Current through all regulations passed and filed through March 18, 2024
It shall be unlawful to hunt, take, or possess deer except in
accordance with Chapter 1531. or 1533. of the Revised Code, division 1501:31 of
the Administrative Code, or as otherwise authorized by the chief of the
division of wildlife or the chief's designee.
(A) Season dates
(1) Deer archery season is open in disease
surveillance areas established under rule
1501:31-19-03 of the
Administrative Code from the second Saturday in September through the first
Sunday in February.
(2) Deer
archery season is open statewide from the last Saturday of September through
the first Sunday of February.
(3)
Deer gun season is open in established disease surveillance areas from October
7 through
October
9,
2023.
All deer gun season rules apply to these dates within established disease
surveillance areas.
(4) Youth deer
gun season is open November
18 and
19,
2023 for persons seventeen years of age and
younger. All deer gun season rules apply to these dates.
(5) Deer gun season is open from the first
Monday after Thanksgiving through the following Sunday and is open on December
16 and
17,
2023.
(6)
Deer muzzleloading season is open from the first Saturday after New Years day
through the following Tuesday.
(7)
The chief of the division of wildlife may provide a permit which allows the
taking of deer from division owned or administered lands to young or
handicapped hunters prior to or after the opening of deer gun season. Provided
further, all provisions of this rule or any other division of wildlife rule
apply to all persons issued said
permit.
(B) Bag limits
(1) It shall be unlawful to take more than
six deer per license year, regardless of method of take or location taken,
except as provided in paragraphs (B)(7), (B)(8) and (B)(9) of this
rule.
(2) It shall be unlawful to
take more than one antlered deer per license year, regardless of method of take
or location. For purposes of this rule an antlered deer
is
any deer with antlers three inches in height or greater. An antlerless deer
is
any deer with no antlers or antlers less than three inches in height.
(3) It shall be unlawful to take an antlered
deer with a deer management permit.
(4) It shall be unlawful to hunt or take more
than two deer per license year from the following counties:
Butler, Clinton, Fayette, Greene, Hocking, Jackson,
Lawrence, Madison,
Pickaway, Vinton, and Warren
counties. Provided further, it shall be unlawful to hunt or take more than two
deer per license year under the authority of a deer permit or deer management
permit outside of a division of wildlife authorized controlled hunt, from the
following counties:
Butler, Clinton, Fayette,
Greene,
Hocking, Jackson,
Lawrence, Madison,
Pickaway, Vinton, and Warren
counties.
(5)
It shall be unlawful to hunt or take more than three deer per license year from
the following counties: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize,
Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont,
Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield,
Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey, Hancock,
Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Holmes, Huron,
Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Licking, Logan, Lorain,
Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble,
Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross,
Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert,
Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, and Wyandot counties. Provided further, it
shall be unlawful to hunt or take more than three deer per license year under
the authority of a deer permit or deer management permit, outside of a division
of wildlife authorized controlled hunt, from the following counties: Adams,
Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont,
Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield,
Fulton, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey, Hancock,
Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Highland, Holmes, Huron,
Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Licking, Logan, Lorain,
Mahoning, Marion, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble,
Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross,
Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert,
Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood and Wyandot counties.
(6)
It shall be unlawful to hunt or take more than four deer per license year from
the following counties: Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Lucas, and Summit,
counties. Provided further, it shall be unlawful to hunt or take more than four
deer per license year under the authority of a deer permit or deer management
permit, outside of a division of wildlife authorized controlled hunt, from the
following counties: Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Lucas, and Summit counties.
(7) It shall be
unlawful for any person to hunt or take more than six deer per license year
from controlled
access opportunities where the taking of additional
deer has been authorized by the chief of the division of wildlife. Said
deer may be taken in addition to any other deer taken in that county and in
addition to the limit of six deer taken per license year as indicated in
paragraph (B)(1) of this rule.
