Ohio is famous for its wide range of hunting opportunities, providing hunters with different game seasons to participate in all year round. White-tailed deer is one of the most popular game animals in the state. According to records, more than 210,000 deer were hunted last year.
In this article, we will give a summary of the popular white-tailed deer hunting season and rules, along with other available Ohio hunting seasons for other game species in the region. Check them out!
What Hunting Season Is It In Ohio Right Now?
The Ohio hunting seasons are mainly assigned in the second half of the year. Here is a breakdown of what hunting season is in Ohio for each month:
January and February
- Deer muzzleloader season
- Fur trapping (fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel, mink, muskrat)
- Beaver and river otter trapping
- Waterfowl hunting season
March
- Crow season
April, May, June, July and August
- No major hunting seasons
September
- Deer archery season
- Squirrel season
- Early Canada goose and teal seasons
- Mourning dove hunting
October
- Deer archery season
- Fall turkey season
- Squirrel season
- Ruffed grouse
- Youth small game (rabbit, pheasant, quail)
- Waterfowl youth, active military, and veterans season
- Goose seasons
- Duck seasons
November
- Deer archery, gun, and bonus gun seasons
- Squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, chukar, quail seasons
- Fur trapping season (fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel)
- Goose and duck seasons
December
- Deer archery, gun, and bonus gun seasons
- Squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, chukar seasons
- Waterfowl seasons
Throughout the year, coyote and woodchuck hunting are open with no closed seasons.
Ohio Deer Hunting Seasons
The Ohio deer hunting season is very similar to the dates from last year. In the last year, hunters can harvest only one antlered deer. But the bag limit of this year has been increased from two to four deer in certain counties.
Deer Season Schedules
The Ohio deer hunting dates are as follows:
- Deer Archery Season: Sept. 27 – Feb. 1, 2026
- Youth Gun Season: Nov. 22 – 23, 2025
- Deer Gun Season: Dec. 1 – 7, 2024 and Dec. 20 – 21, 2025
- Bonus Gun Season: Dec. 20 – 21, 2025
- Deer Muzzleloader Season: Jan. 3 – 6, 2026
Except for the general deer season, there are some extra opportunities to hunt deer in disease surveillance areas. The additional hunting season dates are:
- Deer Archery: Sept. 13, 2024 – Feb. 1, 2026
- Early Firearm: Oct. 11 – 13, 2025
Deer Hunting Bag Limits
Bag limit varies in different counties:
- Two-deer limit Counties: Warren, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Defiance and Paulding.
- Three-deer limit County: The rest areas.
- Four-deer limit County: Lucas, Cuyahoga, Summit, Franklin, Hamilton.
The statewide limit is 6 deer in total combined in different counties, but only one antlered deer can be harvested (at least one antler 3 inches or longer in length).
Ohio Deer Hunting Regulations
- Weapons allowed for deer hunting:
- A longbow with more than 40 pounds.
- Crossbow with a draw weight of more than 75 pounds.
- Broadhead must have at least two cutting edges measuring at least three-quarters inch wide.
- A shotgun no larger than ten-gauge or smaller than .410 caliber firing a single projectile per barrel.
- A shotgun or rifle that is loaded with no more than three shells; and muzzleloading rifle with .38 caliber or larger.
- Legal hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.
- A vest or jacket with solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange is required for deer hunting.
- No dogs are allowed to hunt deer. But hunters can use hunting dogs that are leashed to track wounded deer.
- Don’t hunt or take any deer that is still in the water.
- No baiting is allowed for hunting deer on public lands. But hunters can bait deer in private lands.
- Without the landowner’s permission, hunters cannot build or use permanent-type tree stands.
- During any deer season, hunters should always carry an electronic or printed deer permit or deer management permit.
- Remember to tag your deer and report it to the game check system. After doing this, you can continue to hunt another deer.
- Don’t skin the deer until you have successfully game checked it and received a confirmation number.
- In addition to a valid Ohio hunting license, hunters also need to possess an either-sex deer permit or a deer management permit for a legal hunt.
While deer hunting is popular, the state also offers a lot of hunting game species. To fully enjoy the seasons and increase your success rate, the following are other wildlife you can hunt throughout the year.
Ohio Turkey Seasons 2025
- Youth: April 12 – 13, 2025
- Spring Season South Zone: April 19 – May 18, 2025
- Spring Season Northeast Zone: May 3 – June 1, 2025
- Fall Season: Oct. 1 – 26, 2025
The bag limit is one turkey only.
If you didn’t manage to catch a large bearded bird in the Spring turkey season, don’t be upset. The Fall turkey season is coming up soon.
Take some time to strategize your turkey hunting trip for the upcoming days, and you might increase your chances of bagging a prize gobbler. Bring your dogs to track and hunt turkeys, but it is allowed only in the Fall season.
