Hunting & Fishing Regulations

» »


	License & Permit Finder

	Hunting Regulations

	Trapping Regulations

	Fishing Regulations

	Apprentice Hunting

	Season Dates and Bag Limits

	Sunrise & Sunset Charts

	Buy Licenses or Permits

	Find a Checkstation

	View Ohio Wildlife Laws and Rules

	Historical License Sales Information

Hunting / Youth Hunting

Note For All Youth Hunts
Youth Hunters' Small Game Season
Youth Deer Gun Season
Youth Deer Hunts
Spring Youth Wild Turkey Hunts
Youth Wild Turkey Hunts
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
Youth Waterfowl Opening Day Hunts
Youth Controlled Waterfowl Hunts

Note For All Youth Hunts

All youth hunting opportunities (except the youth waterfowl hunting season) are available to any hunter age 17 and younger. All young hunters must be accompanied* by a non-hunting adult. A non-hunting adult is any person (a hunting license is not required) age 18 or older who accompanies the young hunter to and from the field and is present with the young hunter while the young hunter is engaged in hunting. The non-hunting adult may not possess any hunting implements.

*Accompany: to go along with another person while staying within a distance from the person that enables uninterrupted, unaided visual and auditory communications.

Youth Hunters' Small Game Season

Hunters 17 years of age or younger may hunt the following Saturdays and Sundays: October 20 & 21 and October 27 & 28 statewide (public and private lands) for rabbit, pheasant, and all other legal game which is in season. Rabbits may not be hunted in the Restricted Rabbit Hunting area designated in the Small Game Section. Quail may be taken only in those counties which are open to quail hunting. Pheasant releases will occur for these hunts on the following wildlife areas: Delaware, Resthaven, Oxbow, Berlin, Camp Belden, Grand River, Spencer, Wellington, Dillon, Caesar Creek, Rush Run, Fallsville, Darke, and Charlemont Metropark (Lorain County). Daily bag limits are the same as during the regular hunting season. Young hunters must be accompanied at all times by a non-hunting adult, 18 years or older (not more than two youths per adult).

Rabbit Youth

Youth Deer Gun Season

A youth deer gun season will be open statewide, November 17 and 18, 2007 on public and private land. Young hunters 17 years old and younger who are accompaniedby a non-hunting adult may take one deer during this season of either sex. Deer taken by young hunters during the Youth Deer Gun Season count towards the zone and unit bag limits. All deer hunting implements that are legal during the regular deer season are permitted. All youths and non-hunting adults must wear hunter orange; youths must possess a valid Ohio hunting license and deer permit. Youths hunting on land their grandparents own are not required to have a hunting license, but must have a deer permit. Youths hunting on land their parents own are not required to have a hunting license or deer permit. No more than two youth hunters can be accompanied by one non-hunting adult and it is unlawful for the adult to hunt or possess a device commonly used to take wild animals.

Youth Deer Hunts

The Ohio Division of Wildlife conducts several controlled deer hunts for young hunters. The dates and locations of the hunts vary from year to year. The application period is June 1 through July 31. Hunters may apply online by using a credit card. If you prefer to submit an application via U.S. mail, hard-copies of the application can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543).

Spring Youth Wild Turkey Hunts

A statewide youth wild turkey season will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20, immediately prior to the regular wild turkey season in 2008. All public and private lands are open, EXCEPT for Lake La Su An Wildlife Area which will conduct a controlled youth hunt. Youth hunters may only take one bearded turkey during the youth season. Youth turkey hunters may only kill a total of two turkeys during the youth-only and spring turkey season combined. Young hunters (17 years and younger, accompanied by a non-hunting adult) must have their hunting license and spring wild turkey permit to participate. No other permits are required. Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. Only shotguns using shot, crossbows, and longbows permitted.

Youth Turkey

Youth Wild Turkey Hunts

Special youth wild turkey hunts will be held at Lake La Su An, Killbuck Marsh, and Mosquito Creek wildlife areas and Hueston Woods and Paint Creek State Park during the regular spring wild turkey season. Lake La Su An Wildlife Area will also hold controlled hunts during the statewide youth only season. These hunts are open to youth hunters (17 years and younger). Any person interested in participating in these hunts should contact the Division of Wildlife district office in Findlay for the La Su An hunts; in Xenia for the Hueston Woods and Paint Creek hunts; in Akron for the Killbuck and Mosquito Creek hunts during February 2008.

All youth hunters who bag a turkey in the Youth Only Wild Turkey Season must follow the tagging instructions listed in the turkey hunting section and check the bird in by 8:00 p.m. of the following day.

Youth turkey hunters may only kill a total of two turkeys during the youth-only and spring turkey season combined. Only one turkey per day may be taken.

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

Hunters 15 years of age or younger may waterfowl hunt statewide (public and private lands) on Saturday and Sunday in early October (see Publication 295, Waterfowl Hunting Seasons available September 15). Young hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 18 years or older (no more than two youths per adult). Ducks, geese, and coots can be taken under the bag limits established for the regular season. Special youth hunts will be held on Killdeer Plains and Pickerel Creek wildlife areas at 5:15 a.m. on these days. Contact Wildlife District Two (419) 424-5000 for details.

Youth Waterfowl Opening Day Hunts

Young hunters (17 or younger) are given priority on opening day afternoon hunts at Pickerel Creek, Killdeer Plains, Mosquito Creek, and Grand River wildlife areas. Youth hunts will also be held on the first Saturday of the regular waterfowl hunting season at the following areas (Magee Marsh, Mercer, Mosquito Creek, and Ottawa NWR). Application forms for these hunts are available from Division of Wildlife offices beginning in June each year. Applications must be postmarked by July 31 to be entered into the random drawing.

Youth Controlled Waterfowl Hunts

The Ohio Division of Wildlife conducts several controlled waterfowl hunts for young hunters. The dates and locations of the hunts vary from year to year. The application period is June 1 through July 31. Hunters may apply online using a credit card. If you prefer to submit an application via U.S. mail, hard-copies of the application can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543).