GREAT OUTDOORS: Ohio hunters harvested 232,000 deer

After the conclusion of the archery season Feb. 1, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife posted the results of the deer hunting seasons. Ohio hunters checked 232,142 white-tailed deer during the 2025-26 season, the seventh highest total on record, topping 200,000 for the fourth consecutive season. The long archery hunting season from September 27 to February 1 accounted for 104,731 of the deer harvested with crossbow users, procuring 33% of the overall take and vertical bows adding 13% more. An additional 85,448 were shot during the week-long firearms season December 1-7 plus another 15,835 were tagged during the bonus firearms weekend of December 20-21. The muzzleloader season on January 3-6 subtracted another 13,055 from the herd and other special hunts accounted for the rest. Straight-walled cartridge rifles used during firearms seasons accounted for 34% of the deer taken. Shotguns added 13%, muzzleloaders bagged 6%, with less than 1% using handguns. The leading county for the past 24 years has been Coshocton, which recorded 8,527 this season. Tuscarawas came in second with 7,623 and Ashtabula added 7,161. Closer to home, harvests included: Ashland: 5,108; Cuyahoga: 822; Erie: 1,161; Huron: 3,520; Lorain: 2,799; Lucas: 965; Medina: 3,133; Ottawa: 851; Sandusky: 1,485; Williams: 2,842; and Wood: 1,434. The composition of the deer checked in included 111,921 does, which were 48%. It takes a 60% harvest of does to keep up with population increases. There were 95,998 (42%) antlered bucks, 21,257 (9%) button bucks and 2,966 (1%) bucks that had shed their antlers or they were shorter than three inches and legally considered "antlerless." Overall, the harvest was in line with what was expected, with significantly lower harvest numbers in four counties that were the most impacted by the Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease outbreak last summer. The combined total of Athens, Meigs, Morgan and Washington counties for the 2025-26 season was 4,289 deer checked compared to 15,659 last season. The Division of Wildlife has increased its efforts to help hunters donate their harvested deer to food pantries through Deer Donation Days. They collaborated with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's Ohio Penal Industries' meat processing facility at the Pickaway Correctional Institution to process donated deer. Hunters donated 136 deer through the Deer Donation Days, producing 5,328 pounds of processed venison. The Division of Wildlife also partnered with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to support local food banks with donated venison. Visit wildohio.gov or feedingthehungry.org for more information. One disappointing development was the discovery that a deer processor was selling venison that was intended to be provided to local food pantries. The ODNR, Division of Wildlife's law enforcement officers discovered numerous wildlife violations by Rodney Shields, 59, of Harrisville, owner of Rod's Custom Deer Processing. Violations included the unlawful sale of venison, much of which came from checked deer that were donated and meant to go to local food pantries. Shields pleaded guilty to seven charges in Harrison County Common Pleas Court. He was ordered to pay $16,500 in restitution, to be divided among victims whose venison was stolen and sold, and ODNR Division of Wildlife. Shields also received 17 months of suspended jail time and two years of community control. He pleaded guilty to felony counts of obstructing justice, theft by deception and illegal sales, plus misdemeanor charges. This infraction erodes the confidence of hunters who in good faith do extra work in order to donate meat to needy families and individuals.