Ohio hunters start season taking 70 percent more deer

12/3/2008

COLUMBUS, Ohio Officials say Ohio s deer-gun season got off to a big start, with hunters bagging more than 33,000 white-tailed deer on Monday.

The state Division of Wildlife says the tally was up 70 percent compared with the first day last year. The agency says hunters were hampered by heavy rain at the start of the 2007 season, while Monday was breezy with only occasional rain or snow across the state.

Tuscarawas County had more than 1,800 deer checked on Monday, the highest number in the state. Washington County was second with a little over 1,450.

The deer season for hunters using guns continues through Sunday, then resumes over a weekend later in the month.

Officials estimated the state had a white-tailed deer population of 700,000 before the hunt.