COLUMBUS, Ohio - Young hunters in the Valley bagged more deer during this past weekend’s two-day youth deer hunt compared to last year.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, hunters under 17 brought home 393 deer in the local three-county area on November 18 and 19.  Last year’s two-day youth season resulted in 281 deer kills, a difference of 112.

There were 181 deer brought home from Columbiana County, 149 in Trumbull County, and 63 in Mahoning County last weekend.

Statewide, young hunters harvested more than 10,039 white-tailed deer over the weekend.

Youth hunters checked 5,736 antlered and 4,303 antlerless deer during the weekend. In 2022, hunters harvested 9,510 deer during the two-day youth gun season. The three-year average from 2020 to 2022 is 7,649 deer.

The top 10 counties for deer taken during Ohio’s 2023 youth season include Tuscarawas (391); Coshocton (365); Muskingum (304); Knox (293); Holmes (267); Guernsey (261); Licking (256); Harrison (239); Belmont (209); and Richland (205).

This year’s youth season total is the second-highest harvest on record. In 2007, youth hunters took 10,059 deer with firearms during the two-day youth season.

The Division of Wildlife has issued 41,866 youth deer permits for this season.