That's definitely a surprise.

 

Are they trying to reduce the deer kill numbers with the date change? In my mind, it would probably reduce number of people hunting, with travel for the holiday and that weekend being a huge college football weekend(if you are into CFB).

Also not sure I like the GW needing a warrant to enter private property to do a check.

 

Do you own property?

 

Honestly, gun season is in total decline. So many bow hunt only or are tagged out by gun season. My guess is they are trying to find ways to increase participation. I don't even find gun season enjoyable any more. Maybe with the exception on Public lands, the woods are empty.

 

They have ruined and put all gun seasons in decline with the open to the public and all season long crossbow use period, take a look back to when crossbows were used by handicapped, i am not saying to not use them, but something needs to be changed, handicap all season is ok, open public all season is not, correct this and gun seasons will return to normal PERIOD.

 

I haven't heard that. I don't know what that would accomplish.

 

I've made known before that I don't care where they move the start of gun season, I'm just not in favor of moving it to anywhere around the Thanksgiving holiday. I would be one that would not be able to participate in the years we travel to gather with family. And way to wreck our traditional black Friday rabbit hunt. I know you can small game hunt during deer gun season now but who would want to turn dogs loose and compete for space with deer hunters? That would be a recipe for disaster.

 

Not a fan of a Fri opener. 😉

 

1st gun season- November 27th-December 3rd, 2nd gun season weekend- December 16th & 17th.

 

What does opening day have to do with the house budget? Is this a real article?

 

Ohio's 2023-24 deer hunting seasons approved
6:00AM MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2023
The Ohio Wildlife Council approved proposed hunting and trapping season dates for 2023-24, including deer bag limit changes in seven counties, during its regularly scheduled meeting April 12, according to an April 13 news release from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Deer hunting seasons
Deer are Ohio’s most popular game animal. Seasons in 2023-24 will have similar dates to last year, the release said. Bag limits will increase to three deer in Belmont, Gallia, Geauga, Harrison, Jefferson, and Monroe counties and will decrease to two in Butler County. As in years past, only one antlered deer may be harvested, regardless of where or how it is taken. The deer hunting season dates for 2023-24 are as follows:

• Deer archery: Sept. 30, 2023, to Feb. 4, 2024
• Youth deer gun: Nov. 18-19, 2023
• Deer gun: Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2023; Dec. 16-17, 2023
• Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 6-9, 2024

CWD updates
The Chronic Wasting Disease disease surveillance area in Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties again will allow additional hunting opportunities to slow the spread of CWD, according to the release. In addition to the statewide hunting seasons, hunters in Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties will have opportunities to participate in disease surveillance area seasons:

• Deer archery season: Sept. 9, 2023, to Feb. 4, 2024
• Early gun season: Oct. 7-9, 2023

Turkey hunting
Fall turkey hunting will be available in 70 counties this fall — from Saturday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Nov. 12. The season bag limit is one bird of either sex. The spring 2024 wild turkey hunting season dates will be determined in the fall, the release said.
General hunting seasons
The Ohio Wildlife Council voted to approve proposed season dates similar to last season for waterfowl and migratory birds.
The council received a proposal to reduce the ruffed grouse hunting season dates and open counties because of long-term trends in declining grouse numbers. Proposed grouse season dates are from Friday, Nov. 3, to Sunday, Nov. 26, with a daily limit of one bird. Season dates would be aligned for public and private land. The proposal would allow grouse hunting in Adams, Athens, Belmont, Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton, and Washington counties.

 

It is complete BS the Ohio deer gun season does not open on a weekend or at least a day most people are off. Just about every other major season does now including turkey. I would be ok with the friday opener. My place of employment does not allow people to take off the day before/after a holiday break. I can't imagine I am the only person effected by this. It's sad those of us in this situation can't experience a deer gun opener until we retire. Complete BS and needs to change. I understand the state will never be able to accommodate everyone, but they should try to accommodate the majority. Most people have weekends off to some capacity.

 

The majority of the people didn’t want it to start the Saturday after Thanksgiving. People said it was too close to the holiday. People are with their families for the holiday. They thought about changing it and got quite a bit of push back on the change.

