News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 1999

OPENING DAY DEER SEASON HARVEST UP FOUR PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR

COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters killed 34,771 deer on opening day of the statewide deer gun season Monday, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The preliminary figure obtained from deer check stations represents a four percent increase, or 1,197, more deer compared to last year's opening day total of 33,574.

Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to Ohio check stations on Monday included Muskingum - 1,720; Athens - 1,414; Washington - 1,376; Guernsey - 1,305; Coshocton - 1,182; Tuscarawas - 1,171; Gallia - 1,149; Meigs - 1,102; Licking - 1,088; and Hocking - 1,069.

Hunters enjoyed excellent hunting conditions and seasonably cold temperatures Monday, including some light snowfall in parts of northeast Ohio. Weather forecasts call for generally milder conditions with a chance for rain by the weekend. The deer gun season ends at sunset on Saturday in 55 counties and at sunset on Sunday in 33 counties. The Division of Wildlife expects hunters will kill 75,000 to 85,000 deer during the one-week deer gun season.

"We are quite pleased to have enjoyed a very safe opening day without a firearms-related hunting incident reported. The opening day figures are consistent with our predictions for another good deer hunting season this week," said Michael J. Budzik, Chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife.

The wildlife agency said no deer hunters were injured by firearms Monday. An estimated 450,000 people are expected to participate in this week's deer gun season.

New rules adopted this year require deer hunters to visibly wear a jacket, coat, vest, or coveralls that are either solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange in color. Hunters also may not use shotguns capable of holding more than three slugs.

Adams - 276 (242); Allen - 124 (103); Ashland - 564 (468); Ashtabula - 507 (466); Athens - 1,414 (1,502); Auglaize - 71 (45); Belmont - 583 (607); Brown - 313 (271); Butler - 105 (79); Carroll - 530 (427); Champaign - 213 (175); Clark - 140 (123); Clermont - 325 (361); Clinton - 130 (150); Columbiana - 402 (487); Coshocton - 1,182 (989); Crawford - 129 (136); Cuyahoga - 38 (31); Darke - 102 (111); Defiance - 172 (162); Delaware - 205 (169); Erie - 74 (65); Fairfield - 513 (335); Fayette - 83 (61); Franklin - 98 (118); Fulton - 100 (130); Gallia - 1,149 (1,129); Geauga - 310 (179); Greene - 84 (82); Guernsey - 1,305 (1,303); Hamilton - 115 (110); Hancock - 85 (79); Hardin - 173 (155); Harrison - 738 (723); Henry - 74 (125); Highland - 460 (413); Hocking - 1,069 (948); Holmes - 567 (659); Huron - 310 (295); Jackson - 939 (1,134); Jefferson - 890 (759); Knox - 539 (542); Lake - 91 (103); Lawrence - 516 (674); Licking - 1,088 (745); Logan - 206 (195); Lorain - 148 (137); Lucas - 96 (97); Madison - 36 (32); Mahoning - 203 (169); Marion - 81 (89); Medina - 158 (120); Meigs - 1,102 (1,138); Mercer - 98 (68); Miami - 52 (35); Monroe - 771 (647); Montgomery - 69 (35); Morgan - 956 (865); Morrow - 252 (252); Muskingum - 1,720 (1,644); Noble - 959 (1,038); Ottawa - 36 (40); Paulding - 153 (119); Perry - 790 (910); Pickaway - 395 (305); Pike - 324 (431); Portage - 210 (151); Preble - 64 (39); Putnam - 71 (77); Richland - 293 (216); Ross - 831 (1,091); Sandusky - 91 (66); Scioto - 304 (376); Seneca - 241 (147); Shelby - 173 (133); Stark - 303 (240); Summit - 57 (38); Trumbull - 470 (426); Tuscarawas - 1,171 (928); Union - 125 (149); Van Wert - 32 (37); Vinton - 631 (848); Warren - 150 (147); Washington - 1,376 (1,313); Wayne - 137 (131); Williams - 417 (418); Wood - 59 (86); Wyandot - 165 (181). Totals: 34,871 (33,574)

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For Further Information Contact:
John Wisse, Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6539
- or -
Mike Tonkovich, Division of Wildlife
(740) 664-2745