During the weeklong and extra weekend of deer-gun season, 86,853 deer were checked by Ohio hunters. In total, 102,672 deer were harvested with a gun, including muzzleloaders, during the 2020-2021 gun hunting seasons. Over the last three years, hunters harvested an average of 90,722 deer during the three gun hunting seasons.
The total number of deer taken in Ohio during all 2020-2021 hunting seasons is 187,883, with one month remaining to hunt with archery equipment. That number has already surpassed last season’s final tally of 184,468.
“Deer hunters have taken advantage of Ohio’s abundant deer population and found success this year, and the muzzleloader season was no exception,” said Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker in a release. “Hunting with a muzzleloader is rooted in history, while modern advances will satisfy even the most tech savvy hunters. We are pleased that so many Ohioans continue to enjoy this hunting season.”
Top 10 counties for deer harvested during the 2021 muzzleloader season include: Coshocton (367), Tuscarawas (344), Licking (290), Guernsey (279), Muskingum (263), Meigs (260), Knox (256), Carroll (249), Holmes (243), and Ashtabula (238).
Each year, the number of deer taken with archery equipment continues to grow, while gun hunting also remains popular. Beginning in September, Ohio archery hunters have taken 85,211 deer, or 45% of the harvest.
OHIO DEER HUNTING SEASON
A county list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during the 2021 muzzleloader hunting season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2020, and the three-year average of deer harvested in 2017, 2018, 2019 is in parentheses.
Adams: 166 (220); Allen: 39 (54); Ashland: 195 (227); Ashtabula: 238 (284); Athens: 201 (326); Auglaize: 34 (54); Belmont: 223 (268); Brown: 178 (189); Butler: 79 (91); Carroll: 249 (325); Champaign: 89 (75); Clark: 32 (47); Clermont: 120 (141); Clinton: 33 (58); Columbiana: 169 (240); Coshocton: 367 (455); Crawford: 46 (68); Cuyahoga: 3 (2); Darke: 26 (42); Defiance: 82 (104); Delaware: 65 (66); Erie: 41 (40); Fairfield: 84 (136); Fayette: 14 (27); Franklin: 21 (37); Fulton: 22 (41); Gallia: 154 (165); Geauga: 91 (89); Greene: 41 (49); Guernsey: 279 (397); Hamilton: 17 (37); Hancock: 52 (64); Hardin: 71 (99); Harrison: 215 (310); Henry: 23 (32); Highland: 179 (192); Hocking: 135 (282); Holmes: 243 (282); Huron: 105 (131); Jackson: 154 (222); Jefferson: 136 (160); Knox: 256 (331); Lake: 27 (25); Lawrence: 100 (97); Licking: 290 (367); Logan: 105 (132); Lorain: 105 (127); Lucas: 10 (21); Madison: 33 (31); Mahoning: 90 (121); Marion: 29 (52); Medina: 132 (130); Meigs: 260 (309); Mercer: 31 (36); Miami: 25 (39); Monroe: 174 (222); Montgomery: 26 (29); Morgan: 201 (292); Morrow: 73 (107); Muskingum: 263 (423); Noble: 171 (247); Ottawa: 22 (28); Paulding: 41 (71); Perry: 149 (222); Pickaway: 37 (59); Pike: 118 (153); Portage: 80 (109); Preble: 50 (68); Putnam: 31 (23); Richland: 187 (238); Ross: 171 (231); Sandusky: 53 (56); Scioto: 103 (149); Seneca: 106 (101); Shelby: 50 (63); Stark: 150 (178); Summit: 24 (34); Trumbull: 122 (178); Tuscarawas: 344 (391); Union: 46 (54); Van Wert: 10 (24); Vinton: 134 (218); Warren: 42 (75); Washington: 226 (317); Wayne: 100 (158); Williams: 86 (93); Wood: 49 (50); Wyandot: 65 (88). 2020 total: 9,708 Three-year average: (12,695)
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