(8) It shall be
unlawful to take an antlerless deer under the authority of a deer management
permit from any state-owned or administered lands designated as public hunting
areas in rule
1501:31-15-04 of the
Administrative Code, except:
(a) The lake La
Su An public hunting area.
(b)
Public hunting areas located within established disease surveillance areas,
except the Delaware wildlife area.
(c) Division of wildlife authorized
controlled hunts.
(9) It shall be
unlawful to take more than one antlerless deer per license year from
state-owned or administered lands designated as public hunting areas in rule
1501:31-15-04 of the
Administrative Code, except:
(a) The lake La
Su An public hunting area.
(b)
Public hunting areas located within established disease surveillance areas,
except the Delaware wildlife area.
(c) Division of wildlife authorized
controlled hunts.
(C) Hunting implements
(1) Archery
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt deer with any archery equipment except:
(i) A longbow and arrow.
(ii) Crossbow and arrow having a working
safety and a shoulder-mount stock. Cocking levers and other cocking devices may
be used on crossbows.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take deer while being in possession of, or take a deer with, explosive
or poisoned arrows.
(c) It shall be
unlawful for any person to hunt or take deer with a longbow having a draw
weight less than forty pounds, or with a crossbow having a draw weight less
than seventy-five pounds.
(d) It
shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a deer with a broadhead having
less than two cutting edges measuring less than three quarters inch wide.
(e) It shall be
unlawful for any person to hunt or take a deer during the deer archery season
with any hunting implement other than the archery equipment described in
paragraph (C)(1) of this rule.
(2) Firearms
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take deer with any firearm except:
(i) A shotgun no larger than ten-gauge or
smaller than .410 caliber firing a single projectile per barrel.
It shall be unlawful for any person hunting deer to use any
shell casing which is necked down or made totally of metal for any of the
shotguns listed.
(ii) A
muzzleloading rifle or muzzleloading shotgun, .38 caliber or larger using a
single projectile per barrel.
(iii)
A handgun with the following criteria:
(a) Chambered for .357
caliber magnum or larger.
(b) Using a straight
- walled cartridge.
(c) Single barrel not
less than five inches in length, as measured from the front of the cylinder or
chamber to the end of the barrel.
(iv) A rifle with the following criteria:
Chambered for a straight - walled
cartridge with a minimum caliber of .357 to a maximum caliber of .515.
(b) It shall be
unlawful for any person hunting deer to use in any rifle or possess any rifle
cartridge which is necked down.
(c)
It shall be unlawful for any person hunting deer during any deer gun season, to
possess or use any shotgun or rifle which is loaded with more than three shells
or cartridges in the magazine and chamber combined.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take deer during the deer gun season with any hunting implement other
than described in paragraph (C) of this rule.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to
possess or carry a rifle, pistol, revolver or any other type of firearm while
hunting deer or when assisting or accompanying a person that is hunting deer
during the archery season, outside of the youth deer gun season, deer gun
season and deer muzzleloading season.
This paragraph does not prohibit a
person from legally carrying a concealed handgun in accordance with
law.
(f) It shall be
unlawful for any person to possess rifle cartridges while hunting during the
deer muzzleloading season.
(g) It
shall be unlawful to possess shotgun shells, containing shot, while hunting
during the youth deer gun season, deer gun season and deer muzzleloading season
except:
(i) Persons hunting waterfowl may
possess shotgun shells containing nontoxic shot.
(ii) Persons hunting other legal game may
possess shotgun shells containing shot not larger than number four.
(iii) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take a coyotes and wild boar during the youth deer gun season or the
deer gun season without using a hunting implement described in paragraph (C) of
this rule.
(h) It shall
be unlawful for any person hunting during the deer muzzleloading season to
possess shotgun slugs or rifle ammunition.
(i) It shall be unlawful for any person to be
in possession of shotgun slugs or rifle ammunition while hunting during the
youth deer gun season, except youth hunters hunting deer.
