COLUMBUS — Ohio’s deer season for gun hunters got off to a big start.

The state Division of Wildlife says hunters bagged more than 37,800 white-tailed deer on Monday’s opening day of the nine-day season. The preliminary total was up 12.5 percent from last year’s first day.

Officials say in a statement that the statewide hunt got under way with “near ideal weather.”

Tuscarawas County in eastern Ohio had the highest number of deer counted at check stations Monday, more than 1,800.

The season runs through Sunday and then resumes for two more days over the Dec. 18-19 weekend.

This year’s deer-gun season was expected to draw about 420,000 hunters, including many from outside Ohio.