Ohio Department of Natural Resources releases deer hunting weekend results
On Monday, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife released the results of deer gun hunting over the December 20 through December 21 weekend.
According to the ODNR, hunters took 17,386 deer during the bonus gun weekend in 2024, while hunters in 2025 checked 15,835.
The three-year average is reported by ODNR to be 16,010.
During the year, the Division of Wildlife has increased its efforts to help hunters donate their deer to food pantries, with a current total of more than 3,350 pounds of processed venison being donated thus far.
The top ten counties for deer taken across the state of Ohio in 2025 included:
- Coshocton with 576
- Ashtabula with 551
- Knox with 477
- Tuscarawas with 471
- Columbiana with 430
- Carroll with 427
- Muskingum with 398
- Ashland with 391
- Richland with 387
- Licking with 381
Legal hunting equipment during the deer gun season included specific shotguns, straight-walked cartridge rifles, muzzleloaders, handguns and archery equipment.
Overall, hunters have checked 111,042 deer during nine days of gun hunting and two days of the youth season.
