Outdoor briefs

Sears Woods to be closed Nov. 21 Crawford Park District is announcing the closing of Sears Woods State Nature Preserve Nov. 21 for a controlled deer hunt sponsored by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and the park district. The hunt is only open to previously selected hunters. For more information, call (419) 683-9000. Nearly 54,000 deer taken during archery season so farCOLUMBUS — Ohio's white-tailed deer archery hunters have taken 53,922 white-tailed deer through Nov. 8, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, which is about the same as the average of the past three years.The season opened in September, and bow hunters have taken advantage of excellent hunting conditions and weather. Deer-archery season is open until Feb. 7.In Seneca County, hunters have harvested 543 deer, compared to a three-year average of 523. ODNR is comparing this year's harvest to an average harvest of the years 2016, 2017 and 2018 during the same time period.In neighboring counties, numbers also are up so far: Crawford, 351 (309); Hancock, 406 (352); Huron, 612 (592); Sandusky, 360 (322); Wood, 306 (305); and Wyandot, 379 (365).The top 10 counties so far are Coshocton, 2,000; Licking, 1,629; Tuscarawas, 1,600; Ashtabula, 1,558; Knox, 1,430; Holmes, 1,424; Trumbull, 1,407; Muskingum, 1,267; Guernsey, 1,163; and Richland, 1,101.ODNR says deer tend to be highly active during the first two weeks of November because of the breeding season, making it a popular time for bowhunters.ODNR says deer permit sales have increased by 3% in 2020 when compared to this same time last year (245,739 permits in 2020 and 238,552 permits in 2019).Upcoming deer seasons include youth season Nov. 21-22, deer-gun season Nov. 30-Dec. 6 and Dec. 19-20 and muzzleloader season Jan. 2-5.Find complete details in the 2020-2021 Ohio Hunting Regulations or wildohio.gov.