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Seat: Sandusky
Erie County for Hunters
Hunting Erie County in 2026-27: bag limit, Disease Surveillance Area status, zone lines for ducks and gobblers, 3,644 mapped public acres and the services nearest Sandusky.
Photo: Tom Hart (CC BY 2.0)
Deer in Erie County: limit, DSA and numbers
Up to 3 deer may come from Erie County per hunter in 2026-27; that is the county cap on the ODNR bag limit map. Surrounding Ohio counties share the same 3-deer number. County limits stack only up to the statewide six, and one antlered deer is the most anyone may take in Ohio.
The antlerless deer management permit is $15.00 and, new this season, valid from the archery opener to the last muzzleloader day; either-sex permits run $31.20 and $218.40. Deer taken on a controlled hunt do not count toward the county limit.
Erie County and chronic wasting disease
Erie County is outside the Disease Surveillance Area, and the ODNR county list of wild CWD detections through June 2026 does not include it. Crawford, about 42 miles away, is the nearest county with DSA land. Deer heads and spines from the DSA or out of state fall under the carcass transport rules.
Erie County deer counts from ODNR reports
Erie County gave up 1,161 deer in 2025-26; the previous season produced 1,178, a drop of 1%. No. 72 of 88 by deer checked in 2025-26. Roughly 47% fell to archery tackle and 43% were antlered. So far in 2026-27: 311 deer through November 3, 2026. Gun was the busiest season for Erie County in the 2025 summary, at 461 deer.
| Season | Total | Antlered | Antlerless | Bows | Guns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 942 | 404 | 538 | 516 | — |
| 2023-24 | 1,015 | 434 | 581 | 548 | — |
| 2024-25 | 1,178 | 491 | 687 | 593 | 585 |
| 2025-26 | 1,161 | 494 | 667 | 550 | 611 |
Erie County deer by season, 2025
| Method | Bucks | Does | Button bucks | Sum | 3-yr average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 164 | 242 | 55 | 461 | 319 |
| Crossbow | 226 | 160 | 27 | 413 | 435 |
| Longbow | 66 | 50 | 11 | 127 | 112 |
| Bonus Gun | 20 | 43 | 4 | 67 | 76 |
| Muzzleloader | 16 | 27 | 3 | 46 | 52 |
| Youth | 14 | 19 | 4 | 37 | 41 |
| Total | 511 | 545 | 105 | 1,161 | 1,045 |
Bag limit from the 2026-27 deer bag limit map and deer rules (digest pp. 6-11); DSA from OAC 1501:31-19-03 and CWD rules; detections from the ODNR CWD page and tests from the 2025-26 CWD summary; harvest from the 2022-23 final weekly report; 2023-24 final weekly report; 2024-25 final weekly report; 2025-26 final weekly report, the 2026-27 report through Nov. 3 and the 2025-26 deer summary; permit prices from the license list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Erie County Hunting Guide
Ohio seasons that reach Erie County
ODNR splits duck and goose hunting into Zones A, B and C for 2026-27, which is why the bird rows for Erie County show zone dates and not statewide ones.
| Animal | Kind of hunt | Covers | Start | Finish | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Deer | Youth gun | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Gun | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Deer | Bonus gun | Statewide | Dec 19, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Fall counties | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Chukar | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Zone A | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone A | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone A | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone A | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 1, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Oct 16, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Rails | Rail | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Gallinule | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Crow (Fri-Sun) | Statewide | Jun 5, 2026 | Mar 7, 2027 | |
| Groundhog | No closed season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting (no closed season) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Trapping (no closed season) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mink | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mink | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| River otter | Trapping | Otter Zone B | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Beaver | Trapping | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
From the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and the 2026-27 hunting seasons list (ODNR Division of Wildlife), checked November 6, 2026.
