1501:31-15-02 General hunting and trapping provisions.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, shoot, shoot at, kill, take or attempt to take any wild bird or wild quadruped from or by means, aid, or use of any aircraft, or any motor-driven conveyance or its attachments. Shooting wild animals, except migratory game birds, is permitted from agricultural equipment when being used in normal farm operations. A person who is physically handicapped to the extent that he cannot walk may shoot from a stationary vehicle in a field, except on a public hunting area. It shall be lawful to hunt small game and furbearers, except migratory game birds, mink, muskrat, and beaver from a powercraft. Paraplegic hunters and hunters missing one or both legs may hunt migratory game birds from stationary motor vehicles.
(C) Live furbearing animals, game quadrupeds or wild birds may not be held in captivity nor sold except as provided in section 1533.71 of the Revised Code or as provided in the provisions of the Administrative Code. Provided further:
(1) Hides of furbearing animals legally taken during the open season may be bought or sold during the respective open season;
(2) Legally acquired carcasses of opossum, raccoon, beaver, and muskrat may be bought or sold at any time;
(3) Legally acquired bear claws, teeth, hair, and hides may be bought or sold at any time;
(4) Legally acquired deer hides, feet, and antlers may be bought or sold at any time, provided said parts of deer are accompanied by a signed statement which lists the previous owner’s name and address, where and when taken and the number bought and sold until said deer parts are put or manufactured into final products;
(5) Legally obtained tails of squirrels may be bought or sold at any time;
(6) Hides, skins, feathers, or parts of wild animals raised under a propagating permit, pursuant to section 1533.71 of the Revised Code may be bought and sold provided the seller maintains records of species obtained, from whom and when the animal or part of the animal was purchased or obtained; and if sold as a mount, record the species and to whom and when sold.
(7) Legally obtained turkey feathers, bones, spurs, feet, skin and beards may be bought and sold at any time.
(D) It shall be unlawful for any person to use a gun equipped with a silencer or muffler, or deadfall of any type to take or attempt to take a wild bird or wild quadruped. It shall be lawful for any person to hunt or take by falconry or with a crossbow any wild animal permitted to be taken by hunting; however, migratory birds may not be hunted or taken with cross-bows and arrows. Crossbows used in hunting wild animals shall have a working safety and have a stock twenty-five inches or longer. Cocking levers and devices may be used on crossbows.
(E) It shall be unlawful to start a fire in or near weeds, brush, marsh, trees, woodlands, or other game cover for the purpose of taking game.
(F) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take wild animals at any time within one hundred fifty yards of any burning weeds, or burning brush.
(G) It shall be unlawful for a nonresident of Ohio to possess, hunt, or trap a wild animal in Ohio if an Ohio resident may not lawfully possess, hunt, or trap that wild animal in the home state of the nonresident.
(H) It shall be unlawful for any person to disturb or destroy the eggs, nest or young of a game bird or to possess the eggs or young taken from a nest of a game bird.
(I) It shall be unlawful for any person to train, work or exercise a dog or permit a dog to run at large or be upon any property owned, controlled, or administered by the division of wildlife that is managed or posted as a state game refuge.
(J) It shall be unlawful for any person or any member of a party to have in his possession a firearm or any other device that could be used in hunting while training or working a dog pursuing furbearing animals during the closed season.
(K) It shall be unlawful for any person or any member of a party to have in his possession a firearm or any other device that could be used in hunting while training or working a dog pursuing coyotes, at any time except from sunrise to sunset daily.
(L) It shall be unlawful for any person to take wild animals, other than those permitted to be taken by any rule in the Administrative Code or the Revised Code, from properties owned, controlled, or maintained by the division of wildlife without first obtaining permission from the wildlife chief.
(M) It shall be unlawful for any person to trap who has not complied with the provisions as set forth in rule 1501:31-29-02 of the Administrative Code.
(N) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.
HISTORY: Eff 8-25-76; 6-1-77; 6-1-78; 6-1-79; 6-1-80; 6-1-81; 6-1-82; 5-31-83; 5-1-84; 6-1-85; 6-1-86; 9-15-87; 6-1-88; 7-1-89; 7-18-95; 8-10-96; 7-19-02; 5-28-04
Rule promulgated under: RC 119.03
Rule authorized by: RC 1531.08
Rule amplifies: RC 1531.08
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 2-4-02; 7-19-07