April 15, 2004

OHIO WILDLIFE COUNCIL APPROVES 2004-05
HUNTING AND TRAPPING REGULATIONS

2004-2005 HUNTING SEASON DATES SPECIES OPENING DATE CLOSING DATE Squirrel September 1 January 31 Mourning dove September 1 To Be Announced Geese September 1 To Be Announced Teal September 1 To Be Announced White-tailed deer • archery season October 2 January 31 • special-area muzzleloader October 25 October 30 • youth gun season November 20 November 21 • gun season November 29 December 5 • statewide muzzleloader December 27 December 30 Ruffed grouse October 9 February 28 Wild turkey • fall season October 9 October 24 • fall archery only October 25 November 28 Youth upland season for cottontail rabbit, ringneck pheasant, bobwhite quail October 23 & 24 and October 30 & 31 Cottontail rabbit November 5 February 28 Ringneck pheasant November 5 January 2 Bobwhite quail November 5 November 28 Fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, weasel November 10 January 31

COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio hunters will have the opportunity to take an additional deer this fall as the 2004-05 hunting and trapping regulations were approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

A three-deer limit, Zone C, will return to this year's regulations, covering 26 southeast and south-central counties. The 34 counties of Zone B will have a two-deer limit. Zone A consists of 28 northwestern and a few northeastern counties, and will have a one-deer limit.

"The forecast is for a great deer season this fall," said Steven A. Gray, chief of the ODNR Division of Wildlife. "Ohio will likely have a record deer season due to the youth season and the number of three-deer counties. Also, we expect a large number of trophy whitetails to be taken around the state."

The extremely popular youth deer-gun season is scheduled for Saturday, November 20, and Sunday, November 21. Young hunters will be permitted to bag one deer of either sex in any county of Ohio. Any deer taken will be part of the young hunter's total season limit. Each youth hunter must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult while in the field.

The regular deer-gun season will begin on Monday, November 29, and run through Sunday, December 5. The archery season will run from October 2 through January 31, 2005. The statewide muzzleloader season will open on Monday, December 27, and run four days through Thursday, December 30. The special-area muzzleloader hunts will be open October 25 - 30 at Salt Fork, Shawnee and Wildcat Hollow for antlered deer only. Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.

For the 2005 hunting season, an earlier opening day has been approved for spring wild turkey season. Instead of opening the fourth Monday of April, the new opening date will be the Monday closest to April 21. For 2005, the opening date will be April 18.

September 1 will again be the kick-off date for the state's fall hunting seasons - with the opening of squirrel, dove, Canada goose, teal, rail, moorhen and snipe hunting.

Migratory waterfowl hunting rules and season dates will be set in August within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2004-05 framework, which will be supplied later this summer.

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APPROVED HUNTING AND TRAPPING REGULATIONS, 2004-05
(Significant changes are in bold red print.)

DEER: Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.

Archery season: October 2, 2004 through January 31, 2005. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset daily. Special Muzzleloader season: October 25 - 30, 2004 at Salt Fort, Shawnee and Wildcat Hollow. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.

Youth Deer season: November 20 and 21, 2004. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily. Only one deer per young hunter may be taken during this season.

Deer-Gun season: November 29 through December 5, 2004. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily. Statewide Muzzleloader season: December 27 - 30, 2004. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily.

Zone A -- Hunters can take only one deer during the 2004-05 seasons, which could be a deer of either sex. Twenty-eight counties, including Allen, Auglaize, Cuyahoga, Darke, Erie, Fulton, Geauga, Hancock, Henry, Lake, Lorain, Lucas, Medina, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Ottawa, Paulding, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Sandusky, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Van Wert, Wayne, Wood.

Zone B -- Hunters can take only two deer during the 2004-05 seasons, which could be a deer of either sex. Thirty-four counties, including: Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Crawford, Defiance, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Highland, Huron, Logan, Madison, Mahoning, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, Richland, Seneca, Trumbull, Union, Warren, Williams, Wyandot.

Zone C -- Hunters can take no more than three deer during the 2004-05 seasons, of which only one could be an antlered deer. Twenty-six counties, including: Athens, Belmont, Coshocton, Fairfield, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Licking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Tuscarawas, Vinton, Washington.

DOVES, DUCKS, GEESE, COOTS, AND MERGANSERS: Hunting days and bag limits will be set within the framework which will be provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service later this summer. Assuming the framework is similar to the 2003-04 season, dove season, the early goose season and the special teal season will open September 1.

SQUIRREL: September 1 through January 31. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit: 6.

GROUSE: Open second Saturday in October (9) through February 28. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit: 3.

YOUNG HUNTERS' UPLAND SEASON: Open the two Saturdays and Sundays immediately before the regular opening date (October 23, 24, 30 and 31) statewide (public and private lands). Rabbit, pheasant, and all other legal game that is in season may be taken. Quail may be taken in counties open to quail hunting. Daily bag limits same as during the regular hunting seasons.

FALL WILD TURKEY: Open second Saturday in October (9) through the third following Sunday, October 24 for hunters using a shotgun with shot, a longbow or a crossbow and through the Sunday after Thanksgiving, November 28, for hunters using a longbow or a crossbow. Counties open to hunting are Adams, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lawrence, Licking, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Richland, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington counties. Limit one turkey of either sex per fall season. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset from October 9 through October 24 and one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset from October 25 through November 28.

RABBIT: Open first Friday in November (5) through February 28. Hours are sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit: 4.

PHEASANT: Open first Friday in November (5) through January 2. Hours are sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit: 2. Cocks only.

QUAIL: Open first Friday in November (5) through November 28. Hours are sunrise to sunset. Counties open to hunting are Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Preble, Highland, Jackson, Meigs, Montgomery, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton, and Warren. Daily bag limit: 4.

FOX, OPOSSUM, SKUNK, AND WEASEL TRAPPING: Open November 10 through January 31. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.

FOX HUNTING: Open November 10 through January 31. Daytime hunting of fox closed during deer gun season. No other restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.

RACCOON TRAPPING: Open November 10 through January 31. Season extends through March 15 in Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties and Lucas County east of the Maumee River. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limits.

RACCOON AND OPOSSUM HUNTING: Open November 10 through January 31. No daily bag limit.

MINK AND MUSKRAT TRAPPING: Open November 10 through February 28. Season extends through March 15 in Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties and Lucas County east of the Maumee River. No restriction on hours. No daily bag limit.

BEAVER TRAPPING: North Zone (the area north of Interstate 76 and east of Interstate 77) opens December 26, 2004 through February 28, 2005 and the South Zone (rest of state) opens December 26, 2004 through February 28, 2005. Nonresidents may trap beaver only if the state of their residence permits Ohio citizens to trap beaver. Beaver trapping on state public hunting areas without a special beaver-trapping permit from the Ohio Division of Wildlife is prohibited.

SPRING WILD TURKEY: Open statewide (except on designated youth hunting areas) on Monday April 18, 2005 through Sunday, May 15, 2005. Hours are one-half hour before sunrise to noon. Open statewide to youth hunters (17 years old and younger) for turkey hunting on the Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to the regular spring wild turkey season (April 16 & 17, 2005). Hours for youth hunts will be a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. Limit 2 bearded turkeys per hunter per spring season.

CROW: Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 11, 2004 through March 20, 2005. Hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. No daily bag limit.

FALCONRY: Seasons for all non-migratory small game species will open on September 1 and extend through March 10, 2005.

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For Further Information Contact:
Dave Scott, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6338
-or-
Jane Beathard, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6860