12/4/2008 6:01:00 AM
Tremendous increase in deer taken for gun season
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BY ED GEBERT
Times Bulletin News Writer
egebert@timesbulletin.com
What a difference a year makes.
The week-long deer-gun season kicked off on Monday with a substantial increase in the number of deer taken. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife reported 33,034 white-tailed deer checked in on Monday, the first day of the season. That number marked a 70 percent increase over the 2007 first day totals.
The statewide trend is being reflected locally as well. "Oh, wow. We checked in 40 on Monday," reported Ken Curtis at Brookside Drive-Thru. "It has just been crazy this year. We've probably checked in three times more deer this year than last year."
Staff at Chuffer's Express Mart and Drive-Thru in Ohio City agreed that this season has been much busier than last. The season runs through Sunday then reopens for two days Dec. 20-21.
According to the ODNR, the preliminary figures from deer check stations throughout the state show a significant increase from last year's opening day total of 19,391. Part of that can be attributed to the weather.
"Last year, opening day was really rainy, so that probably has something to do with it," reminded Curtis.
The other noticeable trend has been an increase in the number of large bucks being checked in. "We've seen a lot of big bucks through here," Curtis said. The largest checked in thus far is a 15-point buck at Brookside, although many animals with eight or more point antlers have come through both Van Wert County check stations.
Approximately 400,000 hunters were expected to take to the woods this week across Ohio. The state's deer population last week was estimated at 700,000 animals. The Division of Wildlife expects up to 125,000 deer to be harvested during the nine days of deer-gun season.
The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio. The state ranks sixth annual hunting-related sales and fourth in the number of jobs associated with the hunting industry. Each year, hunting has a $1.5 billion economic impact in Ohio with retail sales over $700 million in the state, according to the ODNR.
Deer can be legally hunted with a gun from one half-hour before sunrise until sunset this week and during the extra deer-gun weekend later this month.
Combining the results of opening day with totals from early muzzleloader season, the first six weeks of archery season and the recent youth deer-gun season, a preliminary total of 95,074 deer have been killed by hunters, compared to 84,161 at this point last year. During all 2007 hunting seasons, a total of 232,854 deer were taken.
While many people in this area participate in deer-gun season, activity in southeastern Ohio dwarfs that in this area. During this year's opening day, Tuscarawas County checked in 1,821 deer to lead all Ohio counties. Washington County checked 1,456, Coshocton County had 1,307 and Harrison County tallied 1,286.
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