the hunter's zone bag limit." Seven Ohio counties have been moved from deer Zone A to Zone B i.e., Auglaize, Darke, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby. Madison County was moved from Zone B to Zone A. The deadline for checking in deer has changed. Hunters will have until noon the day following the kill to complete the automated game check process. The exception being the last day of any season when the automated game check must be completed by 11:30 p.m. Hunters will again be able to purchase antlerless deer permits for $15 and either-sex permits for $24. The one antlered deer per year limit and a requirement for a permit for each deer killed will still apply. Archery season will be 29 Sept - 3 Feb 2013. The early special area muzzleloader season is 15-20 Oct 2012. Gun seasons are 26 Nov - 2 Dec 2012 and 15-16 Dec 2012. The statewide muzzleloader season will be 5-8 January 2013.
There don’t seem to be any major rule changes impacting turkey hunting. The turkey season and rules were approved as proposed. The fall turkey season is to start on 13 October and end on 25 November 2012 with a bag limit of one. The youth spring turkey hunt is April 20-21 followed by the regular spring turkey season running April 22 through May 19, 2013 with a bag limit of two. The ODNR Division of Wildlife released the proposed turkey hunting changes to the public on 5 January in an article on their website at http://ohiodnr.com.
Be sure to obtain a copy of the official Ohio hunting regulations prior to your hunting trip to ensure no additional changes have occurred. If you want to learn more about hunting deer and turkey in southeastern Ohio visit http://hunt-ohio-deer-and-turkey-on-public-land.com.
