How it hunts
Crop edges, shelterbelts, and small private woods.
Public access. Mostly private ground with scattered metroparks, stream corridors, or small WMAs.
408 sq mi of land (Census)
Till Plains
Shelby County
Big agriculture with isolated woodlots, ditch lines, and creek timber.
Sit forecast
Checking the forecast…
50/100
TrophyBook Opportunity Score · v1
Tied #43 of 88 Ohio counties
Ranks the county on harvest and record-book numbers. Not the odds of taking a buck.
- Total harvest1,562 deer · beats 38% of other counties15.2 / 40
- Harvest trend+24% · beats 70% of other counties17.5 / 25
- Harvest per sq mi3.8 per sq mi · beats 37% of other counties7.4 / 20
- Book-buck odds2.7 per 1,000 deer · beats 66% of other counties9.9 / 15
2025-26 harvest · record book 2019–2023 · How it works
Harvest113#62 of 88 · -0.9% vs last year
So far in 2026-27
Bucks39#66 of 88 · 35% of harvest
74 antlerless · 0% vs last year
Harvest per sq mi0.28#62 of 88
Not a population count
Book-buck odds2.7#29 of 88 · 1.3× Ohio
Per 1,000 deer · 17 entries, 2019–23
Harvest trend+24%#25 of 88
Last 3 seasons vs the 3 before
Harvest by season
Through Oct 13, 2026 · 114 at this point last season
Book bucks
143 Buckeye Big Buck Club entries · 120 typical · 23 non-typical · latest 2024 · #65 of 88
| Score | Hunter | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 205 3/8 | Zach Kemper | 2023 |
| 195 3/8 | Phil Schulze | 2003 |
| 195 1/8 | Ben Smith | 2024 |
| 192 2/8 | Justin Wagner | 2022 |
| 188 1/8 | John Deiters | 1998 |
Taken with: Modern Shotgun 49 · Long Bow 35 · Crossbow 34 · Muzzleloader 16
All 143 entries →Buck board: no Shelby deer posted for 2026-27 yet. Post the first
History
Shelby County was formed in 1819 and named for Isaac Shelby. Sidney is the county seat.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA