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Deer totals way up

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s opening deer gun hunting day produced big numbers the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife reported.

A total of 21,754 deer were checked statewide which was much higher than the three-year average of 13,349 taken on opening day.

Ohio’s gun season is open until Sunday, Dec. 5, and again for two days on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 18-19.

Ohio’s weather for this year’s opening day was perfect for deer hunting: mostly to partly sunny and cool temperatures. In 2020, during a snowy and rainy gun opener, hunters bagged 10,905 deer.

In Columbina County, hunters harvested 448 deer which was well above the three-year average of 270.

The top 10 counties for deer harvest on the opening day of Ohio’s gun season include: Coshocton (850), Tuscarawas (729), Ashtabula (725), Knox (679), Muskingum (677), Holmes (650), Guernsey (642), Carroll (607), Licking (572), and Ashland (504). In 2020, Coshocton County also led the state on opening day with 356 deer taken.

Mahoning County hunters took 200 deer which was above the three-year average of 120.

Ohio archery hunters have taken 79,538 deer through Monday, Nov. 29. Plus, Ohio’s young hunters checked 7,634 deer during the 2021 youth gun season, Nov. 20-21.

Ohio offers many more opportunities for hunters to pursue deer. The gun season continues until Sunday and opens again on Dec. 18-19. Deer muzzleloader season is Jan. 8 through Tuesday, Jan. 11. Bowhunting is open until Sunday, Feb. 6.

Editor’s Note: A county list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during opening day of the 2021 deer gun hunting season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for opening day 2021, and the three-year average of deer harvested on opening day in 2018, 2019, 2020 is in parentheses. A three-year average provides a better overall comparison to this year’s harvest numbers, eliminating year-to-year variation because of weather, misaligned season dates, timing of the crop harvest, and other unavoidable factors. Harvest numbers below are raw data and subject to change. These numbers may include controlled hunts.

Adams: 288 (187); Allen: 92 (60); Ashland: 504 (282); Ashtabula: 725 (459); Athens: 420 (258); Auglaize: 135 (68); Belmont: 335 (227); Brown: 249 (171); Butler: 99 (50); Carroll: 607 (332); Champaign: 127 (78); Clark: 53 (28); Clermont: 162 (99); Clinton: 57 (45); Columbiana: 448 (270); Coshocton: 850 (536); Crawford: 191 (110); Cuyahoga: 8 (9); Darke: 86 (55); Defiance: 297 (190); Delaware: 139 (81); Erie: 91 (40); Fairfield: 240 (126); Fayette: 36 (18); Franklin: 38 (29); Fulton: 150 (84); Gallia: 306 (201); Geauga: 205 (98); Greene: 70 (34); Guernsey: 642 (368); Hamilton: 30 (16); Hancock: 164 (76); Hardin: 166 (113); Harrison: 429 (309); Henry: 140 (86); Highland: 309 (195); Hocking: 308 (246); Holmes: 650 (363); Huron: 375 (212); Jackson: 284 (195); Jefferson: 232 (164); Knox: 679 (435); Lake: 43 (27); Lawrence: 216 (123); Licking: 572 (368); Logan: 241 (143); Lorain: 193 (109); Lucas: 27 (24); Madison: 67 (26); Mahoning: 200 (120); Marion: 158 (79); Medina: 181 (95); Meigs: 370 (212); Mercer: 118 (64); Miami: 53 (32); Monroe: 276 (212); Montgomery: 56 (26); Morgan: 382 (256); Morrow: 217 (124); Muskingum: 677 (443); Noble: 387 (249); Ottawa: 56 (18); Paulding: 203 (121); Perry: 369 (216); Pickaway: 68 (52); Pike: 173 (116); Portage: 189 (103); Preble: 83 (41); Putnam: 117 (66); Richland: 414 (272); Ross: 264 (183); Sandusky: 72 (44); Scioto: 159 (106); Seneca: 310 (149); Shelby: 112 (66); Stark: 269 (157); Summit: 36 (18); Trumbull: 382 (280); Tuscarawas: 729 (474); Union: 119 (60); Van Wert: 81 (47); Vinton: 262 (158); Warren: 81 (46); Washington: 436 (285); Wayne: 251 (158); Williams: 318 (175); Wood: 89 (55); Wyandot: 262 (150).

2021 total: 21,754

Three-year average total: (13,349)

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