Deer Bow Hunter Information 2022-2023 Season

• Hunting will only be allowed between the hours of 5:30 a.m.–7 p.m., November 19, 2022-February 5, 2023, as further limited by Ohio regulations. Scouting and selection of requested tree stand sites may occur from November 6 – 15. Tree stand locations may not be near trails or near property boundaries; location must be approved by Natural Areas Manager. Stands must be marked with the Hunter’s name and state hunting license number. Hunters must remove stands at end of season. Miami University is not responsible for any equipment left unattended.
• Hunters will be selected by lottery drawing from completed applications received by the Natural Areas Manager on or before September 30. Eleven hunter applications will be selected, with a pool of alternates also identified. Applications received after September 30 will only be considered, at the discretion of the Natural Areas Manager, if additional hunters are needed.
• Hunters may apply with a partner and coordinate sharing use of a stand to encourage continuous stand occupancy throughout the designated season.
• Hunters will be approved by the Natural Areas Manager in consultation with the Chair of the Natural Areas Committee. Selected hunters will receive written authorization for marked locations only. Hunting is permitted only within these marked areas. It is the responsibility of each hunter to know the Natural Area boundaries and stay within them.
• Hunters need to comply with State of Ohio archery regulations and pass the written portion of the Ohio Hunter Education course.
• Equipment must comply with Ohio archery equipment requirements.
• Hunters will need to pass an accuracy test prior to being authorized to hunt, which will be administered by the Natural Areas Manager. Potential hunters must hit a paper plate target with a minimum of 4/5 arrows from a tree stand (or comparable elevated position) at 20 yards. Individuals may test with both bows and crossbows, but will only be allowed to hunt with the type of equipment that they passed the test with. Applicants may practice at the test site prior to scoring but the test will only be administered once per year per applicant with a given equipment type. Testing will be held at the Hueston Woods Archery Area, on two scheduled dates in October.
• Each hunter must complete and sign the standard Ohio ‘Permission to Enter Private Land for Recreational Activities’ form at the time of accuracy testing. Be aware that by signing this form, and according to the Ohio Recreational Users Statute, Miami University has no responsibility for, nor incurs liability for, any injury or property loss caused by the acts of a hunter.
• Each applicant will indicate at the time of testing whether s/he will use the meat. If not, the hunter is expected to either donate the meat to a charitable organization or donate the carcass to the Myaamia Center. The Myaamia Center will take up to three deer and up to six additional hides and skulls; in these cases hunters will contact the Myaamia Center directly.
• Approved hunters will only hunt with archery equipment from tree stands, so that arrows missing target go into ground. Hunters must wear safety harness when in a tree or tree stand. Hunters cannot use steps that will damage tree, and must remove the tree stand steps and loosen the straps when the stand is not in use.
• Each hunter must notify the Natural Areas Manager (or the Ecology Research Center station manager for ERC) at least one day before s/he intends to hunt, so that the Manager can inform Miami Police Dispatch.
• Permission letter from MUNA Manager and ID must be carried by hunter when engaged in hunting activities. Hunters must use blaze orange when hunting.
• White-tailed deer are the only animal that will be permitted for hunting.
• Hunters are required to remove carcasses and report kills to MUNA (or ERC) Manager as well as to State deer check station (or online or over phone, as per current State rules). Hunters may remove carcasses by non-motorized cart with tarp cover. If field dressed, entrails/gut piles must be left at least 50’ from all trails and live streams.
• All hunters must strictly abide by the bag limit and tagging procedures established or managed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Hunters are encouraged to take only antlerless deer (does). The bag limit for Butler County is 3 deer (maximum 1 antlered).
• Information to be supplied to Manager: location of kill, deer’s sex and age (adult or yearling), date, and state tag number.
• Hunters successfully harvesting multiple antlerless deer will be given preference in next year’s lottery.

Deer Management Bow Hunting Application

Deer Management Map

Figure 1. Map of the Miami University Natural Areas, plus the Ecology Research Center (ERC) with hatched blocks indicating areas where deer management sites would be selected during the first year: WRA, Reinhart Preserve, eastern Bachelor Preserve, Western Woods south of Collins Run, and ERC.