Staff Report

COLUMBUS - Ohio deer hunters may have the opportunity to hunt with a gun two additional days this fall, and archery season could run three more days to include an extra weekend day under regulations recently proposed to the Ohio Wildlife Council, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

“Ohio's deer-gun hunting week is very popular but traditionally only encompasses two weekend days,” said Dave Risley, wildlife management and research administrator for the Division of Wildlife. “This proposal would provide more opportunity for hunters to get out and hunt for another weekend.”

The additional weekend would fall on Saturday, Dec. 16 and Sunday, Dec.17. Regular deer-gun season would begin on Monday, Nov. 27 and run through Sunday, Dec. 3. Archery season would run from Saturday, Oct. 7 through Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007. Statewide muzzleloader season would open on Wednesday, Dec. 27, and run through Saturday, Dec. 30.

Special area muzzleloader hunts would be open Monday, Oct. 23 through Saturday, Oct. 28 at Salt Fork, Shawnee and Wildcat Hollow. Muzzleloader hunts at these areas are by special permit only, with a random drawing held prior to the season for a limited number of antlered and unlimited number of antlerless permits.

The proposal keeps the same deer zones as last year. A three-deer limit (Zone C) would cover 38 central, south, southeastern and southwestern counties. The 30 counties of Zone B would have a two-deer limit, and the 20 northwestern counties of Zone A would have a one-deer limit. A hunter may take only one buck in Ohio, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.

The youth deer-gun season is proposed for Saturday, Nov. 18 and Sunday, Nov. 19. Young hunters would be permitted to bag only one deer of either sex in any county of Ohio. Any deer taken would be part of the young hunter's total season limit.

During the 2005-2006 season, which concluded Jan. 31, hunters bagged a preliminary record of more than 207,000 deer. Approximately 475,000 people hunt white-tailed deer in Ohio.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has never been found in Ohio's deer herd. Still, to minimize the risk of CWD appearing in Ohio, reasonable measures are proposed for the disposal of hunter-killed deer, elk and moose carcasses from CWD-affected areas before they are brought back to Ohio. The proposed regulations would require the meat from an animal from a CWD-infected area to be de-boned and wrapped with no part of the spinal column or head attached. Hunters could bring back antlers or antlers attached to skullcaps as long as all soft tissue was removed. Also acceptable would be hides and capes without the head or lymph nodes attached and finished taxidermy mounts from known CWD-infected areas. Open houses are scheduled for noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 5 in each of the state's five wildlife districts. These forums will provide the public with an opportunity to view and discuss proposed hunting and trapping regulations with state wildlife officials. Directions to the meetings can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

A statewide hearing on the proposed rules is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thursday, March 9, at the District 1 wildlife office, located at 1500 Dublin Road in Columbus. After considering public input, the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules and season dates during its April 5 meeting.

For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com.