Ohio's to-date deer kill tally up by 6,546 animals

Ohio’s archery hunters appear to have safety harnessed their carcasses to trees this past week.

Based on data being crunched weekly by the Ohio Division of Wildlife the agency says that 20,752 deer were taken up through the October 20^th reporting period. That figure is up from the 14,206 deer recorded for the previous reporting period of October 13^th.

Translated, that means an additional 6,546 animals were taken between the two reporting period.

However, 2015’s to-date reporting period showing a deer kill total of 20,752 animals is still down from the 2014’s roughly equivalent October 22^nd reporting period when 25,591 deer were killed.  And the 2013 comparable kill consisted of 25,186 animals.

The big “but” is owed in large measure because the to-date 2013 and 2014 figures also included deer that were killed during their respective year’s two-day/antlerless-only/muzzle-loading-only seasons. No such special early season was held in Ohio this year.

Some shifting in the top tier deer-hunting/deer-kill counties was witnessed, as well.  The current board leaders are Licking County – 655 animals; Trumbull County – 613 deer; Ashtabula County – 583 animals; Hamilton County – 527 deer; Coshocton County – 524 animals; Knox County – 496 deer; Tuscarawas County – 456 animals; Adams County – 441 deer; Holmes County – 439 animals; Lorain County – 435 deer; and Clermont County – 417 animals.

Similarly the tally sheet for Ohio’s 88 counties shows that 13 still have not pole-vaulted over the three-figure post. These counties include: Paulding County – 99 animals; Marion County – 97 deer; Darke County – 96 animals; Putnam – 94 deer; Fulton County – 93 animals; Clinton County – 86 deer; Mercer County – 74 animals; Madison County – 68 deer; Ottawa County – 65 animals; Pickaway County – 63 deer; Henry County – 55 animals; Van Wart County – 41 deer; and Fayette County – 33 animals.

 

By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

 

Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 125 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.