2013-14 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Seasons

The Ohio Wildlife Council approved 2013-2014 hunting and trapping regulations, including season dates and bag limits, at its April 17 meeting. The regulations approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council will now be filed with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). JCARR must approve the rule-making process before the regulations can take effect. 2013-2014 white-tailed deer hunting seasons:

Deer archery: Sept. 28, 2013-Feb. 2, 2014; Antlerless deer muzzleloader: Oct. 12-13, 2013; Youth deer: Nov. 23-24,2013; Deer gun: Dec. 2-8, 2013; and Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 4-7, 2014.

Hunters may harvest only one buck in Ohio, regardless of the method of take or location. The hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30minutes past sunset for all deer seasons. Antlerless permits are valid until Dec. 1, the Sunday before deer-gun season. County bag limits will replace deer zones. Bag limits are two, three or four deer, depending on the county. The statewide bag limit is nine deer, but a hunter cannot exceed a county bag limit. Additional controlled hunting opportunities do not count against the statewide bag limit. The December bonus gun weekend, the early muzzleloader season at three public hunting areas (Salt Fork Wildlife Area, Shawnee State Forest and Wildcat Hollow) and urban hunting zones have been discontinued.

Other hunting seasons were also previously approved. An Oct. 14start date for the fall wild turkey season, the Monday following the antlerless deer muzzleloader season, has been approved. Butler, Delaware,Fairfield, Franklin,Hamilton, Huron, Seneca and Warren counties are added to the list of counties open for fall turkey hunting. Deer and fall turkey permits will go on sale July 1. Cottontail rabbit hunting restrictions are removed in the snowshoe hare protected areain Geauga and Ashtabula counties. Remaining snowshoe hares are still protected as a state-endangered species, and it remains illegal to kill them in Ohio. 2013-2014 hunting and trapping seasons:

Squirrel: Sept. 1, 2013-Jan. 31, 2014;
Ruffed grouse: Oct. 12, 2013-Jan. 31, 2014;
Fall wild turkey: Oct. 14,2013-Dec. 1, 2013;
Youth upland game: Oct. 19-20, Oct. 26-27, 2013;
Cottontail rabbit: Nov. 1, 2013-Feb. 28, 2014;
Ring-necked pheasant: Nov. 1, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014;
Bobwhite quail: Nov. 1-Dec. 1, 2013;
Fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk and weasel: Nov. 10, 2013-Jan. 31, 2014;
Mink and muskrat: Nov. 10, 2013-Feb. 28, 2014;
Mink, muskrat, raccoon, opossum, skunk and weasel (Erie, Ottawa and Sandusky counties, and Lucas County east of the Maumee River): Nov. 10, 2013-March 15, 2014;
Beaver: Dec. 26, 2013-Feb. 28, 2014;
River otter: Dec. 26,2013-Feb. 28, 2014;
Crow: June 7, 2013-March 8,2014;
June 6, 2014-March 7, 2015 (Friday,Saturday and Sunday only);
Youth spring wild turkey: April 19-20, 2014;
Spring wild turkey: April 21-May 18, 2014;
Coyote and wild boar: No closed season; and Groundhog: Closed only during deer gun season.

Season dates and bag limits for migratory birds, including mourning dove, Canadagoose,rail, moorhen, snipe, woodcock and waterfowl, will be set in August in compliance with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2013-2014 framework.