OHIO — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced the Ohio Wildlife Council approved dates for next year's hunting and trapping seasons, which many will be around the same time as they were this year. 

• Deer archery: Sept. 28, 2024 to Feb. 2, 2025
  
• Youth deer gun: Nov. 16-17, 2024
• Deer gun: Dec. 2 to Dec. 8, 2024; Dec. 21-22, 2024
  
• Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 4-7, 2025
  

Just like years prior, only one antlered deer can be harvested. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, according to ODNR. 

For hunters, deer management permits have been extended and are valid until Dec. 22, 2024, the last day of the bonus deer gun hunting weekend. 

In addition, there have been bag limit increases from two to three deer for six counties: Butler, Clinton, Fayette, Greene, Madison and Pickaway. There's also been an expansion of the Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance area, which now include Hardin, Marion, Wyandot counties, and Auglaize and Jackson townships in Allen County. 

Hunters in the disease surveillance area have additional opportunities to harvest deer:

• Deer archery: Sept. 14, 2024 to Feb. 2, 2025
  
• Early deer gun: Oct. 12-14, 2024

• Ruffed grouse hunting season: Nov. 1 to Dec. 1, 2024 in 17 southern and eastern counties: Adams, Athens, Belmont, Gallia, Guernsey, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington. The daily limit is one bird.
• Waterfowl hunting seasons: The north zone duck, coot and merganser hunting season are open Oct. 19-27, 2024 and again from Nov. 16, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025.
• The Lake Erie marsh zone duck, coot and merganser hunting season dates are Oct. 12-27, 2024, and again from Nov. 9 to Dec. 22, 2024.
• Goose and brant hunting season dates in the Lake Erie marsh zone: Oct. 12-27, 2024, and again from Nov. 16, 2024, to Feb. 3, 2025.
• Youth and military waterfowl hunting weekend: Sept. 28-29, 2024.

More information is available on the ODNR website.