Ohio § 1533.02

§ 1533.02.

Fish in the inland and Lake Erie fishing districts, game birds and game quadrupeds

throughout the state, and fur-bearing animals in the inland and Lake Erie trapping

districts may be taken and possessed only in open season, in compliance with this

section or a division rule, stipulating the length of fish and the number of fish,

game birds, game quadrupeds, and fur-bearing animals that may be taken. The waters of Lake Erie and the waters, lands, and marshes included in Lucas, Ottawa,

Sandusky, Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Ashtabula counties constitute the “ Lake Erie trapping district ,” and all other waters, lands, and marshes within the state constitute the “inland

trapping district.” The waters of Lake Erie;  the waters of Sandusky bay as far west as a continuation

due south to the Sandusky county shore of the section line between sections 23 and

24 in Bay township, Ottawa county, and as far east as a continuation due north of

the township line between Perkins and Huron townships, Erie county, indicated by markers

which shall be permanently erected on each shore;  and the waters of Maumee bay as

far south as a line which shall be a continuation due eastward of the section line

between sections 16 and 21 in Washington township, Lucas county, indicated by markers

which shall be permanently erected on each shore, constitute the “Lake Erie fishing

district.”  All other waters over which the state has jurisdiction, whether lakes, rivers, creeks,

or reservoirs or whether natural or artificial, including East Harbor, West Harbor,

and Middle Harbor in Ottawa county, and the waters of Ten Mile creek lying within

this state constitute the “inland fishing district.” (A) All species or kinds of fish may be taken and possessed only according to the following

schedule or as otherwise provided in this chapter or Chapter 1531. of the Revised

Code or by division rule. Minimum Legal Lengths in Inches Daily Bag Limits Open Season Name of Fish Inland Lake Erie Muskellunge․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season 30 None 2 None Yellow Pike-perch․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season 13 None 6 None Bluegill․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season 5 5 20 20 Rock Bass․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season 5 5 20 20 Yellow Perch․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season None None 20 None White Bass․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season None None 20 None Trout․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Apr. 15- Sept. 15 Apr. 15- Sept. 15 7 7 6 6 Black Bass․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ June 16- Apr. 30 July 1- May 24 10 10 6 6 Crappie․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season 20 20 Sunfish․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season None None 20 20 Catfish․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season None None 20 None Division (A)(7) of this section includes brooktrout, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Division (A)(8) of this section includes largemouth black bass, smallmouth black bass,

and spotted black bass. Division (A)(9) of this section includes white crappies and black crappies. Division (A)(10) of this section includes pumpkinseed sunfish, long-eared sunfish,

and green sunfish. Division (A)(11) of this section includes channel catfish and shovel head catfish

and yellow bullhead, brown bullhead, and black bullhead. The total daily bag limit throughout the state for the combined species mentioned

in division (A) of this section shall not exceed twenty-five, and not more than two

days' legal catch of any one species, nor more than fifty of all species shall be

in possession at any one time, except fish allowed to be taken by commercial fishermen

in the Lake Erie fishing district. (B) All species of game birds and game quadrupeds throughout the state may be taken and

possessed only according to the following schedule or as otherwise provided in this

chapter or Chapter 1531. of the Revised Code, or by division rule. Name Open Season Bag Limit Possession Limit Pheasant (Cockbirds only)․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Nov.30 2 4 Ruffed Grouse․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Nov.30 2 4 Hungarian Partridge․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Nov.30 4 4 Sharp-tailed Grouse․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season Pinnated Grouse․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season Woodcock․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Oct.10-Oct.24 4 8 Wilson's or Jack Snipe․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Oct.16-Dec.14 15 15 Rail and Gallinule․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Sept.1-Nov.30 15 15 Black-breasted Plover․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season Golden Plover․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season Coot․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Oct.16-Dec.14 25 25 Duck․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Oct.16-Dec.14 10 20 Geese and Brant․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Oct.16-Dec.14 3 6 Hare or Rabbit․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Jan.1 4 4 Gray, Black, and Fox Squirrel․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Sept.25-Oct.10 4 8 Red or Pine Squirrel․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season Ground Hog or Woodchuck․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season Deer․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season Bear․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season (C) All species of fur-bearing animals may be taken and possessed only according to the

following schedule, or as otherwise provided in this chapter or Chapter 1531. of the

Revised Code or by division rule. Name Inland Trapping District Open Season Lake Erie Trapping District Open Season Mink․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Dec.1-Jan.15 Dec.15-Mar.15 Weasel․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No closed season No closed season Raccoon․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Jan.15 Nov.15-Jan.15 Skunk․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Jan.15 Nov.15-Jan.15 Opossum․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Jan.15 Nov.15-Jan.15 Muskrat․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Dec.1-Jan.15 Dec.15-Mar.15 Beaver․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ No open season No open season Fox․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Nov.15-Mar.1 Nov.15-Mar.1 The season provided for the taking of fox does not prohibit the chasing of a fox by

dog or on horseback when the chasing does not result in the killing of the fox. This section does not prevent the owner or operator of a farm or enclosure used to

breed and raise raccoon, skunk, mink, muskrat, or opossum from taking or possessing

at any time such fur-bearing animals although the farm or enclosure, in addition to

that use, also is used during the open season for hunting other game. No person within the state shall buy, sell, expose for sale, offer for sale, or have

in possession for any such purpose any of the fish, or any part thereof, mentioned

in this section, whether taken within or without the state, except such fish as are

protected by law and taken by licensed commercial fishermen in the Lake Erie fishing

district and in other waters wherein fishing with nets is licensed by law.  This section does not prohibit the sale of fish taken by angling in the Lake Erie

fishing district that are of a length provided by law and permitted to be taken and

sold by licensed commercial fishermen.  No person within the state shall buy, sell, expose for sale, offer for sale, or

have in possession for any such purpose any game bird or game quadruped, or any part

thereof, whether taken within or without the state.  Each such fish, game bird, or game quadruped, or part thereof, bought, sold, exposed

for sale, offered for sale, or had in possession for any such purposes contrary to

this section or division rule constitutes a separate offense. No person shall take a hare or rabbit, within the state, through the use of a ferret,

or place a ferret in any hole or opening in the ground, a stone wall, a log, or elsewhere

outside a building, in which a hare or rabbit might be confined, or have a ferret

in possession or under control while hunting, going hunting, or returning from hunting.  Each hare or rabbit caught, killed, or had in possession contrary to this section

constitutes a separate offense.  This section does not prevent the owner of a young fruit orchard or nursery or his

tenant or bona fide employee from possessing a ferret or using a ferret in any manner

to take or kill rabbits or hares when they are doing actual and substantial damage

to his fruit trees or nursery stock. The possession of the hide, skin, or pelt of a wild bird or wild quadruped during

the closed seasons is prima-facie evidence that it was illegally taken unless the

possessor can show an original invoice signed by a shipper that the hide, skin, or

pelt was shipped from without the state or furnish satisfactory proof that it was

legally taken or acquired. (D) No person shall take a wild bird or wild quadruped from its nest, house, den, or

burrow, or destroy such a nest, house, den, or burrow, or with a spear hunt, pursue,

injure, or kill any wild bird or wild quadruped except as otherwise provided in this

chapter or Chapter 1531. of the Revised Code or by division rule.  Each wild bird or wild quadruped or each hide, skin, or pelt of any such wild bird

or wild quadruped, or part thereof, taken or had in possession contrary to this section

constitutes a separate offense.