State Game Laws you'd like to see altered or removed

[buckeyebowhunter]

First off, before I list anything about the laws I'd like to see changed in my state of Ohio, I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers although I'm sure I will. I am in no way trying to offend anyone if their opinions or hunting methods are different than mine. This is mostly for fun but I'd like to see what others feel on this subject. In my opinion there are several things in our state that are just flat out dumb or need to be changed.

1) Baiting deer.

I know some game animals are hard to kill without bait, deer are not one of them. You will never convince me that baiting helps our sport in any way, or that it is actually hunting. I think it is the largest problem in our state and I would like to see it dissolved.

2) Incorporate a draw system for Non Resident hunters or at the bare minimum increase the tag prices. 

I am all for non resident hunters coming to Ohio. I have met some really cool sportsmen on our public lands here. But I have to be honest it is a damn free for all during the rut here on public lands. Adding a draw system would still allow the serious sportsmen to come here and enjoy our state, but it would also allow residents to actually enjoy the public lands. I own no land myself and I have access to very little private land (a few small parcels) to hunt. I enjoy hunting public lands here, we have some very wonderful public land to hunt but you cannot even find a place to park the first 3 weeks of November.

3) If you have two tags you should be able to fill (potentially) both of them before leaving your treestand.

Ohio is a one buck state. I usually buy two tags to start the season, to either take a buck and a doe or in some seasons two does. You are required to tag one deer before shooting another in the same day. This rule makes no sense to me. Any good sportsman that shoots a deer is going to tag it regardless of if he/she shoots another. He/she is going to tag both of them because he intended to fill both tags when he took those shots. Any dishonest sportsman or redneck isn't going to follow the rule regardless. SO why does it matter? This punishes the honest sportsman that may shoot a doe and then if he sees a buck soon thereafter that he'd like to shoot, he's not allowed to or visa versa.

4) Permanent stands should not be allowed on public lands.

Public lands should be first come first serve situation. Everyone should have a fair shot at a spot, thats why it's called public lands. I sometimes even think trail camera's should not be allowed on public lands even though I have used them from time to time. It would eliminate that sense of "it's my spot" because technically it's everyone's, you just need to be the first on there or at least talk it out with your fellow sportsman if you arrive at the same time. Normally if someone is already there I just drive to another spot.

5) Too many gun seasons.

We have a youth gun season in the middle of Nov, then a weeks long regular gun season, then an extended weekend gun season, then muzzleloader in January. I've always felt like the gun season's were just too much and fell at weird times. For example, I think the youth season is a cool idea, but why right in the middle of the rut and two weeks before our regular season? Just bump it to the two day's before regular season like our turkey youth hunt. Take the kids out bowhunting in November and teach them a lot more about actually hunting.

These are just a few of my thought, and ramblings. I hope to one day see some of these changed for the betterment of our sport here in Ohio. At least the first 4.

[Tim Reese]

Oh boy. Lol.

Here’s mine

No stands left on public unless handicapped or senior citizen

No cameras on public

[Tim Reese]

We have a tree stand law here but no one follows it so that’s my reasons. No one removes them or tags them with there info like your supposed too.

Cameras just bug me on public.

[David Mitchell]

"I have to be honest it is a damn free for all during the rut here on public lands."

Buckeyebowhunter, I have experienced the same thing over many years.

[GCook]

Have to pass a shooting test to hunt.
If you wound a deer you burn a tag.
Kill all the wolves.
Public land is for hunting only from September through April.  No hiking for fun, no off road vehicle trail riding, etc.
Require year round supplemental feed programs.  Like ag exemption requirements benefits the land and livestock, a wildlife exemption program benefits wildlife. Not just deer.  Wild birds, small game, all of it.
Public land hunters should have to pay a fee to have access.  Keeping private land a good place to hunt and manage it costs money.  The same with public land.  Want to stop people from leaving stands, riding Ebikes and ATVs, you need to fund more law enforcement.  That costs money. 
I could go on with things like predator control programs and antler/age restrictions and . . .

[two4hooking]

Having steel broadheads only in Maryland... a though it probably saves me from a new hobby and a 1,000 cuts lol

[KentuckyWolf]

Restricting nonresidents is a double edge sword.
If Kentucky jacked up nonresident prices higher or restricted them to a drawing…it might chase off some of the Ohio and Georgia hunters that invade the state.

Keep in mind …you could be a “nonresident” to others.


Would love for crossbows to go back to being restricted to senior citizens and disabled only.

Would like for them to restrict Turkey hen harvest back to zero. Turkey population could use some help.

A “no button buck” rule would be nice.

Putting modern rifle back in to a 10 day season…instead of what is basically the whole month of November now.

[buckeyebowhunter]

Kentucky, i get what you're saying.

I'm fine with chasing off some of the non res. A draw system keeps the numbers in check and still allows the serious bowhunters to get their chance, raising prices allows the ODNR to still get their cut which is probably their main concern anyhow.

