Hunting / Legal Definitions

As used in Chapters 1531 and 1533 of the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code:

ACCOMPANY means to go along with another person while staying within a distance from the person that enables uninterrupted, unaided visual and auditory communications.

APV USE - In accordance with 4519.40 of the Ohio Revised Code, all-purpose vehicles and snowmobiles may NOT be used:

(A) On any land or waters controlled by the state, except at those locations where a sign has been posted permitting such operation;

(B) While transporting any firearm, bow, or other implement for hunting, that is not unloaded and securely encased;

(C) For the purpose of chasing, pursuing, capturing, or killing any wild animal or wild fowl.

BAITED AREA means any area where shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, wheat or other grain, salt, or other feed whatsoever capable of luring, attracting, or enticing game animals or birds is directly or indirectly placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered and such area shall remain a baited area for ten days following complete removal of all such corn, wheat or other grain, salt, or other feed.

BAITING means the placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of shelled, shucked, or unshelled corn, wheat or other grain, salt or other feed so as to constitute for such wild turkeys, mourning doves or migratory birds, a lure, attraction or enticement to, on or over any area where hunters are attempting to take them.

BAG LIMIT means the number, measurement, or weight of any kind of crayfish, aquatic insects, fish, frogs, turtles, wild birds, and wild quadrupeds permitted to be taken.

CLOSED SEASON means that period of time during which the taking of wild animals protected by Chapters 1531 and 1533 of the Ohio Revised Code is prohibited.

CROSSBOW means a device for propelling an arrow by means of traverse limbs and a string, mounted on a stock at least twenty-five inches in length, and having a working safety.

FURBEARING ANIMALS include minks, weasels, raccoons, skunks, opossums, muskrats, fox, beavers, badgers, otters, coyotes, bobcats, and fishers.

GAME BIRDS include ringneck pheasants, bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, pinnated grouse, wild turkeys, Hungarian partridge, Chukar partridge, woodcocks, crows, black-breasted plovers, golden plovers, Wilson’s snipe or jacksnipe, greater and lesser yellowlegs, rail, coots, gallinules, duck, geese, mourning doves, and brant.

GAME QUADRUPEDS include cottontail rabbits, chipmunks, flying squirrels, gray squirrels, black squirrels, fox squirrels, red squirrels, groundhogs, whitetail deer, wild boar, black bears, and porcupines.

HUNTING means pursuing, shooting, killing, following after or on the trail of, lying in wait for, shooting at, or wounding wild birds or wild quadrupeds while employing any device commonly used to kill or wound wild birds or wild quadrupeds whether such acts result in such killing or wounding or not. It includes every attempt to kill or wound and every act of assistance to any other person in killing or wounding or attempting to kill or wound wild birds or wild quadrupeds.

LONGBOW or BOW means a device for propelling an arrow by means of limbs, and a string which is hand held, hand drawn, and held in a drawn position by hand or a hand held mechanical release. This would include compound and recurve bows.

MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS are waterfowl, rails, mourning doves, and shorebirds.

NONGAME BIRDS include all other wild birds not included and defined as game birds.

PLUGGED SHOTGUN means a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells, that is plugged with a one-piece filler which limits the capacity of the gun to three shells. The filler must be such that it cannot be removed without disassembling the gun.

PROTECTED SPECIES including yellowlegs, plovers, snowshoe hares, bears, badgers, bobcats, fishers, porcupines, and flying squirrels, and nongame birds may not be hunted or taken at anytime; Hungarian partridge may not be taken except from a shooting preserve, dog training area, or field trial.

TENANT means an individual who resides on land for which he pays rent and whose annual income is primarily derived from agricultural production conducted on that land, as “agricultural production” is defined in Section 929.01 of the Revised Code.

TRAPPING means securing or attempting to secure possession of a wild bird or wild quadruped by means of setting, placing, drawing, or using any device that is designed to close upon, hold fast, confine, or otherwise capture a wild bird or wild quadruped whether such means result in such capturing or not. It includes every act of assistance to any other person in capturing wild birds or wild quadrupeds by means of such device whether such means result in such capturing or not.

WILD ANIMALS include mollusks, crustaceans, aquatic insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, wild birds, wild quadrupeds, and all other wild mammals.

2923.15 ORC No person, while under the influence of alcohol or any drug of abuse, shall carry or use any firearm or dangerous ordnance.

2923.16 and 1547.69 ORC No person shall knowingly transport or have a firearm in a motor vehicle, unless it is unloaded, and is carried in one of the following ways:

(1) In a closed package, box, or case;

(2) In a compartment which can be reached only by leaving the vehicle;

(3) In plain sight and secured in a rack or holder made for the purpose;

(4) If the firearm is at least 24 inches in overall length as measured from the muzzle to the part of the stock furthest from the muzzle, and if the barrel is at least 18 inches in length in plain sight with the action open or the firearm stripped, or, if the firearm is of a type on which the action will not stay open or which cannot easily be stripped, in plain sight.

(5) A person possessing a valid Ohio issued Concealed Carry license may carry their concealed weapon in compliance with motor vehicle transportation guidelines of the Ohio Revised Code.

As used in this section, “unloaded” means, with respect to a firearm employing a percussion cap, flintlock, or other obsolete ignition system, that the firearm is uncapped, or that the priming charge is removed from the pan.

The above sections also apply to watercraft, except while LAWFULLY engaged in hunting.

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