The big week of the 2012-2013 deer hunting season begins Monday with the first seven days of the gun season. Hunters who don’t fill their tags next week have a second chance during the extra gun weekend, Dec. 15-16.

Hunters in Ohio are allowed to use a shotgun, handgun (.357 caliber or larger with 5-inch minimum length barrel), muzzleloading rifle (.38 caliber or larger), muzzleloading shotgun, long bow or crossbow.

Last year during the first seven days of gun season, Ohio hunters took 90,282 whitetails. That number should increase this year if the bow season to date is any indication. During the first 47 days this year hunters killed 62,022 deer with archery equipment, compared to 51,158 for the same number of days in 2011. That’s an increase of 21 percent. Last year 219,698 whitetails were killed during the entire season.

If the good weather continues, hunters in western Ohio have a chance to take multiple deer since several counties (Mercer, Auglaize, Shelby, Darke, Miami, Preble and Montgomery) have been moved from Zone A (one deer) to Zone B (two deer).

“It means some people in the western counties won’t have to leave their home territories to hunt a second deer,” said Bret Beatty, wildlife management supervisor for the district wildlife office in Xenia. “If they got a deer during archery season, they can still hunt around home during the gun season now.

“More than 50 percent of hunters don’t kill a deer during the season and about 80 percent of those who do kill just one. So even though we have moved some counties from Zone A to Zone B, it means only a few more deer will be taken in a particular county.”

Of course many hunters never see a deer, while others might take one during the first few minutes of the season. Only one antlered deer is allowed per season. To help manage the size of the herd, hunters are encouraged to kill does.

“Taking does is the only way to reduce a herd,” Beatty said.

Any surplus meat can be donated to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. Instructions for donating can be found at fhfh.org.

Once gun hunting ends, deer hunters can take part in the primitive weapons (muzzleloader) season Jan. 5-8 or the rest of the archery season, through Feb. 3.

For more information, visit wildohio.com or call (800) WILDLIFE.

Have a question?

The Ohio Division of Wildlife will expand its hours during the upcoming deer gun week and the extra deer gun weekend Dec. 15-16.

The (800) WILDLIFE number will be answered 8 a.m.-7 p.m. through Dec. 2 and also Dec. 15-16. Anyone who sees a wildlife law violation is urged to call the division’s Turn-in-a-Poacher (TIP) hotline, (800) POACHER.

Ice fishing info

Fin, Feather, Fur Outfitters in Ashland will host a special ice fishing weekend, Dec. 8 and 9.

You can learn from expert ice guides during four different seminars. Saturday’s sessions will be 11 a.m.-noon and 1-2 p.m. Sunday’s sessions will be 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.

Subjects covered will be Lake Erie and inland ice fishing, electronics and bluegill techniques.

For more information, call (419) 281-2557.

Outdoors columnist Jim Morris can be reached by email at sports@DaytonDailyNews.com.