Ohio's gray fox is vanishing — and our state is doing nothing to stop it.

Once the only fox species in Ohio, gray fox populations collapsed after a decade-long trapping frenzy in the 1970s and 80s decimated nearly 250,000 animals. They never recovered. Today, Illinois has already banned gray fox hunting indefinitely after seeing the same alarming decline. Iowa and Indiana face the same crisis. Ohio is falling behind.

Here's the problem: the Ohio Division of Wildlife officially lists the gray fox as a Species of Concern — defined as a species that "might become threatened under continued or increased stress." Yet hunting season still runs November 10 through January 31, with no bag limit. Regulations don't even distinguish between gray fox and the far more common red fox, meaning gray foxes continue to be killed without any specific tracking or accountability.

Scientists call this additive mortality — hunting pressure that directly removes animals who would otherwise survive. For a species already on the edge, every individual matters.

Illinois banned gray fox hunting with the full support of its hunting and trapping community. Ohio can do the same.

We call on the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to:

• Immediately suspend gray fox hunting and trapping seasons
• Separate gray and red fox in all hunting regulations and harvest data
• Establish a science-based recovery plan before any future season is considered

Sign if you believe Ohio's wildlife deserves protection.