Erie County zones for ducks and turkeys
Waterfowl dates for Erie County
Erie County lies wholly inside waterfowl Zone A for ducks, geese, mergansers and coots. The late duck split for Zone A runs November 14 to December 27, 2026. Goose hunting in Zone A runs out on February 1, 2027. Every zone shares the September teal and Canada goose window (September 5 to September 13, 2026) and the youth, veteran and active-military days of October 3 to October 4, 2026. Doves open September 1, 2026 and come back for a second split from December 12, 2026 to January 1, 2027; woodcock run October 16 to November 29, 2026. Add HIP, a $15.00 Ohio wetlands stamp and the $25.00 federal duck stamp to the hunting license before a duck hunt.
| Zone | Duck season | Goose season |
|---|---|---|
| Zone A | Oct 17-Nov 1 Nov 14-Dec 27 | Oct 17-Nov 1 Nov 14-Feb 1 |
Turkey seasons in Erie County
Gobbler hunters in Erie County use the South zone calendar: April 25 to May 24, 2026 in 2026, with 2027 still to be announced. The South zone youth weekend in 2026 fell on April 18 to April 19, 2026. Spring hunters checked 45 turkeys in Erie County in 2026, against 44 in 2023, 75th among the 88 counties. Fall birds are legal here from October 1 to October 25, 2026; ODNR dropped archery from the fall season for 2026-27. The 2025 fall count for the county was 3.
| Spring of | Birds tagged | Adult toms | Jakes | Bearded hens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 44 | 37 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 37 | 25 | 12 | 0 |
| 2025 | 41 | 27 | 14 | 0 |
| 2026 | 45 | 35 | 10 | 0 |
| Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 3 |
Trapping and small game, Erie County
There is no bobwhite season in Erie County. The squirrel opener is September 1, 2026; the rabbit and pheasant opener is November 6, 2026. For otters, Erie County counts as Zone B; beaver and otter trapping is December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027, after the general furbearer opener of November 10. The otter cap is 3 total, max. 1 from Zone B. The marsh extension runs trapping in Erie County through March 15, 2027 for six species.
Zones from OAC 1501:31-7-07 and the digest waterfowl pages; seasons from the 2026-27 season dates; turkey from the turkey rules with spring and fall results (2023 spring; 2024 spring; 2025 spring; 2026 spring; 2023 fall; 2024 fall; 2025 fall); quail from OAC 1501:31-15-21; otter zones from the trapping pages; stamps from the license list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Erie County public land by owner
By GIS measure Erie County holds some 3,644 public hunting acres (2.3% of its land), the 39th largest total of any county. Top of the list by size is Resthaven Wildlife Area (2,218 acres across its counties). About 650 state park acres here are open or restricted for hunting, in Kelleys Island State Park.
| Owner or kind | Acres (GIS) |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 3,523 |
| Public hunting areas | 121 |
| State parks (hunting) | 650 |
Keep 1,257 acres of state nature preserve land off the plan; they do not allow hunting. L/HAP private access does not reach Erie County yet. 13 controlled hunts (Willow Point Wildlife Area, Moxley Wildlife Area and Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area) run by lottery on land in the county; applications cost $3.
Public tracts that reach into Erie County
More public acres close to Erie County
- Dempsey Sandusky Bay Wildlife Area12 miles · Ottawa County
- East Harbor State Park16 miles · Ottawa County
- West Harbor Wildlife Area16 miles · Ottawa County
- Millers Blue Hole Wildlife Area17 miles · Sandusky County
- Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area19 miles · Sandusky County
- Ottawa County Wildlife Area 122 miles · Ottawa County
GIS acres from the ODNR lands layer, PAD-US 4.1 and the Census county file as compiled in counties.json (polygons, not official acreage; large water removed); lands and acreage from each land record; L/HAP counts from the ODNR L/HAP page; controlled hunts from the 2026 controlled hunt list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Hunting gatherings in Erie County
Upcoming here: 1. Held earlier: 2.
| Starts | Event | Site | Go | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2027 | Huron River Valley Fantails NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Sandusky | Sandusky, Erie County | Tickets | Source |
Results and past events
| Day | Event | Grounds | Who won | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 22, 2026 | Sandusky Bay Banquet · DU dinner, Sandusky | Sandusky, Erie County | Source | |
| Apr 25, 2026 | Kelleys Island Banquet · DU dinner, Kelleys Island | Kelleys Island, Erie County | Source |
ODNR contacts, towns and services covering Erie County
Wildlife District 2 (Northwest Ohio) covers Erie County; questions go to the Findlay district office, managed by Scott Butterworth. Wildlife officer for the county: Michele Butler, reachable at (419) 429-8382. The nearest wildlife area headquarters is Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area headquarters in Vickery, about 20 miles away.
