John Hageman

As Ohio’s statewide archery season approached and then opened on Sept. 28, hunters, property owners, and kayakers/canoeists began to encounter dead deer of all shapes and sizes, including trophy bucks, often near water sources.
Of those submitted for testing to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, the cause of death as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) has been confirmed in 20 counties.

During the 2024-25 deer hunting season, hunters will see some changes in how the Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW) proceeds with chronic wasting disease (CWD) management in the wild deer herd.
For starters, vocal opposition by some landowners and sportsmen have led to a decision to cease targeted removal efforts in 2024-25 in favor of allowing hunters and landowners in the Deer Surveillance Area (DSA) of Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties enhanced opportunities to manage the deer population in their community.