Those hunters who walked Ohio fields in the middle of the 20th century would more than occasionally, sometimes despite themselves, bump into gamebirds.
Those unaccompanied by working dogs in particular could be surprised at almost any step by the beating of wings grabbing autumn air as birds were flushed from their hiding spots.
Such unpredictable raisings caused many a startled hunter’s heart to beat a little harder for a moment, though an almost instantaneous recovery coupled with a good aim immediately brought down a share of what had just gone up.
Often what went into the pouch were quail, pheasants or ruffed grouse. All three birds had a strong Ohio presence, but weather and/or a changing landscape have all but finished grouse, shrunk the living
arrangements for bobwhite quail and made ring-necked pheasants far scarcer than in their heyday.
Grouse hunting has been reduced to controlled hunting by permit at Shawnee State Forest, Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area, Zaleski State Forest and Vinton Furnace State Forest.
Quail can be hunted during a short November season on private land in just 16 southern counties and on public land only at Tri-Valley and Crown City wildlife areas. Hunting at Crown City, further, is limited to permit-holders.
Pheasant hunting remains open statewide, though with a short season that runs Nov. 6 through Jan. 10, 2027. The limit is two male birds a day.
Youth weekends precede the regular small-game seasons that also include cottontail rabbits as legal game. Youth hunting dates for small game are Oct. 24, 25, 31 and Nov 1.
Pheasants have fared somewhat better than other hunted birds, in part, because they reproduce without additional help in limited areas around the state, one of them being the Deer Creek Wildlife Area south of Columbus.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS: More about hunting and fishing in Ohio
The Ohio Division of Wildlife long has operated a program to supplement wild birds with those raised in pens and released in time for the hunt.
Releases were set to begin Oct. 24 for the start of the first youth small-game weekend and are slated to continue Oct. 31, Nov. 6, Nov. 14 and Nov. 26, which is Thanksgiving Day.
Three public sites in central Ohio will get sprinklings of pheasants. They are Delaware Wildlife Area north of Columbus, Kokosing Lake Wildlife Area in Knox County and Urbana Wildlife Area in Champaign County. Among the three areas Urbana is open only to controlled hunts by those who drew permits during summer.
Pheasant releases will take place throughout the state, and hunting at some public places comes with stipulations. See caveats and details at wildohio.gov or check with the booklet, Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026-27.
Parting shots
The fall wild turkey season closes Oct. 25. … The first part of the hunting season for geese, ducks, coots and mergansers ends Oct. 25 in central Ohio. Goose season reopens Nov. 21 and the seasons for ducks, coots and mergansers resumes Dec. 12. … Some 139 acres in Adams County have been designated as Ohio’s 156th state nature preserve. Plum Run Prairie “harbors significant prairie and cedar barren habitats and more than 30 rare and state-listed plants and animals,” a statement from the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves said. … The season deer take through Oct. 20 totaled 30,861. The 2025 total was 24,345 at about the same point of the season.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio pheasant season approaches as grouse, quail continue decline
