How it hunts
Oak-hickory forest, regenerating clearcuts, and brushy benches.
Public access. Scioto Trail and Paint Creek. Big county, mixed hill and farm.
688 sq mi of land (Census)
Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau
Ross County
Steep timber, hollows, and ridge-to-creek funnels. Big-woods public tracts mixed with family farms.
Sit forecast
Checking the forecast…
59/100
TrophyBook Opportunity Score · v1
Tied #31 of 88 Ohio counties
Ranks the county on harvest and record-book numbers. Not the odds of taking a buck.
- Total harvest3,402 deer · beats 76% of other counties30.4 / 40
- Harvest trend+5% · beats 22% of other counties5.5 / 25
- Harvest per sq mi4.9 per sq mi · beats 54% of other counties10.8 / 20
- Book-buck odds3.2 per 1,000 deer · beats 79% of other counties11.8 / 15
2025-26 harvest · record book 2019–2023 · How it works
Harvest218#37 of 88 · +13.5% vs last year
So far in 2026-27
Bucks108#28 of 88 · 50% of harvest
110 antlerless · +38% vs last year
Harvest per sq mi0.32#60 of 88
Not a population count
Book-buck odds3.2#19 of 88 · 1.5× Ohio
Per 1,000 deer · 49 entries, 2019–23
Harvest trend+5%#66 of 88
Last 3 seasons vs the 3 before
Harvest by season
Through Oct 13, 2026 · 192 at this point last season
Book bucks
568 Buckeye Big Buck Club entries · 454 typical · 114 non-typical · latest 2024 · #3 of 88
| Score | Hunter | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 249 4/8 | Chad Lytle | 2020 |
| 240 4/8 | Jason McClintic | 2009 |
| 237 5/8 | Carson Putnam | 2021 |
| 224 6/8 | Richard F Barnett | 1995 |
| 223 5/8 | William Stuckey, Jr | 2018 |
Taken with: Modern Shotgun 236 · Long Bow 135 · Crossbow 115 · Muzzleloader 54
All 568 entries →Buck board: no Ross deer posted for 2026-27 yet. Post the first
History
Ross County was established in 1798 and named for James Ross. Chillicothe, Ohio’s first capital, is the county seat on the Scioto.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA