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Muzzleloader totals.

cotty16

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
I agree. I think with the heavy snow and the deer needing to feed, we saw an increased number of deer on the move. Add in higher visibility with the snow on the ground and the recipe for higher numbers adds up.

Sadly, shed bucks were killed. A few of my students cashed in on deer and 3 were shed bucks.
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
I know that pretty much everyone I know that ML hunted killed at least one. One buddy killed a nice buck that shed on side on its death run. It had been injured though and had gangrene in it pretty bad so it wasn't surprising at all for it to shed .
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
I'd say there were a lot of deer killed too. There were a lot of people out hunting, many of which wouldn't have been out in years passed due to being out of tags! Snow always makes a better harvest. I suspect that a lot more deer that are shot are actually found too, which is a good thing to me.
 

Boone

*Supporting Member*
833
96
N.E. O-H-I-O
Here they are:
Muzzleloader Deer Hunters Harvest more than 21,000 Deer during 2013 Season

COLUMBUS, OH – Successful hunters checked 21,555 white-tailed deer during the 2013 muzzleloader season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Muzzleloader season concluded on Tuesday, Jan. 8.
The 2013 harvest total represents a 12 percent increase over the 2012 season, when hunters checked19,251 deer. The muzzleloader harvest was 17,375 deer in 2011.
Counties reporting the highest number of deer checked during the 2013 muzzleloader season include: Guernsey (821), Coshocton (813), Tuscarawas (784), Muskingum (751), Belmont (739), Carroll (683), Harrison (677), Licking (675), Jefferson (619) and Knox (520).
Deer-archery season remains open through Sunday, Feb. 3. More information provided by ODNR Division of Wildlife about Ohio deer hunting can be found in the 2012-2013 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.com. Hunters can also share photos by clicking on the Photo Gallery tab online.
Hunters are encouraged to donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The ODNR Division of Wildlife is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who donate deer are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor. To see which counties are involved in this program, go to fhfh.org.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.com.
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Editor’s Note: A list of white-tailed deer checked by hunters during the 2013 muzzleloader hunting season, Jan. 5-8, is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2013, and the 2012 numbers are in parentheses.
Adams: 347 (336); Allen: 88 (77); Ashland: 310 (294); Ashtabula: 422 (374); Athens: 510 (457); Auglaize: 51 (87); Belmont: 739 (577); Brown: 305 (273); Butler: 110 (131); Carroll: 683 (418); Champaign: 118 (132); Clark: 61 (75); Clermont: 212 (239); Clinton: 78 (76); Columbiana: 441 (331); Coshocton: 813 (722); Crawford: 95 (103); Cuyahoga: 6 (5); Darke: 62 (62); Defiance: 107 (140); Delaware: 152 (140); Erie: 56 (42); Fairfield: 211 (216); Fayette: 27 (26); Franklin: 44 (46); Fulton: 50 (58); Gallia: 337 (333); Geauga: 126 (154); Greene: 95 (67); Guernsey: 821 (612); Hamilton: 79 (89); Hancock: 102 (111); Hardin: 110 (141); Harrison: 677 (569); Henry: 34 (68); Highland: 318 (278); Hocking: 445 (384); Holmes: 406 (388); Huron: 177 (173); Jackson: 361 (282); Jefferson: 619 (465); Knox: 520 (470); Lake: 59 (41); Lawrence: 230 (220); Licking: 675 (639); Logan: 182 (179); Lorain: 197 (162); Lucas: 41 (31); Madison: 35 (50); Mahoning: 197 (154); Marion: 54 (65); Medina: 159 (146); Meigs: 482 (466); Mercer: 48 (52); Miami: 65 (61); Monroe: 511 (422); Montgomery: 57 (41); Morgan: 460 (340); Morrow: 150 (143); Muskingum: 751 (638); Noble: 444 (389); Ottawa: 40 (37); Paulding: 83 (122); Perry: 375 (333); Pickaway: 83 (71); Pike: 217 (216); Portage: 158 (176); Preble: 131 (87); Putnam: 30 (56); Richland: 360 (290); Ross: 362 (388); Sandusky: 66 (72); Scioto: 268 (276); Seneca: 149 (142); Shelby: 101 (95); Stark: 268 (192); Summit: 56 (52); Trumbull: 321 (231); Tuscarawas: 784 (581); Union: 94 (92); Van Wert: 41 (91); Vinton: 392 (309); Warren: 142 (139); Washington: 442 (462); Wayne: 177 (139); Williams: 110 (166); Wood: 57 (40) and Wyandot: 126 (136). Total: 21,555 (19,251).
 

Boone

*Supporting Member*
833
96
N.E. O-H-I-O
You guys are correct, the snow helped. I can't remember the weather conditions for last year's muzzleloader season.
 
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"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,762
274
North Carolina
Not published yet but I think it's going to be a bigger number then most expected.

There were 30 deer dropped off between 2:00 PM Tues and 6:45 when I dropped mine off at Rokin R processing, He's done over 651 up to and counting what he had yesterday too do and when I was there 3 more guys showed up too drop off deer..... He said it's a banner year for them and they have been in business for over 7 years....
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,762
274
North Carolina
I believe we had snow.opening day of Muzzy season last year.... if it wasn't opening day then it was before it closed....
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
There was no snow in Athens last year during the MZ season. It was very warm all 4 days. I remember that I never wore a heavy coat all year and I took video every day of the MZ season that I just looked at again to be sure.
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
We had snow in the northeast (snow belt) last year. I remember looking at the deer tracks that were on top of my boot prints when I was walking back in after lunch.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
We definitely had no snow in Athens last year during any of the gun seasons, Highs ranged form 43 to 50 all 4 days of MZ

The year before there was snow
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
We had snow in the northeast (snow belt) last year. I remember looking at the deer tracks that were on top of my boot prints when I was walking back in after lunch.

That's correct. I remember we had snow on the ground and I wore my predator gear, so it was below freezing!
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
Wow, the two counties i hunted the most had minimal pressure compared to years past (on the public ground).

I wasnt expecting that high of numbers killed.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Butler County was down as I heard almost shooting the last 2 days. I hunted all day Monday and Tuesday and didn't see a deer.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I know one thing, with the lack of killing going leading up to muzzleloader, it prompted a lot of driving and shotgun kills. I heard more drives and shotguns going off than muzzleloaders this weekend. With the new tagging system, there is really no fear of getting busted for it. I'd love to know the actual number of deer killed by muzzleloaders vs shotguns this weekend...