Ohio hunters take 19,251 white-tailed deer during statewide muzzleloader season | Sports & Recreation

COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters took 19,251 deer during Ohio's muzzleloader season, January 7-10, with Coshocton County again leading the state with 722 deer checked.   In 2011, a preliminary total of 16,934 deer were taken during muzzleloader season.

Counties reporting the highest number of deer checked during the muzzleloader season included: Coshocton-722, Licking-639, Muskingum-638, Guernsey-612, Tuscarawas-581, Belmont-577, Harrison-569, Knox-470, Meigs-466, and Jefferson-465.

In Southwest Ohio, the largest total this year was Adams County, with 336.  The heaviest totals in the state are generally in the areas with the most hills and the least people, which favors rural southeast Ohio.  Among counties containing Ohio's 6 large cities, (Cuyahoga-Cleveland, Franklin-Columbus, Hamilton-Cincinnati, Lucas-Toledo, Montgomery-Dayton, and Summit-Akron), Hamilton County, which is the hilliest, had the most deer taken, at 89.

Hunters can enjoy deer hunting through February 5 as the archery season continues.  Hunters who wish to share their success may submit a photo of themselves and the deer taken at wildohio.com.

Hunters can still donate extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need.  The division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison.  Hunters who give their deer to a participating food bank are not required to pay the processing cost while funding for the effort is available.  Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org.

The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all.  Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

The following is a list of deer checked and tagged by hunters during the statewide muzzleloader deer hunting season.  The number taken this past weekend is first, with last year's preliminary number in parentheses.

Adams -336 (281); Allen –77 (59); Ashland – 294(247); Ashtabula –374 (279); Athens –457 (372); Auglaize –87 (44); Belmont –577 (516); Brown –273 (229); Butler –131 (93); Carroll –418 (428); Champaign –132 (95); Clark –75 (52); Clermont –239 (218); Clinton –76 (55); Columbiana –331 (350); Coshocton –722 (622); Crawford –103 (60); Cuyahoga –5 (4); Darke –62 (28); Defiance –140 (126); Delaware –140 (109); Erie –42 (31); Fairfield –216 (233); Fayette –26 (29); Franklin –46 (36); Fulton –58 (55); Gallia –333 (305); Geauga –154 (140); Greene –67 (60); Guernsey –612 (576); Hamilton –89 (79); Hancock –111 (70); Hardin –141(77); Harrison –569 (618); Henry –68 (40); Highland –278 (244); Hocking –384 (315) ; Holmes –388 (343); Huron –173 (155); Jackson –282 (272); Jefferson –465 (431); Knox –470 (446); Lake –41 (26); Lawrence –220 (230); Licking –639 (627); Logan –179 (132); Lorain –162 (153); Lucas –31 (26); Madison –50 (39); Mahoning –154 (114); Marion –65 (45); Medina –146 (107);  Meigs –466 (461); Mercer –52 (19); Miami –61 (23); Monroe –422 (419); Montgomery –41 (30); Morgan –340 (354); Morrow –143 (104); Muskingum –638 (593); Noble –389 (353); Ottawa –37 (9); Paulding –122 (86); Perry –333 (298); Pickaway –71 (59); Pike –216 (159); Portage –176 (135); Preble –87 (64); Putnam –56 (19); Richland –290 (268); Ross –388 (323); Sandusky –72 (57); Scioto –276 (216); Seneca –142 (113); Shelby –95 (58); Stark –192 (156); Summit –52 (41); Trumbull –231 (246); Tuscarawas –581 (660); Union –92 (62); Van Wert –91 (39); Vinton –309 (231); Warren –139 (88); Washington – 462 (410); Wayne –139 (143); Williams –166 (134); Wood –40 (47); and Wyandot –136 (136). Total –19,251 (16,934).

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