Ohio
750,000
Est. Whitetail Population
406,600
No. Licenses Sold Annually
$50 and Up
Resident hunting license and deer permit
$257 and Up
Non-resident hunting license and deer permit
201 1/8"
Taken by Bradley S. Jerman in Warren County in 2004. It ranks No. 15 of all time.
Record B&C Typical Stat
799
Total B&C Typical Entries
328 2/8"
The top-scoring nontypical was picked up in Portage County in 1940. It is the second-highest scoring nontypical of all time.
Record B&C Non-Typical Stat
538
Record B&C Non-Typical Entries
Check out the latest deer-hunting info for Ohio. Image by Steve Jamsa
Season Dates (2025):
Bow season is Sept. 27 to Feb. 1. Youth weekend is Nov. 22 and 23. Gun season is Dec. 1-7, and Dec. 20-21. Muzzleloader season is Jan. 4-7. Please check the OHIO DNR WEBSITE to confirm.
The Grade: A
As far as Antler Nation grading criteria are concerned, Ohio is arguably the best state in the country. It has solid deer densities and consistently big bucks. OTC licenses are inexpensive, and there are approximately 1,160,000 acres of public land to hunt. Hunting pressure varies from moderate to heavy depending on the season and region.
The inexpensive tags and monster bucks have caught the attention of traveling hunters, and now finding isolation from hunting pressure is increasingly difficult. But that doesn’t deter us from giving it the coveted A for yet another deer season.
Antler Nation Knowledge:
The entire state enjoys good genetics, habitat, and soil. Ohio cranks out Booner bucks like few other places. Still, looking solely at data from the past decade, there are several winners. Adams, Butler, Coshocton, Franklin, Highland, Licking, Muskingum, and Summit counties take most of the top spots. You also can’t go wrong with other counties in the state’s southern half.
In recent years, Ohio has put into effect public-land restrictions meant to increase the buck age structure. Some national forests, natural areas, preserves, state parks and other areas are OPEN TO HUNTING. The state has many large tracts of land that are open to the public. Some of these require a permit, though. Check specific regulations for individual hunt areas. Hunters should also consider applying for controlled hunts. These hunts are held on Ohio Division of Wildlife properties, parks and watercraft areas, natural areas, and some preserves.
If you decide to hunt public land, just know this can be unforgiving terrain. Most of this country is rugged and hilly, and it takes endurance and sweat to reach some of the best spots on public ground. But it’s worth it. There are giant whitetails living in the hills of Ohio, and they aren’t in short supply.
