Ohio Deer Season Dates 2026-27
Ohio's archery season runs more than four months and allows crossbows the entire time, which makes it one of the most flexible states in the Midwest to plan a trip around. Here are the 2026-27 dates and the weeks that actually produce.
Ohio 2026-27 deer season dates at a glance
Ohio DNR publishes final dates each summer. County bag limits change year to year, so verify before you buy permits.
| Season | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Archery and crossbow | Sept. 26, 2026 to Feb. 7, 2027 | Crossbows legal all season |
| Youth gun | Nov. 21 to 22, 2026 | Hunters 17 and under with an adult |
| Gun week | Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, 2026 | Seven-day statewide firearms season |
| Bonus gun weekend | Dec. 19 to 20, 2026 | Two extra firearms days |
| Muzzleloader | Jan. 2 to 5, 2027 | Four-day late season |
The best weeks to hunt Ohio whitetails
- Oct. 25 to 31: pre-rut, big bucks starting to move in daylight
- Nov. 2 to 15: peak rut, the best archery and crossbow hunting of the year
- Nov. 30 to Dec. 6: gun week, heavy movement and pressure-driven deer
- Jan. 2 to 5: muzzleloader over standing food, cold-weather trophy chance
Why Ohio produces record-book bucks
Ohio sits near the top of Boone and Crockett entries year after year. The combination of high-quality agriculture, thick bedding cover in the hill country, and a one-antlered-deer statewide limit lets bucks reach 4½ and 5½ years old in real numbers, which is exactly what a trophy hunt needs.
Booking a guided hunt around these dates
Our Ohio guided deer hunts are set on this calendar: a semi-guided early window, a fully guided rut week, a crossbow hunt that can run any time in the long archery season, the January muzzleloader hunt, and a five-hunter trophy tier at peak rut.
Common questions
Get Season Date Reminders
Season dates and open hunt weeks, emailed when they matter.