Ohio Deer Gun Week Yields 85,448 as Coshocton Leads State

Overview

• ODNR reported 85,448 deer checked during the Dec. 1–7 gun season, a slight decline from 2024 yet well above the three-year average of 76,409.
• Statewide harvest since the September archery opener reached 187,283 deer through the end of gun week.
• Coshocton County led with 3,037 deer, edging Ashtabula at 3,031, with Ashland, Ashtabula, Carroll and Tuscarawas giving Northeast Ohio four spots in the top 10.
• Straight-walled cartridge rifles accounted for 57,623 deer (67%), followed by shotguns at 23,217 (27%), with smaller shares for muzzleloaders, archery equipment and handguns.
• A summer Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease outbreak depressed harvests and prompted reduced bag limits in Athens, Meigs, Morgan and Washington counties, with additional hunting set for Dec. 20–21 and Jan. 3–6 and archery open through Feb. 1, 2026.