MORGAN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — With deer gun hunting season beginning Monday, the tradition continues for many hunters across the state. But data shows where they choose to hunt is shifting, with more looking to Northeast Ohio.
Data from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources shows a 25% increase in the number of deer harvested in Ashtabula County over the last decade. This surge has moved the county from a top-10 most popular hunting destination in the state to a top-three county, usually only behind Conchocton and Tuscarawas Counties.
At Trumbull Locker Plant in Rock Creek, the manager told News 5 his deer processing facility has seen a 30-40% increase in business over the past decade, even as fewer processing facilities operate in the area.
Commissioner Casey Kozlowski credits the county's success to its rural layout.
"We don't have as much of that urban sprawl that you see in other parts in the state, and I think that's meant that the deer feel comfortable being here in our county, which is, of course is a prime opportunity for deer hunters to come to Ashtabula County and get their catch," Kozlowski said.
Another factor driving hunters to Ashtabula County is the rise in epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), primarily affecting deer in southern Ohio.
"Epizootic hemorrhagic disease is a disease that primarily affects deer," Officer Ryan Pawlus with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said. "We see higher prevalence in years with severe droughts, which the past 2-3 years we've had droughts and flare-ups, but this year appears to be the worst one we've had. When you have high populations and high deer numbers, the disease takes off and goes wild."
ODNR officials are monitoring how the disease outbreak might affect hunting patterns.
"Folks might adjust their plans to compensate for the deer loss down south, and we might seek more folks up here on public land in the northeast," Pawlus said.
Deer gun season runs from Dec. 1 through 7 and again on Dec. 20 and 21.
Clay LePard is the Ashtabula, Geauga and Portage counties reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @ClayLePard, on Facebook ClayLePardTV or email him at Clay.LePard@wews.com.
