COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio sportsmen will see little change in next year’s hunting and trapping regulations, based on proposals presented January 5 to the Ohio Wildlife Council by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
September 1 is again proposed as the kick-off date for the state’s fall hunting seasons - with the opening of squirrel, dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen and snipe hunting. Other proposed hunting and trapping rules and season dates will be similar to those now in effect with only slight changes to fall hunting dates.
Proposals concerning Ohio’s white-tailed deer hunting will be heard during a separate wildlife council meeting on February 8.This will follow state wildlife biologists’ assessment of the 2005-06 deer season, which ends on January 31. Those results will effect suggested modifications to current zone boundaries and bag limits for next season.
Open houses will be held on March 5 in each of the state’s five wildlife district offices to provide the public 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 all the proposed rules will be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, March 9, at the wildlife division's District One 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.
PROPOSED HUNTING AND TRAPPING REGULATIONS, 2006-2007
SQUIRREL: September 1 through January 31. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is 6.
GROUSE: Open October 14 through February 28. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is 3.
YOUNG HUNTERS’ UPLAND SEASON: Open the two Saturdays and Sundays immediately before the regular opening date (October 21, 22, 28 and 29) statewide (public and private lands). Rabbit, pheasant, and all other legal game that is in season may be taken. Quail may be taken in counties open to quail hunting. Follow the link for a map of open counties. Daily bag limits are the same as during the regular hunting seasons.
FALL WILD TURKEY: Open October 14 through October 29 for hunters using a shotgun with shot, a longbow or a crossbow and through November 26 for hunters using a longbow or a crossbow. Follow the link for a map of counties open to fall turkey hunting. Limit one turkey of either sex per fall season. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset from October 14 through October 29, and one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from October 30 through November 26.
RABBIT: Open November 3 through February 28. Hours are sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is 4.
PHEASANT: Open November 3 through January 1. Hours are sunrise to sunset. The daily bag limit is 2. Roosters only.
QUAIL: Open November 3 through November 26. Hours are sunrise to sunset. The bag limit is 4. Follow the link for map of open counties.
FOX, OPOSSUM, WEASEL, AND SKUNK TRAPPING: Open November 10 through January 31. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.
FOX HUNTING: Open November 10 through January 31. Daytime hunting of fox closed during deer-gun season. No other restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.
RACCOON TRAPPING: Open November 10 through January 31. Season extends through March 15 in Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties, and Lucas County east of the Maumee River. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limits.
RACCOON AND OPOSSUM HUNTING: Open November 10 through January 31. No daily bag limit.
MINK AND MUSKRAT TRAPPING: Open November 10 through February 28. Season extends through March 15 in Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties and Lucas County east of the Maumee River. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.
BEAVER TRAPPING: Opens statewide December 26 through February 28, 2007. It is prohibited to trap beaver on state public hunting areas without a special beaver-trapping permit from the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
RIVER OTTER TRAPPING: Opens statewide December 26 through February 28, 2007. It is prohibited to trap otter on state public hunting areas without a special beaver/otter trapping permit from the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Season bag limits are 3 in Zone C, 1 in Zone B and Zone A is closed. Follow the link for a map of Zones. Trappers are required to personally present skinned river otter pelts and carcasses to a Division of Wildlife representative for mandatory CITES tagging within 72 hours of take.
YOUNG HUNTERS’ SPRING WILD TURKEY: Open statewide to youth hunters (17 years old and younger) for turkey hunting on April 21-22, immediately prior to the regular spring wild turkey season. Hours for youth hunts will be one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. The limit is two bearded turkeys per hunter, per spring season, of which only one may be taken during the young hunters’ season.
SPRING WILD TURKEY: Open statewide (except on designated youth hunting areas) on Monday April 23, 2007 through Sunday, May 20, 2007. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to noon. The limit is two bearded turkeys per hunter per spring season.
CROW: Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 9, 2006 through March 18, 2007 and Friday, Saturday and Sunday June 8, 2007 through March 16, 2008. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. No daily bag limit.
DOVES, DUCKS, GEESE, COOTS, AND MERGANSERS: Hunting days and bag limits will be set within the framework which will be provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later this summer. Assuming the framework is similar to the 2005-06 season, dove season, the early goose season and the special teal season will open September 1.
FALCONRY: Seasons for all non-migratory small game species will open on September 1 and extend through March 10, 2007.