Ohio hunting and fishing laws
The Ohio rules that catch people out, in plain English: hunter education, minimum age, blaze orange, Sunday hunting, shooting hours, baiting, night hunting, tagging and private land. Each one links to the state's own text.
Season dates for 2026-27. Page updated October 12, 2026.
These pages sum up the rules to help you find them. They are not legal advice. The state's own regulations govern, so check them before you go.
Hunter education in Ohio
All first-time hunting license buyers, except apprentice license buyers, must successfully complete a hunter education course. The apprentice license is open to new hunters and trappers, both adults and youth, who must be accompanied by a licensed hunter or trapper 21 years old or older. A mentor may not accompany more than two apprentice license holders at the same time.
Minimum hunting age in Ohio
The regulations do not establish a minimum age requirement to obtain a hunting license, and all hunters younger than 16 years old need to be accompanied by an adult. No minimum age is stated for an apprentice license.
Blaze orange in Ohio
Applies to: Deer
During the youth deer gun, deer gun and deer muzzleloader seasons, anyone hunting any wild animal except waterfowl, from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, must visibly wear a vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid or camouflage hunter orange. The regulations do not mention blaze pink.
Sunday hunting in Ohio
Ohio's regulations set no Sunday closure, and some seasons are open on Sundays by rule (crow hunting is Friday, Saturday and Sunday only). Sunday hunting is allowed.
Shooting hours in Ohio
Applies to: Deer
Deer hunting hours run from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Baiting in Ohio
Applies to: Deer
Baiting is land-type dependent. Hunters may hunt deer over bait, except on public hunting areas and in the Disease Surveillance Area. Hunters may not hunt deer over bait on any public hunting area, and in the CWD Disease Surveillance Area the placement of or use of bait (salt, minerals, or any food) to attract or feed deer is prohibited. There is no bear season in Ohio.
Night hunting in Ohio
Applies to: Furbearers
Spotlighting of wild animals from vehicles is prohibited. Furbearer hunters at night must carry a continuous white light visible for at least 1/4 mile, except those hunting foxes, coyotes, or raccoons with a call from a stationary position, who may use a single beam of light of any color. Rifles and night vision scopes are legal for coyote hunting, with different rules during deer gun seasons.
Tagging and reporting a harvest in Ohio
Fill in the deer or turkey permit at harvest, before moving the animal, with date, time and county; doing it in the HuntFish OH app also counts. Deer must be game-checked by noon the day after the kill (11:30 p.m. the same day if taken on the season's last day); turkeys by 11:30 p.m. the day of the kill. Once you leave the game unattended, the completed permit, tag or confirmation code must be attached.
Hunting on private land in Ohio
You must carry written permission at all times while hunting or trapping on private land and show it on request. A permission form is printed in the Ohio hunting regulations booklet.
Can you show your Ohio license on your phone?
Digital license and permits OK. Check game by app.
Ohio's 2026-27 regulations say “Licenses and permits may be displayed on a mobile device.” Deer and turkey permits must be completed at harvest; “Submitting through the Division of Wildlife's mobile application fulfills this requirement.” Game check is done in HuntFish OH, online or at an agent, and “once the hunter leaves the game unattended, the completed permit or tag, or confirmation code, must be attached.”
Phone with HuntFish OH; written permission if private
Ohio hunting season dates, 2026-27
The main seasons, from the state's published dates. Zones and units can differ; each season links to the state's own page for it.
| Season | Dates | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer — archery | Sep 26, 2026 – Feb 7, 2027 | Statewide | |
| Deer — gun | Nov 30 – Dec 6, 2026 | Statewide | Youth gun Nov 21-22; bonus gun Dec 19-20 |
| Deer — bonus gun | Dec 19 – Dec 20, 2026 | Statewide | |
| Deer — muzzleloader | Jan 2 – Jan 5, 2027 | Statewide | |
| Turkey — fall | Oct 1 – Oct 25, 2026 | Select counties | |
| Pheasant | Nov 6, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027 | Statewide | |
| Dove — first segment | Sep 1 – Nov 8, 2026 | Statewide | Second segment Dec 12 - Jan 1 |
| Ducks — Zone A | Nov 14 – Dec 27, 2026 | Zone A (new 2026-27 zones) | First split Oct 17 - Nov 1 |
| Ducks — Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027 | Zone B (new 2026-27 zones) | First split Oct 17-25; Zone C Oct 17-25 and Dec 12 - Jan 31 |
What you can hunt in Ohio
Big game
- White-tailed deer General season Archery, youth, gun and muzzleloader
- Black bear No season No season
- Elk and moose No season No season
Upland and small game
- Wild turkey General season Fall in 70 counties, plus spring
- Ruffed grouse Draw or limited entry Controlled hunting on four designated areas only
- Pheasant General season
- Bobwhite quail General season Sixteen counties only
- Chukar General season
- Squirrel General season
- Cottontail rabbit General season
- Raccoon and opossum General season
- Crow General season
Waterfowl and migratory
- Ducks and geese General season Zones A to C
- Mourning dove General season
- Woodcock, snipe, rail General season
- Sandhill crane No season No season
Furbearer and predator
- Coyote General season
- Red and gray fox General season
- Skunk, opossum, weasel, woodchuck General season
- Bobcat No season No season
- Fisher No season No season
What you can fish for in Ohio
Fishing license covers everything — no stamp, no Lake Erie permit
Fishing licenses sold: 1-day, 3-day, Annual
Trout and char
- Steelhead and rainbow trout General season
- Brown and lake trout General season
- Brook trout in four northeast rivers No season Protected wild populations — release
Salmon and anadromous
- Chinook and coho salmon General season
Warmwater
- Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass General season
- Walleye, sauger and saugeye General season
- Yellow perch General season Zone limits on Lake Erie
- White, striped and hybrid striped bass General season
- Crappie and sunfish General season
- Channel catfish General season
- Blue and flathead catfish General season
- Muskellunge General season One a day; sustained by stocking
- Freshwater drum General season
Other
- Carp General season Bowfishing
- Lake sturgeon No season State endangered — release immediately
- Cisco No season Protected
Official Ohio links
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
Carry your Ohio license on your phone
Sportsmen Ledger holds your hunting and fishing licenses and tags, these rules and your harvest log, and it works with no signal. Free to start.
Compare with other states
- Hunter education requirements by state
- Minimum hunting age by state
- Blaze orange requirements by state
- Sunday hunting laws by state
- Legal shooting hours by state
- Baiting laws by state
- Night hunting laws by state
- Tagging and harvest reporting by state
- Hunting on private land, state by state
- Can you show your hunting or fishing license on your phone? Every state