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MECCA - Deer gun season began a half-hour before sun-up in Ohio Monday and played out a little nicer for hunters than in previous years.

''We got a lot better weather this year than last year. It was pretty miserable (previously),'' said state wildlife technician Jim Duckworth.

State wildlife officers worked at Monty's Bait and Tackle Shop on state Route 88 all day Monday as hunters brought in their kills. By about 3 p.m., the check station had tagged about 88 deer.

Statewide, Ohio officials expect gun hunters could harvest as many as 125,000 deer during the season which will last through Dec. 6, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. About 420,000 hunters were expected to participate in seeking out at least one of the state's 650,000 white tail deer. The ODNR estimates hunting has a $859 million impact on the state each year.

Wildlife technicians at the check-in station Monday said they were seeing both longtime and new hunters. It seemed to be a season of firsts for hunters like Kasey Tingler, 12, of Fowler who shot a 69-pound button buck and James Dorsey, 14, of Southington, whose first deer was a 165-pound 11-point buck.

It was also a first for Meagan Fraser, 26, who was hunting with her husband Ron Fraser in Gustavus. Meagan Fraser said she previously has accompanied Ron unarmed on a few hunts, but on her first gun hunt she was about as surprised as the doe was when Meagan started to walk across a stream.

''I almost stepped right on her,'' she told the wildlife technicians.

Meagan had plans for her first deer. She said she and her husband were going to turn the doe into jerky.

According to an ODNR statement, hunters are allowed one antlered deer regardless of hunting zone, hunting method or season. They are encouraged to take more does, using antlerless deer permits and to provide extra venison to charities. Information about this program can be found by logging on to tribtoday.com and clicking on the link provided with this story.

There will be one extra weekend of hunting this year, on Dec. 19 and 20. Hunters up to the challenge can also participate in muzzleloader season from Jan. 9 to 12.

The state wildlife technicians are reminding everyone to wear their blaze-orange hunting gear for safety.

brodgers@tribtoday.com