- Devin Meister – Contributing Writer
- Aug 30, 2026 Updated 6 hrs ago
- Ohio hunting season is nearly here. Here’s what opens Sept. 1 | Sports | journal-news.com
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They’re nearly here: the months that end in “R” and signify Ohio fall hunting seasons.
The opening day for squirrels and mourning dove seasons is Tuesday, Sept. 1. In Ohio, small game hunting season openers are some of the state’s longest-standing traditions. When I passed the Ohio hunter education course and got my first hunting license, these two quarry were high on my list. Due in no small part to what seemed to be ample opportunities — they seemed to be everywhere; how hard could it be?
Squirrels
Sept. 1 has served as the opening day for red, grey and fox squirrels for the past several decades. If memory serves, however, the opening day before that centered around Sept. 15. Today, that date seems random, but stuck in the middle of the month, well after school had started, I was ready to go.
Throughout the neighborhood, squirrels seemed to be everywhere. But you couldn’t hunt in the neighborhood close to houses. I also couldn’t hunt without being accompanied by a licensed adult, so that meant waiting for the weekend.
Those first trips proved that Ohio rural woodlot squirrels were not the same critters bounding from backyard bird feeders to tree trunks to limbs. These squirrels seemed to sense every change in the forest and be on high alert. They were fast and never stopped.
The instructed and adhered to maximum range of 30 yards with a .410 shotgun is not very far when you start looking at the tops of mature hickory and oak trees. Suffice it to say it was a lot harder to find a squirrel in range than I ever imagined. The daily bag limits seemed and were entirely hypothetical and unreachable.
Mourning doves
Doves did and still do seem to be often stacked up by the hundreds on power lines and dead trees everywhere, especially as they migrate through Ohio. Nearby states had long-established dove seasons and traditions. Always an early September start, hunting in large groups around fields then gathering around the tailgate to listen to the “state football” game is a thing in SEC country I’ve heard. I only know this from reading the national outdoor magazines.
While many, many decades back, species such as grackles were on the list of gamebirds in Ohio, Mourning dove hunting was banned in Ohio in 1917. The season made a short reappearance in the mid 1970s, but was eliminated before I was able to take to the field. That prompted me to write my first letter to a politician, a young state representative who is now governor. Closing the season likely saved me some disappointment, hours staring at an empty sky and missing the fast-flying targets.
The season wasn’t reinstated until 1995, but then came under immediate challenge. A statewide ballot in 1998 to repeal dove hunting was defeated by voters, allowing science and modern game management practices to prevail to this day. The daily limit for doves stands at 15, with hunting allowed from sunrise to sunset.
Just the start
Squirrels and doves are just the tip of what Ohio has to offer in upcoming days. Other seasons opening on Sept. 1 include: Virginia and Sora Rails, Wilson’s Snipe and Gallinules. Seasons opening on Sept. 5 include those for Canada geese and Teal (Blue-winged, Green-winged and Cinnamon).
The statewide deer archery season begins on Sept. 26, with hunting in the Disease Surveillance Areas (DSA) starting on Sept. 12.
Like always, be sure to check the official rules and regulations from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife for specifics and details.
Care in the field
One thing for sure is that the temperatures are way warmer during the first month ending in “R” than those toward the end of the year. That means some extra precautions in the field. Make sure that everything harvested is cooled down quickly to prevent spoiling. That means planning ahead and optimistically for success with an iced cooler. Additionally, humans and four-legged companions need to stay hydrated; that’s an everyday thing.
Resources
The Ohio DNR has a variety of resources on nearly everything you can imagine for the outdoors. From general hunter education to how to get started with specific species to where to go and videos, you’ll find it there. But start with buying a hunting license. It’s the best thing you can do for conservation in the state.