(j) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take deer during the deer muzzleloading season with any hunting
implement other than the archery equipment described in paragraph (C)(1) of
this rule or a muzzleloader as described in paragraph (C)(2)(a)(ii) of this
rule.
(3) It shall be
unlawful for any person to possess more than one hunting implement, singly or
in the aggregate, to include a firearm, longbow or crossbow while hunting deer.
This paragraph does not prohibit a person from legally carrying
a concealed
handgun in accordance with law.
(D) Hunting methods and hours
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take deer at any time except from one-half hour before sunrise to
one-half hour after sunset.
(2) It
shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take wild animals from one-half
hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, except deer, waterfowl, wild
boar, and coyotes during the youth deer season, deer gun season and
muzzleloading season with any hunting implement other than a shotgun using shot
not larger then number four. Waterfowl may only be hunted during the hours
specified in rule
1501:31-7-06 of the
Administrative Code.
(3) It shall
be unlawful for any person to hunt or take wild boar or coyotes at any time
other than from one-half hour before sunrise to one half- hour after sunset
during the youth deer gun season, deer gun season and deer muzzleloading
season.
(4) It shall be unlawful
for any person to hunt or take coyotes and wild boar from one-half hour before
sunrise to one half-hour after sunset during the youth deer gun season, deer
gun season and the deer muzzleloading season without possessing both a valid
hunting license and valid deer permit or management permit.
(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take coyotes and wild boar during the deer muzzleloading season without
using a muzzleloader as described in paragraph (C)(2)(a)(ii) of this rule or
any archery equipment described in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule.
(6) It shall be unlawful for any person to
possess a loaded hunting implement while going to or coming from hunting deer,
wild boar or coyote at any time except between one-half hour before sunrise to
one half-hour after sunset during the youth deer gun season, deer gun season or
the deer muzzleloading season.
(7)
It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take any wild animal except
waterfowl, from one-half hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset,
during the youth deer gun season, deer gun season or the deer muzzleloading
season, unless such person is visibly wearing a vest, jacket or coveralls
colored solid hunter orange, or camouflage hunter orange.
(8) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take deer by the aid of dog, except wounded deer may be tracked using a
dog that is leashed.
(9) It shall
be unlawful for any person to hunt or take coyotes by the aid of a dog during
the deer gun season and deer muzzleloading season from one-half hour before
sunrise to one half-hour after sunset.
(10) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take a deer that is in the water.
(11) It shall be unlawful for any person to
construct, place, or use permanent-type tree stands, or place spikes, nails,
wires, or other metal objects to hold tree stands or as steps to tree stands on
any property except with the landowner's permission.
(E) Permits
(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt or take a deer without possessing a valid electronic or printed deer
permit or deer management permit during any of the open deer seasons.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to
hunt with or carry an electronic or printed deer permit or deer management
permit of another.
(3) It shall be
unlawful for any person to hunt or take deer or aid another person in the
hunting of deer, while having in their possession a hunting implement, while
being solely in possession of a deer permit or deer management permit for which
a game check confirmation number has been issued or the date, time and county
of kill have been written on the deer permit or deer management
permit.
(4) It shall be unlawful
for any person to hunt or take a deer under the authority of a deer management
permit, except from the
first day of the archery
season through the Sunday following Thanksgiving day. Deer management
permits may be used at any time in division of wildlife administered or
authorized controlled hunts.
(F) Tagging and game checking
(1) It shall be unlawful to hunt or take a
subsequent deer before the date, time and county of kill are written on the
corresponding deer permit, deer management permit or landowner deer tag or the
date, time and county of kill have been submitted to the game check system for
the deer that was taken.
(2) It
shall be unlawful to attach a deer permit, deer management permit, landowner
deer tag, or a game check confirmation number to a deer or parts of a deer,
taken by another person.
(3) It
shall be unlawful to attach an antlerless game check confirmation number to an
antlered deer.
