Fewer deer killed in hunting season

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife announced that 219,698 deer were taken during Ohio's 2011-12 hunting season, compared to 239,379 in the 2010-11 season.

The top three counties with the highest number of deer taken this season were: Coshocton, Licking and Tuscarawas.

Hunters showed support for the two new methods of game-reporting that were made available this year. Since deer season began on Sept. 24, 2011, 44 percent of hunters called in their numbers, 36 percent reported their numbers online and 20 percent traveled to a license agent’s location to report their game.

Ohio 's first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, and hunters reported 168 deer. In 1956, deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties, and hunters harvested 3,911 deer during a one-week season.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio and is frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks eighth nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.