Ohio Wildlife Council Hears 2012-2013
Hunting Regulations Proposals 

 
COLUMBUS, OH – The 2012-13 hunting and trapping regulation proposals were presented on January 4 to the Ohio Wildlife Council by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

September 1 is the proposed kick-off date for the state's fall hunting season beginning with squirrel and dove hunting. Other proposed hunting and trapping rules will be similar to those now in effect, with only slight changes to fall and spring hunting dates.

Hunters age 17 and under are proposed access to hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, October 20-21 and 27-28. Spring youth turkey season is proposed for April 20-21, 2013.

The remainder of the proposals concerning Ohio's white-tailed deer hunting will be heard during a separate Wildlife Council meeting on February 8.

Open houses will be held on Saturday, March 3 in each of the state's five wildlife districts to provide the public an opportunity to view and discuss proposed hunting and trapping regulations with state wildlife officials. Directions to the open houses can be found at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

A statewide hearing on all of the proposed rules will be held at the Division of Wildlife’s District One office on Thursday, March 8 at 9 a.m.. The office is 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 4 meeting.

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For more information, contact:
Dave Scott, ODNR Division of Wildlife
614. 265. 6338
Nathan Stricker, (upland game), ODNR Division of Wildlife
740. 747. 2525
Mike Reynolds, (forest game), ODNR Division of Wildlife
740. 589. 9921
Suzie Prange, (furbearers), ODNR Division of Wildlife
740. 589. 9924

 EDITOR'S NOTE: The proposed hunting and trapping season’s table is included. Those species in the table identified with an * are subject to federal guidelines that will not be available until the summer of 2012. The most likely opening dates are listed, but season lengths and bag limits are unknown at this time.

PROPOSED 2012-2013 HUNTING & TRAPPING SEASON DATES

Species	Opening date	Closing date	Bag Limit
Squirrel	September 1	January 31, 2013	6 daily
Mourning dove *	September 1 *	TBD	TBD
Ruffed grouse	October 13	January 31, 2013	2 daily
American woodcock *	October 12 *	TBD	TBD
Wild turkey fall season	October 13	November 25	1
Youth upland season for cottontail rabbit, ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail	October 20 and 21 & October 27 and 28
Cottontail rabbit	November 2	February 28, 2013	4 daily
Ring-necked pheasant, Chukar	November 2	January 6, 2013	2 daily
Bobwhite quail	November 2	November 25	4 daily
Fox, raccoon, skunk opossum, weasel hunting & trapping	November 10	January 31, 2013
Mink & muskrat trapping	November 10	February 28, 2013
Lake Erie Marsh area – mink, muskrat, skunk, raccoon, opossum, & weasel trapping	November 10	March 15, 2013
Beaver trapping	December 26	February 28, 2013
River otter trapping	December 26	February 28, 2013	1 in Zone B 3 in Zone C
Wild turkey youth season	April 20 and 21, 2013
Wild turkey spring season	April 22, 2013	May 19, 2013	2
Crow – Fri, Sat, Sun only	June 1, 2012 June 7, 2013	March 10, 2013 March 9, 2014
Coyote	No Closed Season
Woodchuck	Closed for deer-gun season only