October is here and so is my favorite hunting season, which is waterfowl season! Ohio’s duck and goose seasons got started with the early season on geese and the teal season last month as well as the special youth and veterans weekend but now the regular seasons are finally here!
The state waterfowl seasons are broken down into three zones: Lake Erie Marsh, North, and South. Each zone is split into two seasons. The Lake Erie Marsh zone for ducks is open Oct. 12-27 and then Nov. 9 through Dec. 22. The Lake Erie Marsh zone goose seasons are Oct. 12-27 and then Nov. 16 through Feb. 3. The North zone duck season is open Oct. 19-27 and then Nov. 16 through Jan. 5. The North zone goose season is open Oct. 19-27 and Nov. 9 through Feb. 3. The South zone duck season is Oct. 19-27 and Dec. 7th through Jan. 26. The South zone goose season is Oct. 19-Oct. 27 and Nov. 16 through Feb. 10.
The daily bag limit for all zones is six ducks, which include no more than four mallards (only two can be hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, two canvasbacks, one pintail, two black ducks, or one mottled duck. Only one scaup is allowed during the first fifteen days of each zone season and then two scaup the next forty-five days. The daily geese limit is five of a combination of Canada Goose, white fronted goose, and no more than one brant. You are allowed ten snow geese, blue geese, and ross geese per day.
Waterfowl hunters must have a hunting license, a state wetlands stamp, a federal duck stamp, and complete a hip survey to legally hunt in Ohio and you are required to use non toxic shot in your shotguns. Daily legal shooting hours start thirty minutes before sunrise and end at sunset.
• The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife will release 14,400 ring-necked pheasants at public hunting areas in late October and November. Releases will begin Saturday, Oct. 19 during Ohio’s youth small game hunting season.
This fall, the Division of Wildlife will release male pheasants (roosters) at 36 public hunting areas throughout Ohio. The Division of Wildlife will release pheasants for the following dates: Saturday Oct. 19 (first youth weekend), Saturday Oct. 26 (second youth weekend), Friday, Nov. 1 (opening day), Saturday, Nov. 9 and Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day).
Pheasants will be released in the following locations: Central Ohio: Delaware Wildlife Area; Kokosing Lake Wildlife Area; Urbana Wildlife Area.
Northwest Ohio: Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area; Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area; Hancock County Wildlife Area 5; Parkersburg Wildlife Area; Wyandot Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Resthaven Wildlife Area; Tiffin River Wildlife Area; Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area; and Ringneck Ridge Wildlife Area (by special permit only).
Northeast Ohio: Berlin Lake Wildlife Area; Grand River Wildlife Area; Highlandtown Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area; Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Spencer Lake Wildlife Area; West Branch Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Zepernick Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Charlemont Metro Park; and Camp Belden Wildlife Area.
Southeast Ohio: Tri-Valley Wildlife Area; Pleasant Valley Wildlife Area (youth releases during controlled hunt only); Salt Fork Wildlife Area (no youth releases); and Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area.
Southwest Ohio: Fallsville Wildlife Area (no releases Oct. 19 or Nov. 9); Indian Creek Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Spring Valley Wildlife Area; Rush Run Wildlife Area; Caesar Creek Wildlife Area; Darke Wildlife Area; East Fork Wildlife Area; Pater Wildlife Area; Fallsville South Wildlife Area; and Coldwater Creek Nature Corridor.
Pheasant hunters should note that pheasant hunting is open only to hunters with a controlled access permit at Urbana Wildlife Area, Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area, and Coldwater Creek Nature Corridor.
Select pheasant hunting fields on Kokosing, Pickerel Creek, Parkersburg, Funk Bottoms, East Fork, Pater, and Fallsville South wildlife areas, as well as Hancock County Wildlife Area 5, require a controlled access permit on all Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Oct. 15 to Nov. 15; the Wednesday before Thanksgiving; and Thanksgiving Day.
Pleasant Valley, Salt Fork, and Killdeer Plains wildlife areas offer both controlled access pheasant hunts and public hunts. A special permit is required to hunt on Ringneck Ridge Wildlife Area; find additional information from the Sandusky County Park District. All other release locations offer public hunting.
Ohio’s ring-necked pheasant hunting season is open from Friday, Nov. 1, until Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. The daily harvest limit is two male birds; no hens (females) may be harvested. A valid Ohio hunting license is required to pursue pheasants and other game birds.
Until next time, Good Hunting and Good Fishing!
Ken Parrott is a retired Northmor High School Agricultural Science teacher.
