Ohio’s deer archery season off and running in 2025; here’s what to know

Columbus — Ohio has a long deer archery season that is open Saturday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.

Hunters may use crossbows, compound bows, recurve bows, and longbows to pursue deer during the archery season. Deer are Ohio’s most sought-after wild game and an important food source for families across the Buckeye State, according to the ODNR Division of Wildlife.

Bowhunting in Ohio is one of the most popular ways to hunt, as shown by the record 106,269 deer taken during the 2024-25 archery season. Overall, hunters checked 238,137 deer in 2024-25, the fourth-highest total on record.

October and November are the most popular months for bowhunting because of increased deer activity during the animals’ breeding season. Follow along as Ohio’s deer season harvest totals are posted every Wednesday.

MORE COVERAGE FROM OHIO OUTDOOR NEWS:

Ohio hunters weigh in on EHD concerns as officials propose bag limit change in three counties

What can Ohio hunters expect during the 2025 waterfowl season?

Ohio’s fall turkey hunting success may be best in southwest due to last spring’s cicada emergence

Following an unprecedented outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in Athens, Meigs, and Washington counties, the Division of Wildlife has proposed a bag limit reduction in these counties, which would take effect on Monday, Dec. 1, if approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council. This date coincides with the opening day of the seven-day deer gun season. Public comments on the proposal are accepted online at wildohio.gov until Thursday, Oct. 16.

Ohio has additional deer hunting options to accompany the statewide archery season. The two-day youth gun season is Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22-23. The statewide seven-day gun season is open from Monday, Dec. 1 to Sunday, Dec. 7. An additional two-day gun season for all hunters is Dec. 20-21, followed by late-season muzzleloader hunting Jan. 3-6, 2026.

Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license and deer permit before heading into the field. The deer management permit, used for antlerless deer only, is valid on private land and public hunting areas until the close of the bonus gun hunting weekend on Dec. 21. Either-sex permits can be used to harvest antlered or antlerless deer and are valid statewide until Feb. 1, 2026.

Find more details in the 2025-26 Hunting and Trapping Regulations.