(4) It shall be
unlawful to attach or otherwise use a deer permit or deer management permit on
or for any deer that was taken before the permit was purchased or otherwise
obtained.
(5) It shall be unlawful
to manufacture, counterfeit, sell, trade, distribute, forge and/or falsify a
deer permit, deer management permit, landowner deer tag, or a game check
confirmation number.
(6) It shall
be unlawful to possess, attach, affix or otherwise use a counterfeit or
falsified deer permit, deer management permit, landowner deer tag, or game
check confirmation number on or for any deer.
(7) It shall be unlawful to possess any deer,
or part thereof, which has attached or affixed a counterfeit or otherwise
falsified deer permit, deer management permit, landowner deer tag or game check
confirmation number.
(8) It shall
be unlawful after killing a deer to fail to immediately complete a deer permit,
deer management permit, or landowner deer tag with the hunters name, date,
time, and county of kill prior to moving the carcass from the place where it
fell or fail to game check your deer prior to moving the carcass from the place
it fell.
(9) It shall be unlawful
to leave a deer that has been killed unattended, or with another person,
without first attaching a completed deer permit, deer management permit, or
landowner deer tag with the hunters name, date, time and county of kill to the
deer or a game check confirmation number to the deer.
(10) It shall be unlawful to fail to
immediately attach your deer permit, deer management permit or landowner deer
tag with the hunters name, date, time and county of kill, or the game check
confirmation number to a harvested deer upon arrival at a personal or temporary
abode.
(11) It shall be unlawful to
obtain a game check confirmation number with a deer management permit for any
deer hunted or taken in any county in which a deer management permit is not
valid, outside of a division of wildlife authorized controlled hunt.
(12) It shall be unlawful to remove a deer
permit, deer management permit, or landowner deer tag from any deer until the
deer has been game checked and a valid game check confirmation number has been
affixed to the deer.
(13) It shall
be unlawful to skin or remove the head of a deer until the deer has been game
checked and tagged with a valid game check confirmation number.
(14) It shall be unlawful to fail to game
check and affix a game check confirmation number to a deer, taken during any
open deer season, by noon of the day following the date the deer was killed.
Provided further, it shall be unlawful to fail to game check and affix a game
check confirmation number to a deer taken by eleven-thirty p.m. on the final
day of the archery season, youth deer gun season, deer gun season and deer
muzzleloading season.
(15) It shall
be unlawful to provide false information or data when game checking any
deer.
(16) It shall be unlawful to
game check a deer that has been killed within a wild animal hunting preserve as
described in section 1533.731 of the Revised
Code.
(17) It shall be unlawful,
while at any personal or temporary abode, for any person to fail to immediately
and permanently attach their valid game check confirmation number to the deer
after it has been game checked.
(18) It shall be unlawful to attach an
invalid or falsified game check number to any deer.
(19) It shall be unlawful to attach, affix or
otherwise use a game check confirmation number for a deer, or parts thereof,
other than for the deer the game check confirmation number was issued to at the
time of game checking.
(20) It
shall be unlawful for any person to leave the state of Ohio with a deer that
was taken by hunting that has not been game checked and the game check
confirmation number permanently attached.
(21) With the exception of naturally shed
antlers, and a hunter harvested deer prior to reaching a personal or temporary
abode, it shall be unlawful to possess a dead deer, or any part thereof, unless
such deer, or parts thereof, are accompanied by an attached valid permit, tag,
seal, certificate of legal ownership, statement or receipt. For the purposes of
this section a valid permit, tag, seal, certificate for legal ownership,
statement or receipt for any deer, or part thereof is any one or more of the
following:
(a) A valid Ohio division of
wildlife deer permit, deer management permit, landowner deer tag, permanent
deer tag or permanent deer tag number or game check confirmation
number.
(b) An Ohio division of
wildlife deer damage control permit temporary tag or a receipt for deer
carcass-deer damage control tag or the tag number.
