COLUMBUS - Deer hunters will have until noon the day after they harvest a deer to complete an automated game check process, according to hunting and trapping regulations for the 2012-13 hunting seasons approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council.
The only exception will be on the last day of any season when automated game check must be completed by 11:30 p.m.
Seneca County remains in Zone B next season, while seven west central Ohio counties will move from Zone A to Zone B - Auglaize, Darke, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Shelby.
Madison County moves from Zone B to Zone A.
The zones of other nearby counties are: Sandusky and Wood, Zone A; and Crawford, Hancock, Huron and Wyandot, Zone B.
Antlerless deer permits will no longer be valid the first week of deer-gun season in the 38-county Zone C. The antlerless permits will be valid until Nov. 25 in all three zones.
Fact Box
Hunting seasons
Squirrel, Sept. 1-Jan. 31.
Ruffed grouse, Oct. 13-Jan. 31.
Fall wild turkey, Oct. 13-Nov. 25 in specified counties.
Youth upland season, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 27-28.
Cottontail rabbit, Nov. 2-Feb. 28.
Ring-necked pheasant, Nov. 2-Jan. 6.
Bobwhite quail, Nov. 2-25 in specified counties.
Fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum and weasel, Nov. 10-Jan. 31.
Mink and muskrat, Nov. 10-Feb. 28.
Mink, muskrat, raccoon, skunk, opossum and weasel (Lake Erie Marsh area), Nov. 10-March 15.
Beaver, Dec. 26-Feb. 28.
River otter, Dec. 26-Feb. 28.
Youth spring wild turkey season, April 20-21.
Spring wild turkey, April 22-May 19.
Crow (Friday, Saturday and Sunday only), June 1-March 10, 2013, and June 7-March 9, 2014.
Coyote and woodchuck, no closed season.
Each hunter may take only one buck in Ohio, regardless of zone, hunting method or season. Either a $15 antlerless deer permit or $24
either-sex deer permit and a valid hunting license are required to hunt deer in Ohio.
Seasons dates are: archery, Sept. 29-Feb. 3; special area muzzleloader, Oct. 15-20; youth deer-gun, Nov. 17-18; statewide deer-gun, Nov. 26-Dec. 2 and Dec. 15-16; and statewide muzzleloader, Jan. 5-8.
Deer bag limits are zone specific by permit type. A hunter may take one deer from Zone A, two deer from Zone B and three deer from Zone C during the entire 2012-13 season using the either-sex deer permit. Only one antlered deer may be taken regardless of zone.
Additionally, a hunter may take one antlerless deer from Zone A, two antlerless deer from Zone B and three antlerless deer from Zone C during archery season Sept. 29-Nov. 25 using antlerless deer permits.
People hunting in urban units and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts may use antlerless deer permits during all deer hunting seasons. Urban units and controlled hunts will have a six-deer bag limit, and those deer will not count against the hunter's zone bag limit.
Hunting seasons for rabbit, pheasant, quail, squirrel, crow and wild turkey were approved as proposed.
In addition, trapping seasons for beaver, mink, muskrat, and river otter, along with the hunting and trapping seasons for fox, raccoon, skunk, and weasel, also were approved.
Rules and season dates for migratory birds including mourning dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen, snipe, woodcock and waterfowl hunting will be set in August, in compliance with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's 2012-13 framework.
Hunting and trapping season dates and rules can be found at www.wildohio.com.
