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Ohio’s Hunting Seasons Dates Proposed: What’s Changing in 2024-2025?
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has proposed the dates for the 2024-2025 Ohio hunting and trapping season. The season includes dates for white-tailed deer, waterfowl, and other migratory game birds, furbearer, small game, and additional species. On Wednesday, Feb. 7th 2024, the proposal was made to the Ohio Wildlife Council. Included in the proposal to The Division of Wildlife, the ODNR requested to remove the trumpeter swan from the state’s threatened species list.
A complete list of proposed rule changes and proposed hunting and trapping seasons dates for 2024-25 are available at wildohio.gov. Everyone who would like to comment on Division of Wildlife proposals can do so online at wildohio.gov from Feb. 10 – March 13. On Wednesday, April 10th, a statewide hearing on all proposed rules will be held.
2024-2025 Deer Hunting Proposals
The proposed deer hunting seasons are similar to last year. As in years past, only one antlered deer may be harvested, regardless of where or how it is taken. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The proposed statewide deer hunting dates for 2024-25 include:
- Deer archery: Sept. 28, 2024 – Feb. 2, 2025
- Youth deer gun: Nov. 16 – 17, 2024
- Deer gun: Dec. 2 – Dec. 8, 2024; Dec. 21 – 22, 2024
- Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 4 – 7, 2025
The council also heard a proposal to allow deer management permits to be valid until the last day of the bonus deer gun hunting weekend, December 22, 2024. Currently, deer management permits are only valid until the day before the statewide seven day gun season.
Bag limit increases from two to three deer are proposed in six counties. These counties are Butler, Clinton, Fayette, Greene, Madison, and Pickaway. Bag limit increases are designed to slow herd growth. As well as increase the hunting opportunities. A proposed bag limit map is available at wildohio.gov.
Chronic Wasting Disease Proposed Changes for 2024-2025
These proposals also included expanding the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance area of Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties to include Auglaize and Jackson townships in Allen County. A CWD – positive deer was discovered in Allen County in 2023.
Additionally, the Division of Wildlife proposed reducing the number of mandatory CWD testing days for deer taken within disease surveillance areas from 14 to four. If approved, hunters within the disease surveillance area would be required to submit samples for testing during the first two days of the early disease surveillance area gun season (Oct. 12-13) and the first two days of the weeklong deer gun season (Dec. 2-3).
The Division of Wildlife will continue to offer voluntary testing drop-off locations and monitor for CWD within and around the disease surveillance area.
Hunters in the expanded disease surveillance area will have additional opportunities to harvest deer, if approved:
- Early deer archery: Sept. 14, 2024-Feb. 2, 2025
- Early deer gun: Oct. 12-14, 2024
Turkey Grouse and Trapping Hunting 2024-2025 Proposal
Furthermore, the Ohio Wildlife Council heard proposals on fall wild turkey hunting dates, ruffed grouse hunting dates, and a revision to river otter trapping zones.
The fall wild turkey hunting proposal would establish the season, open in 70 counties, as Oct. 1, 2024 to Oct. 27, 2024. The proposed season limit is one bird.
The Division of Wildlife proposed a reduced ruffed grouse hunting season from Nov. 1 to Dec. 1, 2024, in 17 southern and eastern counties: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Gallia, Guernsey, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton, and Washington. The proposed daily limit is one bird.
Another proposal would reclassify the state’s river otter trapping zones. Ohio currently has river otter bag limits split between A, B, and C zones, although no counties are assigned to Zone A. The proposal would rename Zone C, comprised of 22 counties and having a season bag limit of three, to Zone A. Zone B, which includes the rest of the state, would have a season bag limit of one. The total season bag limit would remain three.
2024-2025 Bird Hunting Dates Proposed
Season dates have been proposed for Woodcock, October 12 through November 25, 2024. Mourning Dove opening on September 1 through November 3, 2024 and again December 7, 2024 through January 1, 2025.
Dates that have been proposed for Ducks and Geese: Lake Erie marsh zone are October 12 through October 27, 2024 and November 2 through December 15, 2024. Geese only December 29, 2024 through February 2, 2025. North Zone from October 19 through October 27, 2024 and November 9 through December 29, 2024. Geese for the north zone is close to the same but extended for the second season November 9, 2024 through February 3, 2025. The South Zone is looking at October 19 through October 27, 2024 and from December 7 2024 through January 26 2025. Geese for the South Zone is extended for the second season also, November 16, 2024 through February 10, 2025.
Youth and military waterfowl season dates proposed are October 5 and 6, 2024.
The special early season for Canada geese September 7 through September 15, 2024. Also teal September 7 through September 22, 2024. This is statewide.
Drones and Hunting
There has been a lot of YouTube videos and talk everywhere about the use of drones for recovering deer. It is proposed to clarify the rules that aerial drones may be used in the aid of recovering a wounded or dead deer. So long as no one involved in the recovery with the drone is employing any hunting instruments (gun/bow). In addition that hunting can only resume once the use of the drone has stopped and the drone is inactive.
Trumpeter Swan Delisting
In addition to the hunting season changes, The Division of Wildlife submitted a proposal to remove the trumpeter swan from the state’s list of threatened species. After years of management and monitoring, trumpeter swan populations have exceeded the division’s goals for the species’ recovery.
About the Wildlife Council
The Ohio Wildlife Council is an eight-member board that approves all Division of Wildlife proposed rules and regulations. Members are appointed by the Governor. And, can only serve for four years. Meet your council members.
Council meetings are open to the public. Anyone who wishes to provide comments should call 614-265-6304 at least two days prior to the meeting to register. All comments must be three minutes or less.
Conclusion
These are some of the proposals made for the 2024-2025 Ohio hunting season. All the dates and rule changes have not been approved yet. Follow the ODNR and check back regularly to see if anything changes. Always stay up to date on changes in rules and regulations on the ODRN website. Questions about a rule call 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543). See something that looks suspicious call or text 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437).
Looking for ways to prepare for the 2024-2025 hunting season? Read my blog on reflecting on this past deer season, and fine tune what you need to do next to get that elusive deer next year.
Looking for a new place to go hunting next year? Check out my top picks for public hunting land here:
As always, Get out and Go Hunt Ohio.
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