Counts of bucks recorded in record books from 2022 to 2024 put Ohio ahead of Iowa and Kansas. Nonresidents can buy Ohio deer permits over the counter. Kansas limits access through a draw, while Ohio offers mostly over-the-counter tags, a one-buck limit that helps the herd grow older, and generous doe harvests to control deer density. Those recent recorded counts rank Ohio among the top three trophy states, with deer permits available to nonresidents. The only blemish on that open access appeared in 2025, when a severe hemorrhagic-disease outbreak devastated the southeast.
KEY FINDINGS
- Ohio combines a one-buck limit, allowing no more than one antlered deer, with total-deer caps of up to four deer in a four-deer county and six statewide. This is the same age-structure mechanism behind Indiana's trophy standing (Working Paper 09).
- Hunters have broad access in Ohio, where tags are mostly sold over the counter. Kansas comes close to the other extreme, requiring a draw for nonresident permits to hunt whitetail deer (Working Paper 17).
- Deer harvest stays high and consistent: hunters took 187,283 deer across all seasons through the early part of December 2025. The gun hunt lasting a week yielded 87,191 (2024) and 85,448 (2025).
- Disease broke the pattern in 2025. In the southeastern hills, an outbreak of EHD that the Division of Wildlife called unprecedented struck Washington, Athens, Morgan, and Meigs counties hard. Those counties subsequently had their bag limits lowered.
IKansas quality, public-land manners
A trophy state with open access
Ohio lacks the aura Kansas carries, yet offers much of its antler quality with almost no comparable access barriers. Residents and nonresidents who want to hunt there can generally purchase a tag and head out. Producing big bucks while offering open access through over-the-counter tags is unusual among western trophy destinations like Kansas. Indiana and Wisconsin, however, also offer deer licenses without requiring a draw. Ohio's primary tool for buck quality is its limit of a single antlered deer, while tags remain available.
IIOne buck, many does
Building an older Ohio herd without drawing tags
Ohio follows the same approach as Indiana (Working Paper 09). A limit of one antlered deer encourages hunters to let young bucks walk, giving those bucks time to grow older. It comes with a generous antlerless allowance: up to four deer in a county with a four-deer limit and six statewide. This leaves the state able to lower deer density to manage crop damage and safety concerns. Ohio has no draw. Each hunter may harvest one buck per license year, while does may be taken in greater numbers. The state restricts each hunter's buck harvest, and permits remain available without a draw.
Ohio's limit of one antlered deer allows each hunter to harvest one buck. Deer permits remain available. Kansas uses a draw to control who can hunt.
IIIThe crack in the door
EHD strikes southeastern Ohio
Hunting access without a draw has one weak point also shared by draw states: disease. During summer 2025, epizootic hemorrhagic disease spread across the hills of southeastern Ohio. The Division of Wildlife called the outbreak unprecedented. Affected counties included Washington, Athens, Morgan, and Meigs; afterward, bag limits there were lowered to allow herd recovery. EHD occurs in outbreaks, and the agency's response was to reduce bag limits in four counties. A lower limit can curb additional harvest, but it cannot halt a die-off. Keeping Ohio accessible changes nothing about the biology. It simply means more hunters will watch the recovery.
IVWhat it means
Why the accessible giant offers value
Hunters deciding where to devote a season have easier access to Ohio tags than to tags in Midwest trophy states that require draws. Ohio supplies much of those states' antler quality without requiring hunters to draw. There are trade-offs: without a draw, there is no ceiling on the number of hunters sharing ground, and EHD struck the southeast in 2025. Big bucks, readily available tags, and a bag limit come together in Ohio. Compared with Kansas, its position on access is at the far other end. For most nonresidents, Ohio is the more accessible choice.
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Across all Ohio deer seasons, harvest totaled 187,283 through Dec. 7, 2025. The gun hunt lasting a week yielded 87,191 (2024) and 85,448 (2025). Limits allow up to four deer within a county capped at four deer, with a statewide maximum of six and only one antlered deer. Data source: wildohio.gov, Ohio Division of Wildlife.
- In 2025, EHD affected Washington, Athens, Morgan, and Meigs counties, where bag limits were reduced in connection with the outbreak. Information comes from the Ohio Division of Wildlife. These figures reflect what was reported; totals for the late season remain preliminary.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. Fully Drawn Research is independent and not affiliated with the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Informational only, not hunting, wildlife-management, or investment advice. Confirm current regulations with the Ohio Division of Wildlife before hunting.
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