February 26, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2026-27 Ohio hunting and trapping season dates that begin this fall were proposed to the Ohio Wildlife Council on Wednesday, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. White-tailed deer, waterfowl, and small game hunting seasons were included in the proposals.

A complete list of proposed rule changes for 2026-27 hunting and trapping seasons will be available at wildohio.gov on Monday, March 2. Comments for Division of Wildlife proposals are accepted online at wildohio.gov from Monday, March 2 to Wednesday, April 1. A statewide hearing on all proposed rules will be held on Wednesday, April 8. If approved, the proposed rules take effect on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
 
Deer hunting proposals
The proposed deer hunting seasons are similar to last year. As in years past, only one antlered deer may be harvested, regardless of where or how it is taken. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The proposed statewide deer hunting dates for 2026-27 include:

• Deer archery: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, to Sunday, Feb. 7, 2027
• Youth deer gun: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2026, and Sunday, Nov. 22, 2026 
• Deer gun: Monday, Nov. 30, 2026 to Sunday, Dec. 6, 2026; Saturday, Dec. 19, 2026, and Sunday, Dec. 20, 2026 
• Deer muzzleloader: Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027, to Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2027 

The deer proposals included expanding the use of deer management permits throughout the season. Deer management permits can only be used to take antlerless deer.
 
Bag limits were proposed to increase to three deer in Defiance, Paulding, and Warren counties. The bag limit in Athens, Meigs, and Washington counties, areas affected by an unprecedented outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease in 2025, was proposed to be two deer, no more than one of which may be an antlerless deer. The Wildlife Council also received a proposal for the season bag limit in the CWD surveillance area to be six deer.
 
Wednesday’s proposals also entailed expanding the Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance area to include all of Allen County, Van Buren Township in Hancock County, and Holmes Township in Crawford County.
 
Hunters in the disease surveillance area will have additional opportunities to harvest deer, if approved:

• Early deer archery: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, to Sunday, Feb. 7, 2027 
• Early deer gun: Saturday, Oct. 10 to Monday, Oct. 12, 2026 

Additional hunting proposals 
The Ohio Wildlife Council received proposals for waterfowl, small game, migratory bird, and fall wild turkey hunting seasons. Most proposed season dates are similar to previous years.
 
Ruffed grouse hunting is proposed to be limited to controlled hunting only on four designated areas. Hunters may apply for those limited permits in July. Wild turkey hunting during the fall season is proposed to be limited to hunting only with shotguns using shotshells. No fall turkey hunting with archery equipment will be allowed.
 
Waterfowl hunting seasons will be split into three zones with new boundaries that were approved in 2025. Find the full list of proposed hunting season dates at wildohio.gov. 
 
Endangered and threatened species
Additional proposals at Wednesday’s meeting outlined potential changes to Ohio’s threatened and endangered species list as part of a comprehensive five-year review.
 
The American barn owl was proposed to be downlisted from threatened to a species of concern after genetic testing revealed the species likely has a larger contiguous Midwest population. The blackchin shiner was also proposed to be downlisted from extirpated to endangered following its re-establishment in specific Ohio lakes.
 
Further changes include the proposed addition of 17 bees and 16 aquatic invertebrates that were previously unlisted to the state’s threatened and endangered list following comprehensive surveys. Find the complete list of proposed species changes at wildohio.gov.

Ohio Wildlife Council 
The Ohio Wildlife Council is an eight-member board that approves all Division of Wildlife proposed rules and regulations. Council meetings are open to the public. Individuals interested in providing comments are asked to call 614-265-6304 at least two days prior to the meeting to register. All comments are required to be three minutes or less.

The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.

Editor’s Note: 2026-2027 Proposed Hunting Seasons Chart
2026-2027 Deer Hunting Regulations

The county executive, who vetoed a similar measure five years ago, has not changed his position.

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• https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/news/ohios-2026-27-hunting-and-trapping-seasons-proposed-to-wildlife-council

Author: Dave McKinley

Published: 9:24 PM EST February 26, 2026

Updated: 9:24 PM EST February 26, 2026

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A member of the Erie County Legislature is proposing a local law that would allow hunters as young as 12 years old to take deer with a firearm while under adult supervision.

It is similar to a measure passed by lawmakers five years ago which was ultimately vetoed by County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

According to a spokesperson for Poloncarz, the County Executive has not changed his position.

Young hunters

In 2021, New York State state passed a new section of the environmental conservation law allowing 12 and 13 year old’s to hunt deer with firearms under adult supervision under a pilot program

But counties had to pass a local law to opt in.

Five years later, Erie County remains one of just two across the state where deer hunting with guns is permitted that has not passed such a law.

“Unfortunately, at the present time, I have to take my son, to another neighboring county to participate in this program,” said Legislator Frank Todaro (R-8th District), who is sponsoring the local law which was sent to committee on Thursday.

Tried before

When a similar measure came before the County Legislature in 2021 it passed with bipartisan support but with not enough support to override the veto of Poloncarz, who in his veto message said:

“Neither myself or any future County Executive should ever have to read a child fatality report regarding the accidental death of 12 or 13 year old child because this law went into effect under my signature.”

Poloncarz further claimed there were “many unfortunate firearm hunting accidents across the county and state, especially those involving youth hunters.” Even though the data at the time indicted there was no basis for that claim.

Todaro said he decided to re-introduce the measure again after a report released by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) earlier this month.

Report indicates no problems

The report revealed that since the pilot program began in 2021 there have been no hunting related accidents involving 12 and 13 year old’s, nor even a single violation or license revocation involving hunters of that age.

That’s out of more than 63,000 licenses granted to 12 and 13 year old’s which generated approximately $1.3 million in funding for the state’s environmental conservation efforts. 

“The proof is in the numbers,” said Todaro. “So I figured this would be an opportunity to reintroduce it, and hopefully we can not receive a veto from the County Executive.”

With the Poloncarz spokesman indicating that the County Executive hasn’t changed his position, however, it’s an indication that another veto could come even if if lawmakers pass the bill again.

Although, the County Executive’s opposition may someday become moot as the DEC report also recommends that the pilot program be made permanent under state law and that the requirement for counties to pass a local law to opt into it be removed.