COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — State officials say hunters in Ohio harvested more than 172,000 white-tailed deer throughout the state's 2018-2019 season for a decrease of more than 14,000 deer compared with last season.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources says 172,040 deer were checked in the 2018-2019 season. A total of 186,247 were checked in the 2017-2018 season.
The department said in a release that its Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio's deer populations. It says deer hunting regulations over the past four seasons have been designed to allow for moderate herd growth throughout most of the state. Herd growth is achieved by reducing harvest and protecting female deer.
The release says Ohio ranks fifth nationally in resident hunters and 11th in the number of jobs associated with hunting-related industries.
