OHIO — Hunters prepare and animals beware; the fall hunting season for the Buckeye State is set to begin this weekend starting Sept. 1

What You Need To Know

  • According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the hunting season for squirrels (fox, red and gray), dove, rail (Virginia and sora) snipe and gallinule starts on Sunday, Sept. 1

  • Shortly after, early Canada goose hunting runs from Saturday Sept. 7 to Sunday Sept. 15

  • The deer archery season opens Sept. 28

  • A summary of the 2024-25 hunting and trapping regulations can be found at wildohio.gov, on the HuntFish OH app, or anywhere licenses are sold

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the hunting season for squirrels (fox, red and gray), dove, rail (Virginia and sora) snipe and gallinule starts on Sunday, Sept. 1. Shortly after, early Canada goose hunting runs from Saturday Sept. 7 to Sunday Sept. 15. Early teal (blue-winged and green-winged) hunting starts Sept. 7 to Sept. 22 with deer archery season not far behind. 

The deer archery season opens Sept. 28.

Squirrel season runs through Jan. 31, 2025. For hunters, fox squirrels are more common in western Ohio while gray squirrels are spotted to the east. Dove populations are strong in agricultural areas before they migrate to the south for the winter. The dove hunting season ends Nov. 3. It's second season opens Dec. 7 and runs through Jan. 1, 2025.

Waterfowl hunting is also strong near agricultural fields, wetlands and ponds from a boat. ODNR reminds hunters that identification is important, especially in the early season when similar species are not legal game.

A summary of the 2024-25 hunting and trapping regulations can be found at wildohio.gov, on the HuntFish OH app, or anywhere licenses are sold.

Regulations for changes to season dates and daily limits as the fall seasons start should also be changed.

Deer archery season starts Sept. 28, but hunters in disease surveillance areas such as Hardin, Marion, Wyandot counties and Auglaize and Jackson townships in Allen County, can begin archery hunting on Sept. 14. Deer management permits, valid for anterless deer, can be used through Dec. 22, the last day of bonus deer gun hunting season. 

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