Hunting / Youth Hunting

Note For All Youth Hunts
Accompanying a Youth Hunter
Youth Hunters' Small Game Season
Youth Deer Gun Season
Youth Deer Hunts
Special Hunt Opportunities at State Nature Preserves
Spring Youth Wild Turkey Hunts
Youth Wild Turkey Hunts
Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days
Youth Waterfowl Opening Day Hunts
Youth Controlled Waterfowl Hunts

Note For All Youth Hunts

All youth hunting opportunities (except the youth waterfowl hunting season) are available to any hunters that possess a valid youth hunting license. All young hunters participating in youth hunts, regardless of age, must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult. A non-hunting adult is any person (a hunting license is not required) age 18 or older who accompanies the young hunter to and from the field and is present with the young hunter while the young hunter is engaged in hunting. The non-hunting adult may not possess any hunting implements.

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

Read more about the law regarding accompanying a youth or apprentice hunter and the ages at which a hunter may hunt alone.

Youth hunters can hunt in any legal hunting season. Find out what licenses youth hunters need.

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Youth Hunters' Small Game Season

Any hunter that possesses a valid youth hunting license may hunt Oct. 20 & 21 and Oct. 27 & 28 statewide (public and private lands) for rabbit, pheasant, and all other legal game which is in season.

Rabbits may not be hunted in the Restricted Rabbit Hunting Area.

Quail may be taken only in those counties which are open to quail hunting.

Pheasant releases will occur for these hunts on the following wildlife areas: Berlin, Caesar Creek, Camp Belden, Darke, Delaware, Dillon, Fallsville, Grand River, Killdeer Plains, Oxbow Lake, Resthaven, Rush Run, Spencer, Wellington, and Charlemont Metropark (Lorain County).Daily bag limits are the same as during the regular hunting season.

Young hunters, regardless of age, must be accompanied at all times by a non-hunting adult, 18 years or older, when hunting during this season. No more than two youths per adult.

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Youth Deer Gun Season

A youth deer gun season will be open statewide, November 17 & 18, 2012 on public and private land. Young hunters 17 years old and younger at the time they purchase their youth hunting license, youth deer permit, and who are accompanied by a non-hunting adult may hunt.

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

Youth hunters may take deer of either sex during this season.

Deer taken by young hunters during the youth deer gun season count towards the zone and unit bag limits. Regular Zone bag limits apply.

Each deer taken must be temporarily tagged before hunting or pursuing another deer.

Young hunters who kill a deer during this season must follow all the tagging requirements for the deer hunting season. If the deer is killed on Saturday, the deer must be checked by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Sunday. If the deer is killed on Sunday the deer must be checked by 11:30 p.m. on that day.

All deer hunting implements that are legal during the regular deer season are permitted.

All youths and non-hunting adults must wear hunter orange.

Youths must possess a valid Ohio youth hunting license and deer permit.

Youths 17 years old and younger hunting on land their grandparents own are not required to have a hunting license, but must have a deer permit.

Youths 17 years old and younger hunting on land their parents own are not required to have a hunting license or deer permit.

Youth hunters, regardless of age, must be accompanied at all times by a non-hunting adult, 18 years or older, when hunting during this season. No more than two youths per adult.

No more than two youth hunters can be accompanied by one non-hunting adult and it is unlawful for the adult to hunt or possess a device commonly used to take wild animals.

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Youth Controlled Deer Hunts

The Division of Wildlife conducts several controlled deer hunts for young hunters. The dates and locations of the hunts vary from year to year. The application period is June 1 through July 31. Hunters may apply online at wildohio.com using a credit card. Application forms may be mailed and can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800- 945-3543).

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Spring Youth Wild Turkey Season

A statewide youth wild turkey season will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21, 2013. Open statewide EXCEPT for Lake La Su An Wildlife Area, which will conduct a controlled youth hunt; contact the District Two (Findlay) Office (419-424-5000) for details.

Youth hunters may only take one bearded turkey during the youth season.

Youth turkey hunters may only kill a total of two turkeys during the youth-only and spring turkey season combined.

All youth hunters must beaccompanied by a non-hunting adult and must have their valid youth hunting license and valid youth spring wild turkey permit to participate.

Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset.

Only shotguns using shot, crossbows, and longbows permitted.

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Special Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunts

Special youth wild turkey hunts will be held at Lake La Su An, Killbuck Marsh, and Mosquito Creek wildlife areas and Hueston Woods and Paint Creek State Park during the regular spring wild turkey season. Any person interested in participating in these hunts should contact the Ohio Division of Wildlife district office in Findlay for the La Su An hunts; in Xenia for the Hueston Woods and Paint Creek Hunts; and in Akron for the Killbuck and Mosquito Creek hunts during March 2013. Please note that to hunt during the 4-week spring turkey season and the special youth only season, youths must possess a controlled hunting permit acquired during the March drawing.

Youth hunters who bag a turkey during this season must follow the tagging requirements for the spring turkey hunting season and the turkey must be checked by 11:30 p.m. on the day of harvest.

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Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days

Federal regulations allow hunters 15 years of age or younger to waterfowl hunt statewide (public and private lands).

Lake Erie Marsh Zone & North Zone: September 29 & 30, 2012

South Zone: November 23 & 24, 2012

Young hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 18 years or older (no more than two youths per adult). Ducks, geese, and coots can be taken under the bag limits established for the regular season.

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Youth Waterfowl Opening Day Hunts

Young hunters (17 or younger) that possess a valid youth hunting license are given priority on opening day afternoon hunts at Pickerel Creek and Mosquito Creek wildlife areas. Youth hunts will also be held on the first Saturday of the regular waterfowl hunting season at the following areas: Magee Marsh, Mercer, Mosquito Creek, and Ottawa NWR. Applications for these hunts are available in June each year online at wildohio.com.

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Youth Controlled Waterfowl Hunts

The Ohio Division of Wildlife conducts several controlled waterfowl hunts for young hunters. The dates and locations of the hunts vary from year to year. The application period is June 1 through July 31. Hunters may apply online at wildohio.com using a credit card. A hard copy of the application can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543).

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