(c) An Ohio division of wildlife approved tag
or seal under the authority of section
1533.74 of the Revised Code if
the deer or parts thereof were sold for food.
(d) A signed statement or receipt, legible in
the English language, which states the previous owners name, address and phone
number and the valid commercial propagation permit number if the deer or parts
thereof were sold or given away under the authority of section
1533.71 of the Revised
Code.
(e) A certificate for legal
ownership issued under the authority of section
1533.121 of the Revised
Code.
(f) A tag as described in
division (G) of section
1533.731 of the Revised
Code.
(g) A signed statement or
receipt, legible in the English language, which lists the owner or previous
owners name, address and phone number, the state and county of kill, the date
of kill and the assigned permanent deer tag number or game check confirmation
number, if applicable.
(h) An
official tag or seal, and an accompanying valid hunting license issued by
another state or province if the deer was killed outside of Ohio.
(i) A valid Ohio division of wildlife food
pantry stamp or seal on each package of meat distributed by a bona fide food
pantry or charitable organization.
(j) A certificate for legal ownership issued
by a law enforcement officer within their jurisdiction.
(k) A valid tag, seal, certificate for legal
ownership, statement or receipt or game check confirmation number for the
purposes of this rule is considered attached if it is physically affixed to the
deer, or parts thereof, in the following manner:
(i) In the case of antlers:
(a) The valid tag,
permanent tag number, seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or
receipt or game check confirmation number must remain attached to the antlers
until the deer has been processed into a taxidermy product. At this time the
valid tag, seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt or game
check confirmation number may be removed from the antlers and placed in another
location on the taxidermy product which allows for visual inspection.
(b) If
antlers are removed from the deer, but not processed into a taxidermy product,
the permanent tag or game check confirmation number may be removed from the
antlers provided the permanent deer tag number or game check confirmation
number is legibly written in permanent ink or inscribed on the antlers in a
location which allows for visual inspection. However, the valid tag, seal,
certificate of legal ownership, statement or receipt shall be maintained by the
owner and available for inspection.
(ii) When through the butchering process,
multiple packages of meat are produced, the valid tag, permanent tag number,
seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt or game check
confirmation number shall be maintained and available for inspection until the
entire deer has been consumed.
(iii) If through the taxidermy process
multiple taxidermy products are produced the permanent deer tag or permanent
tag number or game check confirmation number must remain attached to the
taxidermy product to which the antlers are connected. Any other products from
the same deer must have the permanent deer tag number or game check
confirmation number written legibly in permanent ink or inscribed on the item
in a location which allows for visual inspection.
(22) It shall be unlawful for any
person to place or leave a deer, or any part thereof, unattended or in the
custody of another person for the purpose of skinning, processing, taxidermy,
transportation, shipping, storage, including temporary storage, or any other
reason, unless such deer or parts thereof are accompanied by an attached valid
permit, tag, seal, certificate for legal ownership, statement or receipt or
game check confirmation number.
(23) It shall be unlawful to possess a deer,
or parts thereof, that were taken in violation of any division rule or the Ohio
Revised Code.
(G) Sales
It shall be unlawful to buy, sell or offer for sale any deer,
or part thereof, taken from the wild, except:
Legally acquired and possessed deer hides, feet, and antlers
may be bought or sold at any time. At the time of the purchase or sale these
deer parts must be accompanied by a signed statement or receipt, legible in the
English language, which lists the previous owner's name, address and phone
number, the state of kill(s) and the assigned game check confirmation number or
tag, seal, certificate for legal ownership or permit number(s), if applicable,
and the number of deer, from which the said deer parts originated, that were
sold during the transaction. This information must remain with these parts
until said deer parts are manufactured into a wildlife ornamental
product.
(H) All definitions set
forth in rule
1501:31-1-02 of the
Administrative Code apply to this rule.