1501:31-15-01. Game hours and bag limits

(A) Throughout the state, it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take or possess game birds, game quadrupeds, or furbearing animals except according to this rule and other provisions of the Administrative Code or the Revised Code.

(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take a squirrel at any time, except between one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily during the open season for squirrels.

(C) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than six red, gray, black or fox squirrels, singly or in the aggregate, in any one day or possess more than six squirrels taken in one day.

(D) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than six red, gray, black or fox squirrels singly or in the aggregate in the field while hunting or when returning from hunting.

(E) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take grouse at any time, except between one-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily during the open season for grouse.

(F) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take more than one grouse in any one day. Provided further, it shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than one grouse in the field while hunting or when returning from hunting.

(G) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take rabbits at any time, except between sunrise to sunset daily during the open season for rabbits.

(H) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take more than four rabbits in any one day.

(I) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than four rabbits in the field while hunting or when returning from hunting.

(J) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take pheasants or chukar partridge at any time except between sunrise to sunset daily during the pheasant and chukar partridge season.

(K) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than two pheasants and two chukar partridge in the field while hunting or when returning from hunting.

(L) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take more than two pheasants and two chukar partridge in any one day.

(M) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess a hen pheasant at any time, or to possess a hen pheasant in a vehicle while hunting or when returning from hunting except when legally acquired and tagged in accordance with law.

(N) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport, ship, mail, or express a pheasant the exterior sex identity of which has been destroyed, and no person shall have in possession, while in the field a pheasant the exterior sex identity of which has been destroyed.

(O) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take bobwhite quail at any time except between sunrise to sunset daily during the open season for quail.

(P) It shall be lawful for persons possessing a valid falconry permit from the chief of the division of wildlife to hunt the game animals permitted to be hunted in this rule and other rules of the Administrative Code.

(Q) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or hunt any of the game animals mentioned in this rule with a raptor unless authorized by the chief of the division of wildlife.

(R) It shall be unlawful for any person to take, possess, or hunt any of the game animals mentioned in this rule with a raptor in excess of the daily limit listed for each.

(S) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take more than two bobwhite quail in any one day.

(T) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess more than two bobwhite quail in the field while hunting or when returning from hunting.

(U) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a bobwhite quail in the field, except in the counties open to quail hunting as set forth in paragraph (H) of rule 1501:31-15-17 of the Administrative Code or when legally acquired and tagged in accordance with law.

(V) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.

Effective: 7/1/2020
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 3/23/2020 and 07/01/2025
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10
Rule Amplifies: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10 , 1533.02
Prior Effective Dates: 05/01/1976, 06/01/1977, 06/01/1978, 06/01/1979, 06/01/1980, 06/01/1981, 06/01/1982, 05/31/1983, 05/31/1984, 06/01/1985, 06/01/1986, 06/01/1987, 07/01/1989, 07/31/1990, 08/15/1995, 08/10/1996, 07/19/2002, 06/04/2003, 05/28/2004, 05/27/2005, 07/01/2009, 11/27/2009, 07/01/2014