Ohio Deer Hunting Season 2025, 2026
Recorded deer windows for Ohio, including history and unverified dates.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
2 of 6 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
Ohio Deer Season Calendar
Find all deer hunting season dates for Ohio including archery, rifle, muzzleloader, and shotgun seasons for 2025, 2026.
Deer Season Coming Soon
Seasons opening in the next 60 days
Nov 30 - Dec 6, 2026
Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions. Actual agency-hosted2026–27 guide printed/PDF6 Gun Nov30–Dec6 and Bonus Gun Dec19–20, separate windows with no December gap bridge. Only Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun subset under valid hunting license/either-sex deer permit reviewed; not individual permission. Only one antlered deer statewide across all seasons, not one each window; at least one antler3 inches. Printed/PDF8 shotgun10 gauge or smaller, one ball or rifled slug per barrel, no more than three shells chamber/magazine combined; one hunting implement subject to concealed-handgun exception. Hours30 minutes before sunrise–30 minutes after sunset. Current license/permit/exemptions, county/state bag, property boundaries, firearm/ammunition/orange/hours/tag/check/reporting/CWD/local/access/closures/amendments need checks. No other county/method/sex/youth/DSA/archery/muzzleloader/public/controlled hunts verified. Agency publication entry404, title/body unknown; PDF directly read, not inferred from failed entry. Six history rows/license metadata unverified; summary not complete laws.
All Deer Seasons
6 seasons for Ohio deer hunting
Nov 30 - Dec 6, 2026
Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions. Actual agency-hosted2026–27 guide printed/PDF6 Gun Nov30–Dec6 and Bonus Gun Dec19–20, separate windows with no December gap bridge. Only Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun subset under valid hunting license/either-sex deer permit reviewed; not individual permission. Only one antlered deer statewide across all seasons, not one each window; at least one antler3 inches. Printed/PDF8 shotgun10 gauge or smaller, one ball or rifled slug per barrel, no more than three shells chamber/magazine combined; one hunting implement subject to concealed-handgun exception. Hours30 minutes before sunrise–30 minutes after sunset. Current license/permit/exemptions, county/state bag, property boundaries, firearm/ammunition/orange/hours/tag/check/reporting/CWD/local/access/closures/amendments need checks. No other county/method/sex/youth/DSA/archery/muzzleloader/public/controlled hunts verified. Agency publication entry404, title/body unknown; PDF directly read, not inferred from failed entry. Six history rows/license metadata unverified; summary not complete laws.
Dec 19-20, 2026
Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions. Actual agency-hosted2026–27 guide printed/PDF6 Gun Nov30–Dec6 and Bonus Gun Dec19–20, separate windows with no December gap bridge. Only Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun subset under valid hunting license/either-sex deer permit reviewed; not individual permission. Only one antlered deer statewide across all seasons, not one each window; at least one antler3 inches. Printed/PDF8 shotgun10 gauge or smaller, one ball or rifled slug per barrel, no more than three shells chamber/magazine combined; one hunting implement subject to concealed-handgun exception. Hours30 minutes before sunrise–30 minutes after sunset. Current license/permit/exemptions, county/state bag, property boundaries, firearm/ammunition/orange/hours/tag/check/reporting/CWD/local/access/closures/amendments need checks. No other county/method/sex/youth/DSA/archery/muzzleloader/public/controlled hunts verified. Agency publication entry404, title/body unknown; PDF directly read, not inferred from failed entry. Six history rows/license metadata unverified; summary not complete laws.
Sep 27, 2025 - Feb 1, 2026
Unverified date record; agency review required. Extended archery
Nov 30 - Dec 7, 2025
Unverified date record; agency review required. Gun week one
Dec 13-14, 2025
Unverified date record; agency review required. Gun week two
Jan 3-6, 2026
Unverified date record; agency review required. Muzzleloader only
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Zone-Specific Information
Ohio has different deer hunting dates by zone. This page shows seasons for: Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun — Gun, either-sex permit, Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun — Bonus Gun, either-sex permit. Check the official state regulations for detailed zone maps and boundaries.
Important Note for Ohio
Only Athens private legal-antlered shotgun Gun Nov30–Dec6 and Bonus Gun Dec19–20 reviewed from actual2026–27 guide, no gap bridge. Valid hunting license/either-sex permit, only one antlered statewide across all seasons,3-inch antler,10-gauge-or-smaller/slug/three-shell limits retained. Current license/permit/bag/boundaries/firearm/orange/hours/CWD/local/tag/check/access rules need checks. Other hunts/six history rows/license metadata unverified; agency publication entry404 explicit, not individual permission.
Ohio Deer Hunting FAQ
Common questions about deer hunting in Ohio
When is deer season in Ohio?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2026-11-30 to 2026-12-06; 2026-12-19 to 2026-12-20; 2025-09-27 to 2026-02-01; 2025-11-30 to 2025-12-07; 2025-12-13 to 2025-12-14; 2026-01-03 to 2026-01-06. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
When does archery deer season start in Ohio?
Recorded archery deer window: Sep 27, 2025 to Feb 1, 2026. Unverified date record; agency review required. Extended archery
Does Ohio have a muzzleloader deer season?
Recorded muzzleloader deer window: Jan 3, 2026 to Jan 6, 2026. Unverified date record; agency review required. Muzzleloader only
Are there different deer hunting zones in Ohio?
Yes, Ohio has zone-specific deer seasons. The zones include: Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun — Gun, either-sex permit, Athens County private-land legal-antlered shotgun — Bonus Gun, either-sex permit. Check the season calendar above for zone-specific dates.
Do I need a license to hunt deer in Ohio?
Yes, you need a valid Ohio hunting license and any required deer tags or permits. Check with the Ohio wildlife agency for current license requirements and fees.
Deer Hunting in Other States
Compare deer seasons across states
View All Ohio Hunting Seasons
See recorded windows and their review status for other species in Ohio.
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