Residents and renters interested in hunting in Ohio likely need a permit to do so. Here are six things adults should know about getting hunting permits in the state.
1. You Might Not Have to Pay
Ohio's sportsman license fees have a number of exemptions for state residents,
listed on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Web page. Ohioans born before Dec. 31, 1937, can get hunting licenses for free Ohioans age 66 or older, but born after Jan. 1, 1938, can get these licenses for a reduced fee. Likewise, Ohioans who are disabled military veterans or former prisoners of war can also apply for free licenses – you need verification from the United States Department of Veterans of Affairs – and blind or mobility-impaired Ohioans can get free fishing licenses.
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2. Hunting on Personal Land
If you're hunting on land you own, even if you don't live on it, or on land you farm, you don't need a license. Your children can hunt on it without license requirements as well, the ODNR says. Non-Ohio residents who own land in the state can hunt on it if the state in which they live allows a similar arrangement. Renters and their children, on land on which they reside and from which they derive the majority (more than 50 percent) of their income from agricultural production, are not required to have a hunting license.
3. Wear the Right Colors
Hunting during any of the deer seasons, no matter what you're hunting (except for waterfowl) is illegal unless you're wearing a "vest, coat, jacket, or coveralls" that's either solid hunter orange or camouflage-pattern hunter orange. Vests that are only partly orange are not allowed;
the ODNR site has a helpful photo.
4. Deer Season Rules
If you're hunting other animals during deer season, restrictions on deer hunting, such as the type of weapon used, may apply to you as well.
Check the ODNR deer-hunting page under "Hunting Other Game During Deer Season" to be sure.
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5. Facts About Concealed Weapons
Although there's a bill before the Statehouse in 2015 to eliminate the permit requirement for concealed carry, Ohio is a concealed-carry permit state – and you can carry your properly permitted concealed weapon while hunting. You cannot, however, use it to "shoot, shoot at, or kill" wild animals, the ODNR says.
6. Get Permission
Even if private land is not posted "No Hunting," you still have to get permission from a landowner to hunt on private land that's not yours. However, the
ODNR makes it easy, with a downloadable form that provides proof of permission and protects the landowner against liability.
This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.
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