If that law were to pass, I would provided signed permission for them to keep on file, allowing access to investigate any wildlife violations. I don't want any obstacles to the arrest or prosecution of poachers, trespassers or vandals on my land.

You can do that now if you choose. Once you give away your rights you will never get them back.

 

I always have to use vacation

 

at least you have that option. Some of us can't even use vaca because it backs up to a holiday break. Call in sick and you're having a meeting with HR the next day.

 

Yes, I am fortunate in that respect, however, I've worked 12 hour swing shift, 2 weeks of days and 2 weeks of nights for 29 years now, so I've accumulated 13.5 weeks of vacation per year.
BTW, the only holiday I get off is Christmas eve and Christmas day.

 

 

A move to Friday makes no personal impact on me, but I don't like the idea. So many travel to be with family they may miss it. Even those not traveling may be burdened with the extra duty of the Holiday (clean up, local travel, just overall an exhausting day for many). I don't feel like it is broke and the seasons and limits have largely worked in managing the situation.

I'm one who has brought up the VERY unpopular opinion that if changes are made it should be to reduce the number of days of the bow season. Make gun season run 2 solid weeks - the first 2 in December. Let those that only gun hunt have more opportunity. The bow season is too long in Ohio imo.

 

We did have 2 weeks straight of gun season back in the late 90's for 2 or 3 seasons. They got a lot of complaints so went back to the 1 week. About 8 or 10 years later they started the 2 days of gun mid to late December.

 

I’m old enough to have hunted then. My only point was now season in Ohio is 35% of the calendar year. This has much to do with the harvest statistics why gun season is down and why bow season is up. Any future limitations on seasons should be on boo hunters. And by the way, I gun hunt very sparingly.

 

I don't think you are going to see any rebound in gun hunting, unless they have some sort of early season muzzy (statewide) not just on a select wildlife area or two. People are so focused on hunting the rut and pre-rut these days. That is when everyone takes their vacation and not the week of gun season any more.

 

About 15 years ago we had the 2 day, doe only muzzy statewide for about 2 seasons. It was around the 2nd weekend of October. Wish they would bring it back. I did try the salt fork early muzzy once, didn't care for all the hunters. Had like 4 or 5 spots picked out went a couple hours early, cars and trucks parked up and down the roads. Found a spot to sit and seen 1 yearling doe running full speed past me about an hour into the hunt. Me and my cousin left at noon, he seen nothing.

 

You are right Schu - people would love an early season firearm hunt even if doe only.

Firearms season locally by me remains "like the old days". You can hear over a hundred shots each of the first two days without leaving my yard. They shoot so much it makes you wonder what they are shooting at because the deer population is fair at best here. I have thousands of acres of public around me and it just gets pounded.

Where I lived on the Clark / Greene county line I wouldn't hear 5 shots the entire week. Heck you could drive around and struggle to find more than a handful of trucks parked hunting up there during the gun seasons. It was basically bow season with a firearm with deer feeding in daylight unpressured.

I don't expect changes to any of the regs in the near term on the season, baiting rules, etc. They seem to have it worked out to please the majority and have listened and provided increased opportunity for all deer hunters. They added Sundays, extended bow into Feb, added the bonus gun weekend for firearms guys with lack of time, expanded bow opening in Sept, and we have the youth season. We have a super liberal deer season in OH with all that opportunity that seems to be accomplishing the state's goals.

OT - Had a basket rack 8 point standing in the yard this morning at 7:30......first antlered deer I've seen in the area. He was only 50 yards from the house and saw me in the window and just gave a tail flip & calmly walked across the creek headed up the ridge. They come up and drink from the Koi pond only 75 feet from the house (mostly late in the night) and I suspect he had a nice drink before I interrupted him.

 

Problem with two week gun season was deer kill was not what it should of been because guys sees passing in deer instead of killing deer according to the numbers.

 

I would provided signed permission for them to keep on file, allowing access to investigate any wildlife violations.

Speed Test​

 

I don't think they should change the opening day ever.

If they want to keep gun open all the way through the bonus weekend. I'd be perfectly fine with that. Though, I don't think that would increase participation. Wouldn't hurt anything though!

 

I, really do not think it should be change. the Monday after Thanksgiving is good. It gives familys time to be together. Then enough time to get ready to hunt.