COLUMBUS, OH -- Bow hunters harvested 32,546 deer during the first six weeks of the statewide archery deer hunting season that opened October 6, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. This preliminary harvest figure represents a 21 percent increase, or 5,811 more deer than during the same period last year when hunters took 26,735 deer during the early portion of the archery season.
The Division of Wildlife said hunting conditions have been excellent since opening day of archery deer season, allowing hunters to spend more time in Ohios fields and forests. Grain harvests were on schedule, with about 61 percent of the corn crop harvested by November 5. Mild temperatures and dry conditions have persisted over much of Ohio during October and early November.
Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to Ohio check stations during the early season included Licking, Coshocton, Holmes, Muskingum, and Tuscarawas.
The archery deer season remains open statewide through January 31, including Sundays and during the deer gun season that opens November 26 and runs through December 2. Last year, Ohio enjoyed a record archery season harvest of 34,340.
Adams - 297 (87); Allen - 156 (127); Ashland - 555 (407); Ashtabula - 450 (386); Athens - 713(645) ; Auglaize - 89 (80); Belmont - 463 (352); Brown - 356 (267); Butler - 279 (252); Carroll - 315 (271); Champaign - 223 (151); Clark - 341 (281); Clermont - 644 (551); Clinton - 188 (133); Columbiana - 463 (325); Coshocton - 968 (829); Crawford - 133 (98); Cuyahoga - 174 (238); Darke - 105 (91); Defiance - 75 (68); Delaware - 415 (393); Erie - 119(110); Fairfield - 626 (494); Fayette -75 (62); Franklin - 447 (334); Fulton - 71 (46); Gallia - 429 (414); Geauga - 730 (575); Greene - 226 (124); Guernsey -724 (522); Hamilton - 507 (590); Hancock - 154 (142); Hardin - 64 (68); Harrison - 580 (444); Henry - 27 (33); Highland - 432 (287); Hocking - 685 (618); Holmes - 881 (680); Huron - 219 (193); Jackson - 758 (736); Jefferson - 582 (462); Knox - 728 (433); Lake - 491 (424); Lawrence - 477 (392); Licking - 1285 (1160); Logan - 144 (119); Lorain - 562 (479); Lucas - 337 (287); Madison - 67 (48); Mahoning - 405 (278); Marion - 135 (96); Medina - 256 (243); Meigs - 506 (471); Mercer - 87 (62); Miami - 86 (61); Monroe - 329 (300); Montgomery - 148 (134); Morgan - 270 (244); Morrow - 248 (166); Muskingum - 873 (686); Noble - 292 (260); Ottawa - 52 (49); Paulding - 90 (96); Perry - 471 (434); Pickaway - 298 (189); Pike - 267 (227); Portage - 676 (574); Preble - 139 (111); Putnam - 124 (84); Richland - 463 (302); Ross - 781 (562); Sandusky - 94 (64); Scioto - 325 (315); Seneca - 207 (143); Shelby - 167 (183); Stark - 542 (371); Summit - 446 (369); Trumbull - 680 (601); Tuscarawas - 866 (830); Union - 164 (145); Van Wert - 38 (22); Vinton - 417 (337); Warren - 560 (309); Washington - 472 (445); Wayne - 267 (255); Williams - 206 (197); Wood - 131 (122); Wyandot - 139 (90).
For Further Information Contact:
Vicki Mountz, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6393
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations