Hunters harvest 3,200 deer in Valley

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Hunters in the Mahoning Valley bagged 3,206 white-tailed during the annual gun hunting week that wrapped up on Sunday, according to the Ohio Department of Natural resources.
The Division of Wildlife reported that 1,342 deer were harvested in Columbiana County, 1,260 in Trumbull County, and 604 in Mahoning County.
Ohio’s largest county, Ashtabula, recorded the third-highest harvest in the state with 2,167 deer being taken.
Topping the list was Coshocton County with 2,281 deer recorded.
Statewide, Ohio's hunters harvested 71,650 deer during the week.
Deer hunting occurs in all 88 counties and an estimated 310,000 hunters participated during Ohio's weeklong deer-gun season.
Straight-walled cartridge rifles continue to grow in popularity each year since they became legal hunting implements in 2014. During the deer-gun week, straight-walled cartridge rifles were used for 44% of checked deer. Shotguns accounted for 47% of the total. In addition, 6% were taken with a muzzleloader, 2% by archery equipment, and 1% with a handgun.