Ohio Wildlife Council Approves 2009-10 Hunting and Trapping Regulations

Statewide muzzleloader season moves to early January

COLUMBUS, OH - September 1 will again kick-off the state's fall hunting seasons – with the opening of the squirrel-hunting season that runs through January 31 – under regulations approved Wednesday by the Ohio Wildlife Council.

The statewide muzzleloader season will move to early January. Season dates are January 9-12, 2010, which includes two weekend days

Two additional northwest Ohio counties, Defiance and Williams, will be open for fall turkey hunting, October 10–November 29, bringing the total to 48 counties statewide. Spring turkey season for 2010 will be April 19–May 16, 2010. Spring gobbler hunters will be able to hunt all day the last two weeks (May 3–16, 2010) of the four-week season. Legal hunting hours during those two weeks will be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

The ruffed grouse bag limit will be cut from three to two, and the season will end on January 31, 2010. Grouse populations continue long-term declines with flush rates and harvest rates at record lows.

Deer hunters can again buy additional antlerless deer permits at reduced prices for hunting in an urban zone, participating in a Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunt or hunting during the September 26 to November 29 portion of the deer season. The deadline for using the antlerless permit will be extended to December 6 for those hunting in Deer Zone C. Cost of the antlerless deer permit remains $15.

A hunter can take only one buck in Ohio, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.

Hunters must purchase a regular deer permit before purchasing antlerless deer permits. The sale of antlerless permits will cease after November 29, so hunters need to commit early to buying and using the extra, reduced-cost opportunity.

The regulations maintain the same deer zones as the last four years.Zone C will cover 38 central, southern, southeastern, and southwestern counties. There will be 30 counties in Zone B and 20 northwestern counties in Zone A.

The maximum number of deer that a hunter can take in Zone A is two. Prior to November 30, hunters can take up to two deer in Zone A, one of which can be on a $15 antlerless deer permit. Beginning November 30, hunters can take only one deer in Zone A and antlerless permits cannot be used.

The maximum number of deer that a hunter can take in Zone B is four. Prior to November 30, hunters can take up to four deer in Zone B, two of which can be on a $15 antlerless deer permit. Beginning November 30, hunters can take only two deer in Zone B and antlerless permits cannot be used.

The maximum number of deer that a hunter can take in Zone C is six. Prior to December 7, hunters can take up to six deer in Zone C, three of which can be on a $15 antlerless deer permit. Beginning December 7, hunters can take only three deer in Zone C and antlerless permits cannot be used.

Another change for deer hunters includes those hunting in urban units and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts will have a six-deer bag limit, and those deer will not count against the hunter's zone bag limit. Antlerless deer permits can be used for the entire season in urban deer units or Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts.

A valid hunting license and proper deer permits are required to hunt deer in Ohio. A hunter can take only one buck in Ohio, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.

Archery season will run from Saturday, September 26 through Sunday, February 7, 2010. The popular youth deer-gun season is for Saturday and Sunday, November 21–22. During the youth deer-gun season, zone bag limits will apply to young hunters. Any deer taken will be part of the young hunter's total season limit.

Deer-gun season will run Monday, November 30 through Sunday, December 6 and Saturday and Sunday, December 19–20. Statewide muzzleloader season will run Saturday, January 9 through Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

Special area muzzleloader hunts will be open Monday, October 19 through Saturday, October 24 at Salt Fork, Shawnee, and Wildcat Hollow. Hunters can use either a deer permit or an antlerless deer permit for this hunt. The bag limit remains at one deer of either sex with any antlered deer harvested counting toward the hunter’s one-buck yearly limit.

During the 2008-2009 season, which concluded February 1, hunters bagged a record 252,017 deer. Approximately 475,000 people hunted white-tailed deer in Ohio this past season.

Hunting and trapping seasons for rabbit, pheasant, quail, squirrel, fox, raccoon, mink, muskrat, beaver, river otter, crow, and falconry were approved as proposed.

Rules and season dates for mourning dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen, snipe, and migratory waterfowl hunting will be set in August, in compliance with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's 2009-10 framework.

All hunting and trapping season dates and rules can be found at wildohio.com.