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3-deer county
Lorain County, Ohio Deer and Bird Hunting
From September squirrels to the January muzzleloader days, this Lorain County page collects deer limits, harvest counts, bird zones, public land and ODNR contacts for the county.
Photo: Josh Gross (CC BY 2.0)
Lorain County deer rules and harvest
Lorain County sits in the 3-deer class on the 2026-27 bag limit map, which caps what one hunter may take inside the county. Cross into Cuyahoga (4) and a different county limit takes over. Deer from several counties can be combined up to six, but just one may carry an antler 3 inches or longer.
Hunters choose between the either-sex permit ($31.20 resident, $218.40 nonresident) and the $15.00 deer management permit, which ODNR now honours all season. A deer from a controlled hunting access lottery sits outside the county count.
Disease Surveillance Area status for Lorain County
No part of Lorain County is in the DSA, and ODNR has listed no wild CWD case from the county through June 2026. The nearest county with DSA ground is Crawford, about 56 miles away centre to centre. Bringing deer parts home from the DSA or another state means following the carcass rules.
Deer tallies for Lorain County over four seasons
Last season ended with 2,799 deer checked in Lorain County, 8% fewer than the 3,040 of the year before. That places it 31st of 88 counties for 2025-26. Bows and crossbows took 51% of the 2025-26 total, and antlered deer made up 41%. ODNR's in-season report gives 650 deer for the county through November 3, 2026. Of the 2025 seasons, crossbow produced the most deer here: 1,092.
| Season | Deer tagged | Antlered | Antlerless | Bowhunters | Gunners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 2,368 | 960 | 1,408 | 1,272 | — |
| 2023-24 | 2,629 | 1,156 | 1,473 | 1,455 | — |
| 2024-25 | 3,040 | 1,258 | 1,782 | 1,554 | 1,486 |
| 2025-26 | 2,799 | 1,160 | 1,639 | 1,438 | 1,361 |
2025 deer by season type in Lorain County
| Season | Bucks | Does | Button bucks | Total | 3-yr avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 329 | 514 | 111 | 954 | 780 |
| Crossbow | 565 | 439 | 88 | 1,092 | 1,070 |
| Longbow | 157 | 145 | 23 | 325 | 339 |
| Bonus Gun | 51 | 128 | 23 | 202 | 208 |
| Muzzleloader | 30 | 83 | 12 | 125 | 161 |
| Youth | 50 | 17 | 10 | 77 | 93 |
| Total | 1,188 | 1,339 | 272 | 2,799 | 2,679 |
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 Lorain County Hunting Guide
Ohio seasons that reach Lorain County
ODNR splits duck and goose hunting into Zones A, B and C for 2026-27, which is why the bird rows for Lorain County show zone dates and not statewide ones.
| Game | Split or method | Zone | Opening | Closing | 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 B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 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 | 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 | |
| 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.
Lorain County bird and trapping seasons
Lorain County duck and goose seasons
All of Lorain County falls in waterfowl Zone B, one of the three duck and goose zones ODNR drew for 2026-27. Zone B ducks reopen on November 21 after the October split and last until January 10, 2027. Goose hunters in Zone B have until February 15, 2027. Before the zone seasons, all of Ohio gets early teal and goose from September 5 to September 13, 2026, then youth and military days on October 3 to October 4, 2026. Mourning dove hunting has two statewide splits, September 1 to November 8, 2026 and December 12, 2026 to January 1, 2027, and woodcock fall between them. The Ohio wetlands stamp ($15.00) and federal duck stamp ($25.00) go with HIP for anyone 16 or older after ducks or geese.
| Zone | Duck windows | Goose windows |
|---|---|---|
| Zone B | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Jan 10 | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Feb 15 |
Lorain County turkey numbers
In the South zone, which includes Lorain County, spring 2026 ran April 25 to May 24, 2026; no 2027 dates were out at our check. The youth spring weekend was April 18 to April 19, 2026 in 2026. The 2026 spring count for Lorain County was 148 birds (121 in 2023); that ranked 45th in Ohio. Lorain County opens to fall turkey on October 1, 2026 and closes October 25, 2026; one turkey, shotgun only. 5 fall birds were reported from Lorain County in 2025.
| Spring | Total | Adult males | Jakes | Bearded hens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 121 | 94 | 25 | 2 |
| 2024 | 109 | 86 | 21 | 2 |
| 2025 | 145 | 122 | 22 | 1 |
| 2026 | 148 | 116 | 32 | 0 |
| Fall | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 5 |
Small game and trapping in Lorain County
Lorain County is outside the quail counties, so bobwhites are off limits. Statewide small game dates apply: squirrel from September 1, cottontail and pheasant from November 6. River otter Zone B covers Lorain County. Furbearers open November 10, 2026, beaver and otter December 26, 2026. The otter season limit reads: 3 total, max. 1 from Zone B. Mink and muskrat close on February 28, 2027.
