MOUNT VERNON – Hunting season begins Sept. 1 and there are seven hunting preserves around Mount Vernon that hunters can visit.
The seven hunting preserves in the area include the Rocky Fork Club Shooting Preserve in Newark, Elk Ridge Game Farm in Bucyrus, Wooster Hunt Club in Wooster, The Homestead in West Salem, Triple Creek Farms in East Sparta, Scioto River Hunting Club in Roundhead and Wrestle Creek Game Club in Waynesfield.
Some seasons begin as early as Sept. 1, while others don't begin until as late as June 4, 2021, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reported in its annual regulations.
There are four dates for wild turkey hunting, including fall turkey season, youth spring turkey season, and then spring turkey for the south zone and the northeast zone. Those beginning dates are Oct. 10; April 17, 2021; April 24, 2021; and May 1, 2021; respectively.
White-tailed deer seasons begin between Sept. 26 and Jan. 2; and are specifically deer archery season, youth deer gun season, deer gun season and deer muzzleloader season.
Small game and furbearer hunting seasons start between Sept. 1 and June 4, 2021; while furbearer trapping seasons begin between Nov. 10 and Dec. 26.
Seasons for waterfowl and migratory birds begin between Sept. 5 and Jan. 2, the regulations stated.
Hunting equipment varies depending on the animal, the DNR website stated.
For white-tailed deer, hunters can use a minimum draw weight of 40 pounds for longbows and a minimum draw weight of 75 pounds for crossbows, 10-gauge or smaller shotguns, .38 caliber or larger muzzleloading rifles, 10-gauge or smaller muzzleloading shotguns or .357 caliber or larger handguns.
For wild turkeys, hunters may use 10-gauge or smaller shotguns, longbows with a minimum draw weight of 40 pounds and crossbows with a minimum draw weight of 75 pounds, the DNR website said.
There are no specific requirements for longbows, crossbows, handguns, rifles or airguns for coyote, small game, furbearers or feral swine, but shotguns must be 10-gauge or smaller.
For waterfowl and migratory birds, shotguns must be 10-gauge or smaller, and longbows are allowed.
