Ohio Deer Season 2025-26
Ohio deer season dates start with Sep 13, 2025-Feb 1, 2026. The table below keeps every listed deer row together with zones and notes where available.
Quick answer
Ohio's listed 2025-26 archery deer season runs Sep 13, 2025-Feb 1, 2026.
Archery White-tailed Deer opens Sep 27, 2025 and closes Feb 1, 2026.
Muzzleloader White-tailed Deer opens Jan 3, 2026 and closes Jan 6, 2026.
The tables below keep the rest of the listed seasons together by species, with source links back to Ohio DNR.
Deer
White-tailed Deer
DSA Archery
Sep 13, 2025-Feb 1, 2026
DSA includes all of Hardin, Marion, and Wyandot counties; Auglaize, Bath, Jackson, Monroe, Perry, and Richland townships in Allen County; Bucyrus, Dallas, and Tod townships in Crawford County; Marlboro, Oxford, and Troy townships in Delaware County; Delaware and Madison townships in Hancock County; Westfield Township in Morrow County; and Claibourne and Jackson townships in Union County
Zone: Disease Surveillance Area (DSA)
White-tailed Deer
Archery
Sep 27, 2025-Feb 1, 2026
Zone: Statewide
White-tailed Deer
DSA Early Gun
Oct 11-13, 2025
Mandatory CWD sampling required Oct. 11-12
Zone: Disease Surveillance Area (DSA)
White-tailed Deer
Youth Gun
Nov 22-23, 2025
Zone: Statewide
White-tailed Deer
Gun
Dec 1-7, 2025
Two separate gun season segments: Dec. 1-7 and Dec. 20-21
Zone: Statewide
White-tailed Deer
Gun
Dec 1-21, 2025
Two separate segments: Dec. 1-7, 2025 and Dec. 20-21, 2025. Effective Dec. 1, 2025, bag limits changed in Athens, Meigs, Morgan, and Washington counties.
Zone: Statewide
White-tailed Deer
Gun
Dec 20-21, 2025
Second segment of gun season
Zone: Statewide
White-tailed Deer
Muzzleloader
Jan 3-6, 2026
Zone: Statewide