Ohio is a great option for hunters looking to extend their archery season. They have a long archery season that runs from the end of September all the way through the beginning of February. In addition to your valid Ohio hunting license, you must purchase an either-sex deer permit or a deer management permit to hunt deer in Ohio. Ohio’s deer permit gives the hunter many opportunities because the tag is good for all seasons, allowing hunters to use different weapons throughout the season. The permits/licenses needed to hunt Ohio are OTC (over the counter), and are reasonably priced in comparison to many other states. Especially considering you can hunt with multiple weapons throughout the season on one permit.
Along with the long archery season, Ohio also has an annual seven day firearm season, a two day bonus firearms season (some years this isn’t an option), and a four day muzzleloader season. During the firearms season, hunting pressure is usually high due to the large number of resident and nonresident hunters, but people can still find pockets of unpressured deer on public land if they are willing to cover ground.
Learn more about hunting Ohio here.
REGIONS OF OHIO
Northwest
Diverse habitat exists throughout the state and each area can look much different from one region to the next. Northwestern Ohio is extremely flat with large agriculture fields taking up most of the landscape. The only permanent cover are small woodlots. Most of the land is private with minimal public hunting opportunities. This type of landscape continues until you approach the middle of the state and continue to the eastern side of Ohio.
Northeast
Northeast Ohio is also flat, but has much more timber and more public land opportunities. The timber is usually hardwoods with marshy habitat mixed in. The Northeastern part of Ohio receives higher hunting pressure on available public lands. Possibly because it's closer to larger cities where higher populations of resident hunters live.
East
As you move south into Eastern Ohio, public land opportunities begin to increase. Eastern Ohio is known for its high deer densities and big bucks. This terrain is hilly with moderately sized wildlife areas. Many areas have a history of mining. Some were previously owned by companies which reclaimed the mines. These reclaimed areas are a mixture of upland habitat and young timber stands that can be extremely thick. Much of the habitat that's been replanted and used to "reclaim" the land are invasive species. This can be a challenge to navigate, but deer still favor these areas for security. They are very thick and offer habitat where bucks can grow old.
South/Southeastern Ohio
As you move into southern Ohio, public hunting areas become plentiful with larger state and federally owned forests and wildlife areas. Although these areas have room to roam, the deer densities are lower in this part of the state. Extremely steep terrain with unbroken, monotonous hardwoods can make these areas difficult to breakdown, but the deer have a good chance to reach an older age due to the large tracts of unbroken habitat. Hunters targeting these areas have to be willing to hike through rough country. However, by doing this they can find remote locations with some big bucks!
Private Land Opportunities
Ohio isn’t a state that has a lot of opportunities for gaining permission on private land. The high population, coupled with the trend toward leasing land to hunters makes it challenging to gain permission. This isn’t to say that permission is impossible to get, but know that you will be knocking on a lot of doors to find landowners who will grant permission.
Hunting Pressure
The highest hunting pressure in Ohio typically takes place in the first 10 days of November and during the firearms season. Many non-residents travel to Ohio during this time, and resident hunters take to the woods during this time as well. The rut takes place through the month of November and Ohio’s gun season doesn’t start until after Thanksgiving. This gives archery hunters more opportunity to rut hunt in comparison to other states.
Early and late season can be great opportunities for bowhunters trying to avoid the crowds. During this time, public land isn’t hunted as hard. Firearm hunters should expect to see people during all seasons but there can still be opportunities on public land if you are willing to work hard to cover ground and find areas that aren’t being pressured.
Our Opinion
Ohio is often regarded as a big buck state and is a huge draw for non-resident hunters. Keep in mind many of the big bucks taken in Ohio are shot on private land. This isn’t to say there aren’t big bucks on public, but the opportunity to shoot one isn’t as high as it is in other states. If your goal is to shoot only mature bucks be prepared for realistic expectations. It isn’t uncommon to see non-residents from Florida, Vermont, Michigan, and states in between. Hunting Ohio for non-resident hunters can be frustrating if they choose to hunt at the same time as everyone else. Don’t be afraid to “think outside of the box” when it comes to picking a time of the season to make a trip to Ohio to hunt. If you can hunt when there is less pressure, it may increase your odds of finding a mature buck.
