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Weather ahead

Today: Mostly sunny. High 52. Low 34.

Wednesday: Cloudy with rain showers. High 55. Low 39. 50 percent chance of rain.

Thursday: Cloudy with rain and snow mix. High 41. Low 29.

Friday: Cloudy. High 34. Low 23. About a 30 percent chance of precipitation.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 43. Low 29. 20 percent chance of precipitation.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 43. Low 27. 20 percent chance of precipitation.

Source: National Weather Service.

Sunrise/sunset times:

Tuesday: 5:02 p.m.

Wednesday: 7:27 a.m./5:02 p.m.

Thursday: 7:28 a.m./5:02 p.m.

Friday: 7:29 a.m./5:02 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30 a.m./5:02 p.m.

Sunday: 7:31 a.m./5:01 p.m.

There was debate Monday among Ben Wagner's hunting party: What was louder, the blast from the 9-year-old's shotgun or his celebration after he realized he had bagged a 10-point buck.

Ohio's statewide deer-gun season opened Monday and continues through Sunday evening.

"He let out a 'woo-hoo' like you had never heard," said the boy's father, Brian Wagner, of Lowell. "He was pretty excited."

The impressive buck was the boy's first deer. He and his father hunted together last weekend during a special youth-only deer-gun season, but with no luck.

"He had a chance to shoot at a few does, but it really wasn't a good shot and I said, 'Let's just wait and we'll find a buck.'" Brian Wagner said.

The boy was all smiles at noon on Monday as onlookers gawked at the deer while he waited for an Ohio Department of Natural Resources officer to check and tag the animal.

"I heard my dad's friends shoot over the hill and then I saw it jump up," Ben Wagner said. "I shot and it fell and I just got all excited."

ODNR wildlife biologist Mike Tonkovich said Ohio's pre-hunting deer herd was estimated at approximately 650,000. He anticipates 115,000 to 125,000 deer to be killed during the nine-day deer gun season, which includes an extra weekend of hunting on Dec. 19 and 20.

Tonkovich said early archery season totals in the area are down about 5 percent; however, youth season harvest totals in the area were about 5 percent higher.

"I would expect this year's harvest to be similar to what we saw last year," he said.

Based on a 2002 farmer attitude survey, the state set a goal of reducing and sustaining a deer herd of about 500,000. At that level, it is thought farmers would have acceptable crop damage while hunters would still have plenty of opportunities.

"We have taken great strides to reach that goal, but the herd has done anything but decline, really," Tonkovich said.

In recent years, the state has offered expanding hunting opportunities with more hunting days, reduced cost doe permits and increased bag limits. Hunters in Washington County can harvest up to six deer this season with the proper permits.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks eighth nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has a $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Kim Richardson, store manager of Par Mar No. 33, formerly known as The Pit Stop, off Interstate 77 and Ohio 821, said business doubles at the gas station/convenience store during deer-gun season. The store is one of the more popular deer check-in stations in the county.

"It's busy, very busy," she said. "We sell a lot of beer, ice and gasoline."

Richardson said she brings in extra help during the week. Still, she said, there are some who want time off to hunt.

"I have one girl back in the sub shop who wanted the whole week off to hunt," she said. "You would never have thought it."