Ohio hunters as soon as once more delivered a robust efficiency through the 2025–26 deer season, checking a complete of 232,142 white-tailed deer, in keeping with the Ohio Division of Pure Sources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The season concluded on Feb. 1 and included all archery, gun, muzzleloader, and youth hunts relationship again to Sept. 13.
That complete ranks because the seventh-highest deer harvest in state historical past and marks the fourth straight season topping 200,000 deer. Whereas it didn’t fairly match final yr’s 238,137 deer, it nonetheless sits properly above the current three-year common of 221,013.
Tens of millions of Kilos of Venison
Past the numbers, the season put an estimated 11 million kilos of venison on Ohio dinner tables and freezers. With one deer offering about 50 kilos of meat. ODNR emphasised the significance of hunters in feeding households and supporting meals banks statewide.
That influence grew throughout Deer Donation Days, when ODNR teamed up with Ohio Penal Industries on the Pickaway Correctional Establishment to course of donated deer. Hunters contributed 136 deer, yielding 5,328 kilos of processed venison. Extra assist was supplied by a partnership with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, which helped increase donations to native meals pantries.
EHD in Southeast Ohio
Not each a part of the state skilled sturdy numbers. An unprecedented outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Illness (EHD) brought on considerably decrease harvests in Athens, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties. These 4 counties mixed for 4,289 deer, a pointy drop from 15,659 the earlier season.
One County Stands Out
Coshocton County maintained its long-standing dominance by main the state with 8,527 deer checked, marking its twenty fourth consecutive yr on the prime. Archery made up the biggest portion of the harvest, carefully adopted by the weeklong gun season. Straight-walled cartridge rifles and crossbows remained the preferred implements.
Zooming Out
All advised, Ohio’s 2025–26 season bolstered one factor: deer looking stays sturdy, influential, and deeply rooted within the Buckeye State. It’s each a convention and a lifestyle.
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