Ohio's deer hunters playing catch-up but wicked weather could dampen weekend's youth-only gun hunt

On the cusp of Ohio’s two-day youth-only firearms deer-hunting season a lot of animals should be present for the youngsters: Whitetails that hunters have yet to collect.

Ohio’s to-date deer kill – as of November 15^th – stands at 59,908 animals. That figure is 3,118 fewer deer than what was killed for the comparable to-date period last year, as of November 18^th, 2015, or 63,026.

Actually the 3,118 is a narrowing of the gap between the weekly to-date reporting periods. Last week’s gap stood at 7,550 animals.

On the reverse side, this weekend’s youth-only firearms deer-hunting season is projected to bring the nastiest weather thus far this autumn.

In Northeast Ohio Saturday’s temperatures are expected to be mild but a 70-percent of rain showers also is in the forecast along with high winds. By Sunday the temperatures will plummet with highs only in the mid-30s along with snow showers: The first of the season.

Deeper south into central Ohio the weather forecast is even less accommodating. Saturday’s high is expected to range around 40 degrees and a few degrees less on Sunday. Rain will mix with snow on Saturday, changing to all snow on Sunday.

Very high winds are forecast for both days, too.

Only along the Ohio will the weather ease its fury; but not until Sunday and then with highs only near 40 degrees. Rain and snow should prevail on Saturday, as well.

The net likelihood should be enough to discourage more than a few youngsters – as well as their more mature mentors. And this could impact the deer kill, which will appear on the November 22^nd to-date deer kill ledger, available the following day.

In any event, here is a partial county run-down of the to-date deer kill as of the November 15^th reporting date (with their respective 2015 to-date figure in parentheses): Adams – 1,188 (1,477); Ashland – 954 (1,010); Ashtabula – 1,527 (1,625); Athens – 1,084 (1,113); Belmont – 745 (716); Brown – 822 (903); Carroll – 953 (998); Clermont – 950 (1,123); Coshocton – 1,932 (1,708); Crawford – 311 (351); Cuyahoga – 565 (441); Delaware – 698 (770); Erie – 311 (347); Fayette – 111 (104); Franklin – 411 (403); Gallia – 650 (683); Geauga – 727 (807); Guernsey – 1,184 (1,182); Hamilton – 850 (1,103); Harrison – 1,025 (1,095); Henry – 197 (194); Highland – 915 (953); Hocking – 951 (1,065); Holmes – 1,310 (1,350); Huron – 626 (718); Jackson – 922 (935); Jefferson – 739 (705); Knox – 1,463 (1,539); Lake – 432 (463); Licking – 1,841 (1,962); Lorain – 998 (1,064); Lucas – 365 (412); Mahoning – 744 (706); Medina – 766 (776); Meigs – 934 (961); Monroe – 554 (538); Morgan – 822 (840); Morrow – 496 (505); Muskingum – 1,434 (1,346); Noble – 704 (774); Ottawa – 159 (169); Perry – 749 (772); Pickaway – 235 (233); Pike – 726 (768); Portage – 924 (969); Richland – 1,089 (1,152); Ross – 966 (1,101); Scioto – 809 (1,014); Stark – 1,048 (1,101); Summit – 764 (749); Trumbull – 1,440 (1,403); Union – 341 (373); Van Wert – 145 (147); Vinton – 786 (788); Warren – 501 (554); Washington – 790 (770); Wayne – 765 (776); Williams – 625 (665); Wood – 338 (also 338); and Wyandot – 399 (406).

Thus, 12 of Ohio’s 88 counties are experiencing increases in their respective to-date deer kills when compared to their comparable 2015 to-date deer kill numbers.

- By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net