County seat Sandusky; population 73,841 in the 2024 estimate; land area 251 square miles.
Erie County town list
Each Erie County town below has a page with nearby wildlife areas and forests.
Listed in the county: 1 deer processor and 9 sporting goods stores. Gaps in the county list (taxidermist) are filled from the counties next door.
Erie County deer processors
Nearest taxidermist listings outside Erie County
Erie County outdoor stores
Neighbouring-county guide or preserves for Erie County
District offices, officers and wildlife area headquarters from the digest wildlife officer page and the ODNR county contacts and work units layers (counties.json); population from the Census 2024 estimates; services from store locators, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and Yellow Pages listings (not individually verified). Checked November 6, 2026.
Erie County shooters: ranges and match dates
Erie County has 3 ranges in this guide; Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range is the public one on the ODNR list.
Ranges from ODNR’s public range list, ranges’ own sites, the ATA club list and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Erie County hours on key season dates
Ohio deer hunters may shoot from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks, geese, squirrels and fall turkeys stop at sunset; rabbits, pheasants, quail and doves wait for sunrise.
| Date | Opener | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game | Duck window | Pheasant window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:20 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:26 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:07 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:17 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:36 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 7:36 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:53 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:53 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:56 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:56 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
Hours rules from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Eastern Time); checked November 6, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
What Erie County hunters buy and follow
Plan on $19.00 for a resident license or $180.96 as a nonresident; hunters under 18 and resident seniors pay $10.00. In the youth gun, gun, bonus gun, DSA early gun and muzzleloader seasons every hunter except waterfowl hunters wears a vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid or camouflage hunter orange.
On private land here, deer may be hunted over bait; bait is banned on all public hunting areas and for turkeys, doves and waterfowl. Deer must be game checked through the HuntFish OH app, online, by phone or at a license agent by noon the day after harvest; turkeys by 11:30 p.m. that day. Sunday hunting is allowed statewide, and season rows run every day of the week. An apprentice license is the way to try hunting before the course, with a licensed companion of 21 or more. Deer records in Ohio are a Buckeye Big Buck Club matter; ODNR names the club but does not keep a book.
From the license and permit list, hunter orange rule, baiting rules, game check, season calendar, hunter education and the Buckeye Big Buck Club notice in the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Erie County FAQ
How many deer may one hunter tag inside Erie County this season?
3, the county limit for 2026-27 (three-deer); the statewide total stays at six with one antlered.
Do Erie County pheasant hunters keep different hours?
Yes, sunrise to sunset.
Is there a September teal opener in Erie County?
Yes, early teal runs September 5 to September 13, 2026 in every zone.
Must Erie County hunters bring deer in for CWD sampling?
Not mandatory; the DSA sampling days do not reach this county.
How many acres of public hunting ground does Erie County hold?
Roughly 3,644 acres, measured from mapped polygons.
May I carry a bow for fall turkeys in Erie County?
No; for 2026-27 only shotguns firing shotshells are legal in fall.
Does ODNR score record bucks from Erie County?
No; the private Buckeye Big Buck Club keeps Ohio deer records.
What number reaches the district office for Erie County?
(419) 424-5000.
Does camouflage orange satisfy the rule in Erie County?
Yes, solid or camo orange both count.
Is a corn feeder for deer allowed in Erie County?
On private land, yes; not on public areas.
Answers from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, the deer bag limit map, the DSA rule, the waterfowl zone rule, shooting hours and the sources above. Checked November 6, 2026.
Sources behind the Erie County page
If something here disagrees with the printed digest, trust the digest and tell us so we can fix the Erie County page.
Other photos on this page: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).