OHIO – Hunters prepare and animals beware; the fall hunting season in the Buckeye State begins this weekend, September 1
According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, hunting seasons for squirrels (fox, red and gray squirrels), doves, rails (grey and sora rails), snipe and moorhens begin on Sunday, September 1. Shortly after, early Canada goose hunting begins from Saturday, September 7 through Sunday, September 15. Early teal hunting (blue and green-winged teals) begins on September 7 and runs through September 22, and bowhunting season for deer begins not long after.
The deer archery season begins September 28th.
Squirrel season runs through January 31, 2025. For hunters, fox squirrels are more common in western Ohio, while gray squirrels are spotted in the east. Dove populations are strong in agricultural areas before they migrate south for the winter. Dove hunting season ends November 3. The second season begins December 7 and runs through January 1, 2025.
Waterfowl hunting from boats is also popular near agricultural fields, wetlands and ponds. The ODNR reminds hunters that identification is important, especially early in the season when similar species are not legal game.
A summary of hunting and trapping regulations for 2024–25 can be found at wildohio.gov, the HuntFish OH app, or wherever licenses are sold.
The regulations regarding changes to the season dates and daily limits with the start of the autumn season are also to be changed.
Bowhunting for deer begins Sept. 28, but hunters in disease control areas such as Hardin, Marion and Wyandot counties and Auglaize and Jackson townships in Allen County can begin bowhunting as early as Sept. 14. Deer management permits, valid for antlerless deer, can be used until Dec. 22, the last day of the bonus firearm deer hunting season.
