Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026
Ohio deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife, by season and zone, plus the public land in Ohio from our directory. Archery opens Sept. 26, 2026. Firearms: Nov. 30, 2026 (Deer gun, statewide).
Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in Ohio?
- Sept. 26, 2026, per Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Ohio?
- Nov. 30, 2026 (Deer gun, statewide).
- Where are the official rules?
- Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
Ohio deer season dates, 2026–27
White-tailed deer
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Disease surveillance area | Sept. 12, 2026 – Feb. 7, 2027 |
| Archery | Statewide | Sept. 26, 2026 – Feb. 7, 2027 |
| Early deer gun | Disease surveillance area | Oct. 10–12, 2026 |
| Youth deer gun | Statewide | Nov. 21–22, 2026 |
| Deer gun | Statewide | Nov. 30 – Dec. 6, 2026 and Dec. 19–20, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | Statewide | Jan. 2–5, 2027 |
- Bag limits vary by area. See the Division of Wildlife’s bag limit map and regulations.
Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Public land in Ohio that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 218 named public land units in Ohio (about 734K ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 165 state wildlife & game areas, 24 forests & grasslands, 3 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 14 lake & reservoir project lands, 12 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in Ohio
All 165 →- State wildlife / game area
Woodbury Wildlife Area
19,236 acres
State: department of natural resources · Coshocton County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Egypt Valley Wildlife Area
17,824 acres
State: department of natural resources · Belmont County, Guernsey County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Crown City Wildlife Area
11,284 acres
State: department of natural resources · Gallia County, Lawrence County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area
9,008 acres
State: department of natural resources · Trumbull County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area
8,589 acres
State: department of natural resources · Wyandot County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Grand River Wildlife Area
7,590 acres
State: department of natural resources · Trumbull County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Wallace H. O'Dowd Wildlife Area
6,737 acres
State: department of natural resources · Athens County, Hocking County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Cooper Hollow Wildlife Area
6,173 acres
State: department of natural resources · Jackson County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State wildlife / game area
Berlin Lake Wildlife Area
6,036 acres
State: department of natural resources · Portage County, Mahoning County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels)
National & state forests and grasslands in Ohio
All 24 →- National Forest land
Wayne National Forest
243,152 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Lawrence County, Washington County + 10 more
Open access - State forest
Shawnee State Forest
64,489 acres
State: department of natural resources · Scioto County, Adams County
Mixed (open and restricted parcels) - State forest
Zaleski State Forest
28,610 acres
State: department of natural resources · Vinton County, Athens County
Open access - State forest
Tar Hollow State Forest
16,442 acres
State: department of natural resources · Ross County, Vinton County + 1 more
Open access - State forest
Brush Creek State Forest
13,228 acres
State: department of natural resources · Scioto County, Adams County
Open access - State forest
Vinton Furnace State Forest
12,334 acres
State: department of natural resources · Vinton County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Ohio
- National Wildlife Refuge
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
7,572 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Ottawa County, Lucas County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge
2,609 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Lucas County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge
75 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Lucas County
Restricted access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Pickaway County (11)
- Ross County (11)
- Athens County (9)
- Jackson County (9)
- Sandusky County (9)
- Vinton County (8)
- Ottawa County (8)
- Lucas County (7)
- Trumbull County (7)
- Fayette County (6)
- Muskingum County (6)
- Wood County (6)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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