I know the feeling of being a non res. I've bought points for Iowa for 3 years. And im totally fine with it.  Im waiting my turn to hunt another state. Why shouldn't Ohio be any different, it's still a big buck destination state. But with absurdly liberal non res tag system.

[Over&Under]

Allow baiting here in the west
I guess we could do food plots like the east…a legal way of baiting is all that is.
I find it funny how food plots, bait piles for bear, and feeders for hogs is no problem in the hunting world…in fact it’s quite acceptable you are congratulated for hunting in that manner but you throw out corn for a Turkey, mule deer, or elk and you are the scum of the hunting world.

There is no no difference in my mind…why it’s not allowed I don’t understand…tomato / tomoto

I could plant a food plot or sit an alfalfa field and be legal…but corn, apples or a mineral lick and I’m the devil

Oh well…doubt it will ever change

I’m not against fair chase or  the art of hunting…believe me that trumps all….but in certain situations, I don’t see the harm

[Ulysseys]

Allow Sunday hunting in PA. I find it completely ridiculous that Sunday hunting is illegal.

[buckeyebowhunter]

I'm going to respectfully disagree. Baiting and hunting a field edge are simply not the same thing. There's a huge difference between training deer to an area vs. direct spot in front of you. A deer can enter/exit and wander through a field however he pleases.

Be careful what you wish for. It seems as though baiting is the only way to hunt these days here and it's a battle to see who can get the most corn out. I'm sorry but that's not fair chase, and never will be. 

I think in regards to bear and hogs it's somewhat different especially in areas where they're considered a Nuisance and SHOULD be removed for safety. I've also read that bears are just about next to impossible to get close to with a bow without bait, deer are tough to get close to but not impossible. I can't speak for either though because I've never hunted bear or hogs.

[KentuckyWolf]

Allow spear and atlatls for hunting.

Way regulations are now…I could use any center fire rifle or pistol deer hunting (17hmr…or 380 auto anyone?) but I can’t use a spear or atlatl …which have been used by humans for thousands of years to take game.

Ban air rifles…..yes they let these devices in too…shortly after crossbows. They are probably getting ready to allow “arrow guns” in too. Obviously even crossbow are to much work for some people.

Ban mechanical broadheads. They have an unnecessarily high wounding/loss rate.

Restrict muzzleloader to actual muzzleloaders. No breach loading in line “muzzleloaders”. Iron sighs only…no scopes.

[Over&Under]

I appreciate your comments buckeye

I’ll give you an example that I’m referring to

In Utah, if you draw an archery deer (buck only) or elk tag you are allowed to hunt  either sex starting the day after the season ends until the end of November within a very shrunken boundary…basically within city limits

Based on your idea of baiting allowed for nuisance or herd control  reasons…I think this scenario qualifies…not sure another reason to allow the killing of does/cows  in our area long after the season ends

As far as deer wandering thru a field at their leisure…there wouldn’t be a field there in the first place and they prob wouldn’t  be in that field if it wasn’t planted just for them (in the case of food plots) … same cake different icing
You call it a field edge…I call it the edge of a large man-made bait pile

[goingoldskool]

Missouri: I'm not a fan of allowing crossbow usage during archery season...  that's my biggest complaint.

[mgf]

I would have never thought that "hunters" would be in favor of so many fees and regulations. Shame on you.

[D.Rose]

At some point I think cell cameras will need regulated. In my opinion cell cameras are just as lethal as baiting if used in a certain manner. A guy that can afford to run 30 cell cameras has an extreme and unfair advantage over the deer and also to ppl that can't afford to run them. And yes I do personally know a guy with 30 cell cameras.

[Michael Guran]

I’d like to see designated areas for running dogs on public land.  Most of my hunting is done on NF land in the mountains of E TN and W NC where the bear season runs along with archery deer season.   It’s a free for all, and I’ve had dogs refuse to leave under my tree stand or act aggressively while I was still hunting.  I don’t have anything against the guys that run dogs, but they should have their own area.  Our deer population is the lowest in the state and it only takes a couple of weeks of the hounds running and the deer/bear sightings go way down.

[kopfjaeger]

I'd like to see Pennsylvania go to one antler restriction for the whole state. Right now the western part of the state is three points on an antler NOT counting the browtine when the rest of the state is three points on an antler counting the browtine.

[Sixgun]

Here in Michigan, I'd like to see the archery rules go back to disallowing crossbows, without a Dr's note / approval.

[KentuckyWolf]

Would like to see a “wanton waste” or “meat salvage” law…similar to Alaska’s.

I could not tell you how many times I have heard from “good ol’boys” that they shot a deer, just cut out the backstraps and then left it lay or dumped the animal.

A few years ago I found giant pile of dead deer just off a road. Reported it to my local conservation officer. I eventually heard back from him. It was all legal. Some guys from out of state came in…shot a boat load of deer..cut out the backstraps…took the heads off the few bucks in the pile…and dumped them. They were all accounted for…all tagged. The CO hated it…but nothing illegal was done.