Small Game and Furbearer Hunting Seasons
| Species | Dates | Bag Limit |
| Squirrel | Sept. 1 – Jan. 31, 2026 | 6 daily |
| Ruffed Grouse | Nov. 7 – Nov. 30, 2025 | 1 daily |
| Youth Cottontail rabbit, Ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail | Oct. 25 – 26, 2025 Nov. 1 – 2, 2025 |
Same as limits in regular season |
| Cottontail Rabbit | Nov. 7 – Feb. 28, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Ring-necked Pheasant (roosters only) |
Nov. 7 – Jan. 11, 2026 | 2 daily |
| Chukar | Nov. 7 – Jan. 11, 2026 | 2 daily |
| Bobwhite Quail (16 counties and specific wildlife areas only) |
Nov. 7 – Nov. 30, 2025 | 2 daily |
| Crow (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only) |
June 6 – March 1, 2026 | No Limit |
| Fox, Raccoon, Skunk, Opossum, Weasel hunting and Trapping |
Nov. 10 – Jan. 31, 2026 | No Limit |
| Coyote | Year-round | No Limit |
| Woodchuck | Year-round | No Limit |
| Mink, Muskrat Trapping | Nov. 10 – Feb. 28, 2026 | No Limit |
| Mink, Muskrat, Raccoon, Skunk, Ppossum, Weasel | Nov. 10 – Mar. 15, 2026 | No Limit |
| Beaver Trapping | Dec. 26 – Feb. 28, 2026 | No Limit |
| River Otter Trapping | Dec. 26 – Feb. 28, 2026 | Total limit of 3; only 1 from zone B |
Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons
| Species | Dates | Bag Limits |
| Mourning dove | Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2025 | 15 daily |
| Dec. 13 – Jan. 1, 2026 | ||
| Rail | Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2025 | 25 daily |
| Gallinule | Sept. 1 – Nov. 9, 2025 | 15 daily |
| Wilson’s Snipe | Sept. 1 – Nov. 20, 2025 | 8 daily |
| Dec. 6 – Jan. 1, 2026 | ||
| American Woodcock | Oct. 11 – Nov. 24, 2025 | 3 daily |
| Early Canada Goose | Sept. 7 – Sept. 15, 2025 | 5 daily |
| Early Teal | Sept. 7 – Sept. 22, 2025 | 6 daily |
| Waterfowl (youth, active military, and veterans) | Oct. 4 – 5, 2025 | Same as limits in regular season |
| Goose (Lake Erie Marsh Zone) | Oct. 18 – Nov. 2, 2025 | 5 daily: Canada and
white-fronted geese, |
| Nov. 15 – Feb. 2, 2026 | ||
| Goose (North Zone) | Oct. 18 – Oct. 26, 2025 Nov. 15 – Feb. 9, 2026 |
|
| Goose (South Zone) | Oct. 18 – Oct. 27, 2025 Nov. 16 – Feb. 9, 2026 |
|
| Duck (Lake Erie Marsh Zone) | Oct. 18 – Nov. 2, 2025 | 6 daily |
| Nov. 15 – Dec. 28, 2025 | ||
| Duck, Coots and Merganser(North Zone) | Oct. 18 – Oct. 26, 2025 | 6 daily |
| Nov. 16 – Jan. 4, 2026 | ||
| Duck, Coots and Merganser(South Zone) | Oct. 18 – Oct. 27, 2025 | 6 daily |
| Dec. 13 – Jan. 31, 2026 |
For more details, you can also check or download this Ohio Hunting Seasons and Regulations.pdf file.
Ohio Hunting Licenses Requirements and Costs
There are different types of licenses and permits available for purchase. We have listed some common licenses that you may need to hunt in Ohio.
Ohio Resident Hunting License
| License Types | Costs |
| Resident Youth 1-Year Hunting License | $10 |
| Resident Youth 3-Year Hunting License | $27 |
| Resident 1-Year Hunting License | $19 |
| Resident 1-Year Apprentice License | $19 |
| Resident 3-Year Hunting License | $54 |
| Resident Lifetime Hunting License | $449 |
| Resident Senior 1-Year Hunting License | $10 |
| Resident Senior 3-Year Hunting License | $27 |
| Resident Senior 1-Year Apprentice License | $10 |
| Either-Sex Deer Permit | $31.20 |
| Permit Deer Management Permit | $15 |
| Spring/Fall Turkey Permit | $31.2 |
| Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp | $25 |
| Fur Taker Permits | $15(Adult); $8(Youth) |
| Shooting Range One-Year Permit | $24 |
| Shooting Range One-Day Permit | $5 |
Ohio Non-Resident Hunting License
| License Types | Costs |
| Nonresident 1-Year Hunting License | $180.96 |
| Nonresident (Tourist) 3-Day Hunting License | $40.56 |
| Nonresident 1-Year Apprentice Hunting License | $180.96 |
| Either-Sex Deer Permit | $79.96 |
| Permit Deer Management Permit | $15 |
| Spring/Fall Turkey Permit | $38.48 |
| Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp | $15 |
| Fur Taker Permits | $15(Adult); $8(Youth) |
| Shooting Range One-Year Permit | $24 |
| Shooting Range One-Day Permit | $5 |
Who Doesn’t Need a Hunting License To Hunt In Ohio?
In Ohio, certain individuals are not required to buy a hunting license:
- Ohio resident landowners, their spouses, and children can hunt or trap on their own land without a license or other permits.
- Nonresident landowners and their family members can hunt on their Ohio property without a license.
- Ohio resident members of small limited liability companies or partnerships that own land are also considered landowners and exempt from the license requirement.
- Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty.
In addition to the popular white-tailed deer hunting dates in Ohio, we also summarize the season information for other game species that you can hunt in the state, allowing you to extend your hunting opportunities and enjoy more.
📌For more information, check this out: Can You Hunt On Your Own Land Without A License?
Conclusion
Hunters in Ohio can make the most of their time in the field and target a trophy buck by understanding the dates and regulations for the 2025 hunting season in Ohio.
If you enjoy hunting deer or prefer to pursue a different game, Ohio’s hunting seasons offer plenty of chances to go out and enjoy the abundant wildlife resources.
For nearby options, see:
- All US Hunting Seasons For 50 States
- Pennsylvania Hunting Seasons
- Indiana Hunting Seasons
- Kentucky Hunting Seasons
- West Virginia Hunting Seasons
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