Ohio hunters reported checking 232,142 white-tailed deer during the 2025-26 season, which ended on February 1, according to a news release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. This total includes deer harvested during archery, gun, muzzleloader, and youth seasons since September 13, 2025.
The 2025-26 figure is the seventh-highest on record for Ohio and marks the fourth consecutive year with totals exceeding 200,000. Last season’s count was slightly higher at 238,137. The average over the previous three years (2022-2024) stands at 221,013.
Officials noted that Athens, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties saw lower-than-average harvests due to an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) over the summer. These four counties combined for 4,289 deer checked this season compared to 15,659 last year.
Historic data shows that Ohio’s highest deer harvest occurred in the 2009-10 season with 260,442 animals checked. Other high marks include:
2008-09 — 251,299
2010-11 — 238,683
2024-25 — 238,137
2006-07 — 236,676
2007-08 — 232,212
For the most recent season:
Archery hunters checked in 104,731 deer.
The weeklong gun season accounted for 85,448.
A two-day gun season added another 15,835.
Four days of muzzleloader hunting resulted in a harvest of 13,055.
Youth hunters checked in 9,759 animals over two days.
Controlled firearm hunts contributed an additional 3,314.
Coshocton County led all others with hunters checking in 8,527 deer—marking its twenty-fourth consecutive year at the top. Other leading counties included Tuscarawas (7,623), Ashtabula (7,161), Knox (6,704), Muskingum (6,283), Carroll (6,077), Licking (5,770), Holmes (5,717), Trumbull (5,324), and Columbiana (5,245).
A total of 424,241 deer permits were issued statewide across all hunting seasons. Of these permits:
30,532 were deer management permits,
138,677 were either-sex permits,
Landowners without permit requirements checked in another 62,933 deer from their own property.
Deer management permits were valid for antlerless deer until December 21 on both private and public land. In comparison to last year’s numbers: hunters validated fewer management permits but also slightly fewer either-sex permits.
Regarding hunting implements used:
Straight-walled cartridge rifles accounted for about one-third of all reported harvests,
Crossbows made up another third,
Vertical bows and shotguns each represented about thirteen percent,
Muzzleloaders made up six percent,
Handguns accounted for less than one percent.
Of all deer checked:
48% were does,
42% were antlered bucks,
9% were button bucks,
1% had shed antlers or antlers shorter than three inches.
Nonresident license sales came from all fifty states. The highest numbers came from Pennsylvania (6,768 licenses sold), Michigan (4,426), North Carolina (2,999), New York (2 ,839) and West Virginia (2 ,750).
Buckeye Firearms Association operates as a grassroots organization centered in Ohio that focuses on defending firearm rights including those related to hunting activities such as these annual seasons. According to its official website, it provides legislative alerts and information on laws affecting gun owners in Ohio as well as updates on training opportunities and related events. The group advocates for legal firearm use in self-defense and recreational pursuits while concentrating its efforts within Ohio (source).
