Ohio Wildlife Council Hears 2010-11 Hunting Regulations Proposals
Regulations on white-tailed deer to be heard at February 3 meeting
COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio sportsmen may notice a few changes in next year’s hunting and trapping regulations, based on proposals presented January 6 to the Ohio Wildlife Council by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
September 1 is again proposed as the kick-off date for the state’s fall hunting seasons–with the opening of squirrel and dove hunting. Other proposed hunting and trapping rules and season dates will be similar to those now in effect, with only slight changes to fall and spring hunting dates.
Young hunters age 17 and under should again be able to hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, October 16 -17 and 23 – 24. Spring youth turkey season is proposed for April 16 – 17, 2011.
The remainder of the proposals concerning Ohio’s white-tailed deer hunting will be heard during a separate Wildlife Council meeting on February 3.
A statewide hearing on all the proposed rules will be held at 9 a.m., Thursday, March 4 at the wildlife division’s District One Office, located at 1500 Dublin Road in Columbus.
Open houses will be held on Saturday, March 6 in each of the state’s five wildlife districts to provide the public an opportunity to view and discuss proposed hunting and trapping regulations with state wildlife officials. Directions to the open houses can be obtained by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE or visiting wildohio.com on the Internet.
After considering public input, the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules and season dates during its April 7 meeting.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The proposed hunting and trapping seasons table is included. Those species in the table identified with an * are subject to federal guidelines that will not be available until the summer of 2010. The dates and bag limits listed should be considered the most likely option, but not a final proposal.
PROPOSED 2010-2011 HUNTING & TRAPPING SEASON DATES
| Species | Opening date | Closing date | Bag Limit |
| Squirrel | September 1 | January 31 |
6 daily |
| Mourning dove * | September 1 * | To Be Announced |
15 daily * |
| Ruffed grouse | October 9 | January 31 |
2 daily |
| American woodcock * | October 9 * | November 22 * |
3 daily * |
| Wild turkey
fall season |
October 9 | November 28 |
1 |
| Youth upland season for cottontail rabbit, ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail |
October 16 and 17 and October 23 and 24 |
||
| Cottontail rabbit | November 5 | February 28 |
4 daily |
| Ring-necked pheasant, Chukar | November 5 | January 9 |
2 daily |
| Bobwhite quail | November 5 | November 28 |
4 daily |
| Fox, raccoon, skunk
opossum, weasel hunting & trapping |
November 10 | January 31 | |
| Mink & muskrat trapping | November 10 | February 28 | |
| Lake Erie Marsh area – mink, muskrat, skunk, raccoon, opossum, & weasel trapping | November 10 | March 15 | |
| Beaver trapping | December 26 | February 28 | |
| River otter trapping | December 26 | February 28 |
1 in Zone B 3 in Zone C |
| Wild turkey
youth season |
April 16 and 17, 2011 |
||
| Wild turkey
spring season |
April 18, 2011 | May 15, 2011 |
2 |
| Crow – Fri, Sat, Sun only | June 4, 2010
June 3, 2011 |
March 13, 2011
March 12, 2012 |
|
| Coyote |
No Closed Season |
||
| Woodchuck |
No Closed Season |
||
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The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.