COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thousands of hunters are heading into the woods around Ohio today in hopes of bagging a deer and the state is giving them extra time to do it in.
Hunting time has been extended 30 minutes for all deer-gun seasons, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Hunters were already allowed to hunt deer 30 minutes before sunrise and an additional 30 minutes has been added after sunset this year.
State officials say some 420,000 hunters will bag an estimated 90,000 deer before the season ends on Dec. 8
Ohio Division of Wildlife officials say hunting season gives them a chance to monitor herds’ health, age and size.
Officials say that translates into better management of the herd through proper setting of hunting limits. The Columbus Dispatch reports that division officials also say too many deer mean more vehicle crashes. Deer also can damage crops, leading to higher prices at the grocery store.
But the state also monitors deer for disease to protect the herd and Ohio’s captive deer farms and other livestock.