Ohio Hunting Season 2023-2024 is a highly anticipated time for outdoor enthusiasts in the Buckeye State. It’s essential to get acquainted with Ohio’s hunting laws, given the state’s many chances for shooting white-tailed deer, wild turkey, waterfowl, and migratory birds. Getting the required licenses and permits, observing bag and possession restrictions, and adhering to the guidelines for utilizing weapons, archery equipment, and other hunting instruments. We can ensure a secure and productive hunting season for all participants in Ohio by being aware of and complying with the hunting regulations.
It’s a chance to come back in touch with nature, test our abilities, and make lifelong memories in the great outdoors. This page covers Ohio’s hunting season’s particulars, including the dates, rules, and thrilling chances that await hunters in the forthcoming season. So prepare your equipment, and sharpen your senses for an incredible hunting season across Ohio’s untamed landscapes.
Ohio Hunting Seasons
Ohio Hunting Seasons
Content Highlights
Hunting options in the state include those for deer, wild turkeys, ducks, and other animals. Hunters must be informed of the laws and guidelines established to guarantee a safe and productive hunting experience. For instance, hunters must possess a current Ohio hunting license to hunt for particular species, such as ducks or wild turkeys. Hunters should also be aware of bag limitations, hunting seasons, and prohibitions on specific hunting techniques, such as lures or electronic calling devices. The need for the HIP certification, the Federal Migratory Bird Shooting Stamp (Duck Stamp), and the Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp endorsement for hunting waterfowl should also be known to hunters.
Below here are the lists of schedules for the season
Sept 1, 2023 - Dec 9, 2023
Nov 22, 2023 - Jan 1, 2024
A bag limit of 2 (males only)
Woodcock Season
Species
Hunting Dates
Note
American Woodcock
Oct 13, 2023 - Nov 26, 2023
A bag limit of 2 (males only)
General Hunting Regulations
To hunt in Ohio, you must have a current hunting license, unless you are exempt.
All hunters, including landowners, must have a harvest information program (HIP) certification number on their hunting license if they want to shoot migratory game birds such mourning doves, ducks, geese, woodcock, rails, coots, and snipe.
An Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp endorsement is required for all hunters who are at least 18 years old.
A federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp must be purchased and signed by any hunter who is 16 or older (Duck Stamp).
After the second day, the possession restriction for migratory and ducks is three times the daily bag limit.
With the help of or using bait, hunters are not allowed to pursue or capture wild turkeys.
Using a live decoy to hunt wild turkeys is prohibited.
Using or owning an electronic calling device during wild turkey hunting is prohibited.
A wild turkey that is perched on a tree cannot be taken or attempted to be taken.
While turkey hunting, it is forbidden to have more than one hunting tool in your possession.
If the wild turkey permit has been completed, the hunter is in possession of a current hunting license, and is successful in taking a wild turkey, the hunter may help another hunter.
During the youth waterfowl weekend, any hunters who are under the age of 17 may go waterfowling.
On October 1 and 2, 2022, active-duty personnel and veterans may go waterfowl hunting.
There is a daily limit of one turkey per hunter.
Deer hunting with bait is prohibited everywhere save on public lands and in disease surveillance areas.
Communication tools cannot be used by hunters to help in chasing or killing deer.
The deer permit must be carried by hunters, whether it is paper or digital.
A leashed dog may be used by hunters to retrieve a wounded deer.
With a hunting license and a valid deer permit, hunters may hunt coyotes and feral swine (wild boar) during the deer gun season, the youth deer gun season, and the deer muzzleloader season while visibly donning a vest, coat, jacket, or set of coveralls in solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange.
With the exception of authorized nontoxic shot, no one is allowed to capture ducks, geese (including brant), rail, snipe, moorhens, or coots while in possession of shot.
Visit OhioDNR.gov for additional information on regulations.
Hunting License
Hunting in Ohio requires a valid hunting license for both Ohio residents and non-residents . Ohio hunting licenses are valid for one year from the date of purchase. Hunting ducks requires a federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp (Duck Stamp). This requirement applies to those who are at least 16 years old. Check out the Ohio Department of Natural Resources eregulations website for additional details on license requirements, costs, and other laws.
What are the hunting season dates for Ohio in 2023?
Ohio’s 2023 hunting season provides an opportunity for several different game species. Archery season for deer hunting is September 30, 2023, to February 4, 2024, with youth gun and regular gun seasons in November and December. Turkey hunting season runs from October 14 to November 12 and April 20 to May 19, 2024, including a youth-specific session in April. Squirrel and rabbit hunting are among the small game hunting seasons in 2024. Hunting waterfowl is possible in 2023. Early and late Canada Goose seasons are September 2–10 and November 27–December 3, 2023, respectively.
What are the bag limits for hunting turkey, waterfowl and migratory birds in Ohio?
The spring wild turkey season’s bag restriction is one bearded wild turkey, while the fall season’s bag limit is one bird. The bag limit for waterfowl and migratory birds after the second day is three times the daily bag limit.
What equipment is legal for hunting in Ohio?
The use of a variety of equipment for hunting is permitted in Ohio. Hunting using straight-walled cartridge rifles, shotguns, and pistols is permitted. Bows and arrows—longbows, recurve bows, and compound bows—can also be utilized. Crossbows are allowed. Hunters may also use 12 ft-lb airguns. Hunting dogs may hunt small game and furbearers but not deer or turkey. Ohio’s rules provide hunters a variety of equipment while guaranteeing safety and animal management.
What permits are necessary for hunting in Ohio?
You need both a Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification and a current Ohio hunting license to go hunting in Ohio. Along with a signed federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp (Duck Stamp) for individuals who are 16 years of age or older, you also need an Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp endorsement to shoot waterfowl in Ohio.
Are there any special hunting regulations for active duty military and veterans in Ohio?
John Lewis, the passionate founder of HuntingSeasons.org, is committed to promoting responsible hunting and a profound love for the wilderness. With years of expertise, his platform serves as a reliable guide for hunting enthusiasts, advocating ethical practices and nature preservation.
where do I find a “printable form of the OHIO “Game Tag” form. I cannot find it in the last 2 yrs of Hunting Regulations or on the OHIO DNR website.
Thank you
Dan
First time hunter. Where can we hunt deer? Is there available community or government land that we can hunt on? Near Cincinnati Ohio