Under proposals, Ohio’s archery deer season would begin Sept. 27

Columbus — The 2025-26 Ohio hunting and trapping season dates that begin in the fall of this year were proposed to the Ohio Wildlife Council on Wednesday, Feb. 19, according to the Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Both white-tailed deer and waterfowl seasons were included in these proposals.

A complete list of proposed rule changes for 2025-26 hunting and trapping seasons are available at wildohio.gov. Comments for Division of Wildlife proposals are accepted online at wildohio.gov from Monday, Feb. 24 through Wednesday, March 26.

A statewide hearing on all proposed rules will be held on Wednesday, April 2. If approved, the proposed rules take effect Monday, June 30.

MORE WHITETAIL COVERAGE FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:

A quick chat with Kip Adams of the National Deer Association

Three truths about training your dog to find shed antlers

Looking back at the biggest typical bucks in the Boone and Crockett record books

Deer hunting proposals

The proposed deer hunting seasons are similar to last year.

As in years past, only one antlered deer may be harvested, regardless of where or how it is taken. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The proposed statewide deer hunting dates for 2025-26 include:

• Deer archery: Saturday, Sept. 27 to Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026

• Youth deer gun: Saturday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 23

• Deer gun: Monday, Dec. 1 through Monday, Dec. 8; Saturday, Dec. 20 and Sunday, Dec. 21

Deer muzzleloader: Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, through Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026

The Ohio Wildlife Council also heard a proposal to increase the antlerless deer limit on public hunting areas from one to two deer, as well as allow deer management permits to be used to hunt or take deer from public hunting areas.

Bag limit decreases from three to two deer were proposed for Defiance and Paulding counties.

The proposals also included expanding the chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance area to include Bath, Monroe, Perry, and Richland townships in Allen County; Bucyrus, Dallas, and Tod townships in Crawford County; Marlboro, Troy, and Oxford townships in Delaware County; Delaware and Madison townships in Hancock County; Westfield Township in Morrow County; and Claibourne and Jackson townships in Union County.

Hunters in the disease surveillance area will have additional opportunities to harvest deer, if approved:

• Early deer archery: Saturday, Sept. 13 through Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026

• Early deer gun: Saturday, Oct. 11 through Monday, Oct. 13

Additional hunting proposals

The Ohio Wildlife Council received proposals for waterfowl, small game, migratory bird, and fall wild turkey hunting seasons. Most proposed season dates are similar to previous years, while proposed waterfowl hunting dates are slightly later.