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.
Where the public ground is in Lorain County
About 682 acres, or 0.2% of Lorain County, is mapped public hunting land; that puts it 63rd of 88. By acreage, Findley State Park leads the places in Lorain County, 838 acres in total. Count in 946 acres of huntable state park, at Findley State Park.
| Kind | Mapped acres |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 682 |
| State parks (hunting) | 946 |
The L/HAP program has 3 enrolled properties here; hunters reserve a free daily permit online. Lottery hunts: Findley State Park hosts 1 controlled hunt in 2026.
Lorain County hunting places
Wildlife areas and forests near Lorain County
- Spencer Lake Wildlife Area23 miles · Medina County
- Putnam Marsh Hunting Area23 miles · Erie County
- Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area24 miles · Erie 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 Lorain County
On November 5, 2026 the county showed 0 dates ahead and 1 past row.
| Date run | Event | Where held | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2026 | North Coast Banquet · DU dinner, Avon | Avon, Lorain County | Source |
Calling ODNR about Lorain County
The county answers to the Northeast Ohio district of the Division of Wildlife, based in Akron. Lorain County has its own state wildlife officer, Randy White, listed at (330) 802-9172. Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area headquarters (Vickery) is the closest wildlife area office, roughly 41 miles from the county centre.
Elyria is the county seat; Lorain County had 322,030 residents in the 2024 Census estimate across 491 square miles of land.
Base towns in Lorain County
Open a town page to see public ground around Elyria and Lorain.
- Elyria53,604 people
- Lorain65,751 people
- North Ridgeville37,504 people
- Avon Lake26,342 people
- Avon25,573 people
Lorain County has 3 taxidermists and 20 sporting goods stores in the services list. For a deer processor, look across the county line: none is listed inside Lorain County.
Closest deer processors beyond Lorain County
Shoulder mounts made near Lorain County
Guns and bows, Lorain 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.
Lorain County shooters: ranges and match dates
Lorain County range count: 4; each card carries its access rule and source.
Medina County has the ODNR-listed range closest to Lorain County: Spencer Lake Wildlife Area Shooting Range, 23 miles off. Full page
Ranges from ODNR’s public range list, ranges’ own sites, the ATA club list and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Lorain County legal shooting light
ODNR prints no sunrise table and points hunters to its app, the NOAA calculator and the Naval Observatory; the times for Lorain County below are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for its own location.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer light | Marsh light | Field light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:19 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:24 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:05 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:24 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:34 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:51 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:55 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:55 a.m. to 5:09 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.
Lorain County license costs and rules
An Ohio hunting license costs $19.00 for residents and $180.96 for nonresidents; youth and senior licenses are $10.00. Hunter orange in Ohio means a whole garment: a vest, coat, jacket or coveralls, solid or camo orange, during the firearm deer seasons, for everyone but waterfowl hunters.
Ohio allows deer baiting on private ground outside the Disease Surveillance Area; public land, turkey hunting and migratory bird hunting stay bait-free. Game check deadlines, by app, website, phone line or license agent: noon the next day for deer, and for turkeys 11:30 p.m. the same day. There is no Sunday restriction in the Ohio rules; hunters may go out on Sundays in any open season. Buying a license for the first time means a hunter education card, unless you go the apprentice route with a licensed adult 21 or older. Score sheets go to the Buckeye Big Buck Club, the private keeper of Ohio deer records.
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.
Common Lorain County questions
Which of the new A, B and C waterfowl zones covers Lorain County?
Zone B.
Has ODNR posted spring 2027 turkey dates for Lorain County?
Not at our check; the 2026 dates are shown and labelled.
Which public tract touching Lorain County is largest?
Findley State Park.
Which state wildlife officer patrols Lorain County?
Randy White, (330) 802-9172.
How many deer were checked in Lorain County in 2025-26?
2,799 on the final weekly report.
How long does a Lorain County field stay baited after cleanup?
10 days after complete removal.
Is a square-inch orange minimum enforced in Lorain County?
No; the rule names the garment.
Which river otter zone covers Lorain County?
Zone B.
How were the Lorain County sunrise times on this page worked out?
With the NOAA solar formula for the county centre.
What deer bag limit did ODNR give Lorain County for 2026-27?
3 deer per hunter; the map group reads three-deer.
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.
Keeping Lorain County current
Lorain County rules last checked November 6, 2026; watch for ODNR updates on spring turkey 2027 and for new weekly deer reports.
Other photos on this page: Erik Drost (CC BY 2.0); Rona Proudfoot (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0).