Hunting Season Dates, Bag Limits Announced

(WHBC) – Hunters who want to get a jump on planning for the next hunting season are in luck.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has released the 2019-2020 hunting season dates and bag limits.

Details are in the following news release.

The Ohio Wildlife Council approved Ohio’s 2019-2020 hunting season dates and bag limits, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. In addition, the council approved to increase the bag limit for walleye in Lake Erie and the Maumee River in March 2020.

Overview of white-tailed deer hunting seasons for 2019-2020:

Deer archery: Sept. 28, 2019-Feb. 2, 2020
Youth deer gun: Nov. 23-24, 2019
Deer gun: Dec. 2-8, 2019; Dec. 21-22, 2019
Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 4-7, 2020

Deer bag limits remain the same for all counties. The statewide bag limit remains at six deer, only one of which may be antlered, and a hunter cannot exceed a county bag limit.

Additional changes approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council.

Hunters can transport a white-tailed deer or wild turkey to a residence or temporary lodging without a tag being attached to the animal, if the permit is properly filled out and the hunter remains with the animal.

The name of the antlerless deer permit was changed to deer management permit.

Hunters who harvest a deer within a disease surveillance area (DSA) are required to deliver the head to an inspection station only during the seven-day gun season, rather than all firearm seasons.

Brant and pintail daily bag limits were reduced to one.

The annual shooting range permit fee is reduced when purchased at the same time as an annual resident hunting license.

Youth hunting seasons are open to hunters age 17 or younger. This provides for more uniform and consistent regulations for all youth hunting seasons.

The walleye bag limit will increase from four fish to six fish daily from March 1 to April 30 in Lake Erie, excluding the Sandusky River, when Ohio’s total allowable catch exceeds 3 million fish. In the Sandusky River, the four fish daily bag limit remains in place.

Nonresident anglers under the age of 16 are exempted from obtaining a nonresident Lake Erie fishing permit.

For a complete list of all proposed changes, visit the Proposed Rule Summary at wildohio.gov.