Kentucky got their first shot at 'em; West Virginia hunters joined in last week, and starting Monday, Nov. 30, deer hunters have their chance for that big buck in Ohio.

Ohio deer gun season for whitetail deer is Nov. 30 through Dec. 6. There's also an extra weekend Dec. 19-20.

Ohio has three deer hunting zones. All of southern Ohio (and all local counties) are located in Zone C. That allows hunters to take no more than six deer during the season. Three must be tagged with the regular deer tag ($24), and three can be tagged with the antlerless permit ($15) available only after Dec. 6.

Deer can be hunted with a legal muzzleloader, handgun or shotgun from one half-hour before sunrise to sunset.

With a pre-hunting season population estimate of 650,000 white-tailed deer, the ODNR Division of Wildlife anticipates 115,000 to 125,000 deer will be killed during the nine-day season. Approximately 420,000 hunters are expected to participate in this year's season, including many out-of-state hunters.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio. In fact, the Buckeye State ranks eighth nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has a $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Ohio is divided into three deer hunting zones. Beginning on the opening day of gun season and continuing through Dec. 6, a limit of one deer may be taken in Zone A (20 counties) and two deer in Zone B (30 counties). A total of six deer may be harvested in eastern and southeastern Ohio's Zone C (38 counties) through the week-long gun season. The antlerless deer permit will be valid for deer-gun week only in Zone C.

Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season. A deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license.

Hunters are encouraged to kill more does this season using the reduced-priced antlerless deer permit and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need.

Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state's deer zones are contained in the 2009-2010 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations. This free publication is available wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

In the rest of the Tri-State, Kentucky's gun season closed out on Nov. 29, while in West Virginia deer gun season runs through Saturday, Dec. 5.

In West Virginia, antlerless deer gun season runs through Dec. 17, and then Dec. 29-31. There is a bag limit of four antlerless deer and two bucks during those respective seasons. Bag limit is two each in the following counties: Barbour, Calhoun, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Mercer, Pendleton, Preston and Wirt. Go online at www.wvdnr.gov for more info about deer season and other hunting seasons.

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