Ohio Archery Season Opens Amid Severe Deer Disease Outbreak and Proposed Hunting Adjustments
Ohio’s archery deer hunting season is set to begin this weekend as the state confronts one of its most severe outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in recent memory, according to reports from the Columbus Dispatch.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is considering modifying hunting regulations in response to the disease’s impact, which has led to more than 7,000 reports of sick or deceased deer across the state so far. The heaviest concentrations of EHD cases are clustered in southeastern Ohio, specifically in Athens, Meigs, Washington, and Morgan counties.
Archery Season Dates and Allowed Equipment
- Season starts: Saturday, September 27, 2025
- Season ends: Sunday, February 1, 2026
- Permitted bows include crossbows, compound bows, recurve bows, and longbows
The continuation of bow types allowed reflects the standard hunting framework, applying consistent equipment regulations despite the health emergency in the deer population.
Proposed Hunting Limit Changes in Response to EHD
The ODNR Division of Wildlife has proposed reducing the white-tailed deer bag limit from three to two in the counties most affected by EHD—Athens, Meigs, and Washington.
This adjustment, aimed at mitigating further population stress, would begin Monday, December 1, 2025, coinciding with the seven-day gun deer season opener, pending approval by the Ohio Wildlife Council. The adjusted limits would remain in effect through the end of the 2025-26 hunting season on February 1, 2026.
Deer bag limits elsewhere in Ohio would stay unchanged.
Recent Hunting Data Highlight Population Pressures
During the 2024-25 archery season, hunters harvested a record 106,269 deer, and total deer checks across all seasons reached 238,137, ranking as the fourth-highest statewide total recorded. These figures indicate a significant hunting pressure that intersects with the disease outbreak, influencing wildlife management decisions.
Understanding Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD)
EHD is a viral disease transmitted by biting midges—tiny insects closely related to mosquitoes—that infect white-tailed deer. Infected deer often display symptoms such as respiratory distress, swelling, fever, and disorientation.
The neurological effects of EHD, including fever-induced cognitive impairment, can make affected deer unusually tame and unresponsive to humans, as explained by Clint McCoy, a deer biologist with ODNR. Animals may appear lethargic, standing motionless with drooping heads, which is uncharacteristic behavior for this typically alert species.
Public Reporting and Wildlife Health Monitoring
Hunters and residents are encouraged to report sightings of dead or visibly sick deer to local wildlife officials to assist with tracking the disease’s progression and magnitude. Such reports provide critical data that inform management responses and help wildlife biologists assess population impacts.
Additional reporting and sources from: Ohio hunting season starts amid deadly deer disease outbreak, proposed ODNR changes
