Hunting and Trapping Regulations

Female bird hunter

Hunting and Trapping Regulations & Season Dates

Hunting in Ohio is seasonal and regulated to protect wildlife populations, so it is important that you understand the current Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and buy your hunting license and permits. Review the current Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations by downloading the regulations booklet below (in English or Spanish). You will also find all hunting and trapping season dates in the regulations, as well as license and permit information.

2023-2024 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations

2023-24 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations (English) [pdf]

2023-24 Ohio Reglamentos De Caza y Captura (Espanol) [pdf]

2023-2024 Changes

Changes from the previous year's regulations are listed in red text in the booklet.

  • County limits for deer hunting are changing in Belmont, Butler, Gallia, Geauga, Harrison, Jefferson, and Monroe counties. See page 8.
  • Ruffed grouse hunting season dates are under additional review. More information will be forthcoming.
  • Spring 2024 wild turkey hunting dates are under additional review. More information will be forthcoming.
  • Nonresident students who are actively enrolled in an Ohio college or university qualify for a resident Ohio license. See page 34.


Allowable Hunting Equipment

Ohio and federal hunting laws are presented in a summarized form. Ohio laws in their entirety can be found by consulting the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) or the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). These laws are subject to change. It is the responsibility of the hunter to be aware of the most current laws when hunting.

White-Tailed Deer

Archery Season

  • Longbow: Minimum draw weight 40 pounds. This includes compound bows and recurve bows. The arrow tip needs a minimum of two cutting edges, which may be exposed or unexposed and a minimum 3/4-inch width. Expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal.
  • Crossbow: Minimum draw weight 75 pounds. The arrow tip needs a minimum of two cutting edges, which may be exposed or unexposed and a minimum 3/4-inch width. Expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal.

Gun Season and Youth Gun Season

  • Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller shotgun using one ball or one rifled slug per barrel (rifled shotgun barrels are permitted when using shotgun slug ammunition).
  • Muzzleloading rifle: .38 caliber or larger.
  • Muzzleloading shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel.
  • Handgun: With 5-inch minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger. The barrel is measured from the front of the cylinder or chamber to the end of the barrel.
  • Straight-walled cartridge rifles in the following calibers: All straight-walled cartridge calibers from a minimum of .357 to a maximum of .50. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles can be loaded with no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined.
  • Archery equipment: See Archery Season, above.

Muzzleloader Season

  • Muzzleloading Rifle: .38 caliber or larger.
  • Muzzleloading shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel.
  • Archery equipment: See Archery Season, above.

Wild Turkey

  • Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller shotgun using shot, including muzzleloading shotguns.
  • Longbow: Minimum draw weight 40 pounds. This includes compound bows and recurve bows. The arrow tip needs to have a minimum of two cutting edges, which may be exposed or unexposed, and a minimum 3/4-inch width. Expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal.
  • Crossbow: Minimum draw weight no less than 75 pounds. The arrow tip needs to have a minimum of two cutting edges, which may be exposed or unexposed, and a minimum 3/4-inch width. Expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal.

Coyote

  • Longbow or bow: This includes compound bows and recurve bows.
  • Crossbow
  • Handgun: Any caliber.
  • Rifle: Any caliber.
  • Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller.
  • Airgun
  • Rifles and night vision scopes are legal for coyote hunting; however, rifles and night hunting between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise are prohibited during any deer gun and deer muzzleloader seasons.

Feral Swine

  • Longbow or bow: This includes compound bows and recurve bows.
  • Crossbow
  • Handgun: Any caliber.
  • Rifle: Any caliber.
  • Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller.
  • Airgun
  • If hunted during the deer gun season, hours and legal hunting devices are the same as for deer gun season. Rifles and night vision scopes are legal for feral swine hunting; however, rifles and night hunting between 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise are prohibited during any deer gun and deer muzzleloader seasons.

Waterfowl and Migratory Birds

  • Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller shotgun using nontoxic shot, includes muzzleloading shotguns. In order to hunt migratory game birds, your shotgun cannot be capable of holding more than three shells, unless it is plugged with a one-piece filler incapable of removal without disassembling the gun. Only nontoxic shot may be used to take waterfowl, rail, snipe, and moorhen (gallinule). Dove and woodcock may be taken with lead shot.
  • Longbow: This includes compound bows and recurve bows.

Small Game and Furbearers

  • Longbow or bow: This includes compound bows and recurve bows.
  • Crossbow
  • Handgun: Any caliber.
  • Rifle: Any caliber.
  • Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller.
  • Airgun