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State forest · District 4 ground
Hunting Blue Rock State Forest: what the ODNR record shows
4,578 acres managed as a state forest in Muskingum County.
Photo: Dan Keck (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Blue Rock State Forest
Parking, trailheads and gates near Blue Rock State Forest
- Horse Trailer ParkingParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.9 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Access and conduct rules at Blue Rock State Forest
Status check: open, with no parcel restricted on Blue Rock State Forest.
- Hunting deer over bait is illegal here.
- Only two antlerless deer may come from public hunting areas each year.
- Closed zones are signed; the rest is open.
- Roads and drives: no shots across.
- Visitors leave by 11 p.m.; hunters may stay.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules, OAC 1501:3-6-03; checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Blue Rock State Forest
Getting to know the Blue Rock State Forest ground
This state forest in Muskingum County spans 4,578 acres under the ODNR Division of Forestry. It belongs to ODNR Wildlife District 4 (Southeast Ohio), whose office is in Athens. Activities beyond the hunt: fishing and hiking. Trail types: horseback trails. Land tenure in the ODNR layer: owned outright by the state. Ohio rule 1501:31-15-04(A)(3) names it ("Blue rock") as land open to public hunting.
ODNR sums it up:
“Decades of careful forest management and protection practices have transformed formerly low-quality farmland into one of Ohio's most beautiful and productive forests.”
The acreage runs from 4,451 to 4,578 depending on the layer; the headline figure is 4,578.
| Source | Size (ac) |
|---|---|
| State Forest Guide | 4,578 |
| Hunting-status layer | 4,498 |
| GIS parcel area | 4,451 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Blue Rock State Forest: open seasons for its listed game
ODNR names no particular game for Blue Rock State Forest, so the statewide seasons apply; the table shows the common ones. Read the spring turkey rows as 2026 dates.
| Species | Hunt | First day | Last day | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sep 26, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | County limit |
| Deer | Youth gun | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | County limit |
| Deer | Gun | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | County limit |
| Deer | Bonus gun | Dec 19, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | County limit |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 5, 2027 | County limit |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 1 turkey |
| Squirrels | Regular | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 daily |
| Cottontail | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 4 daily |
| Pheasant | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 2 roosters daily |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 2 roosters daily |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 2 roosters daily |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (No species named by ODNR for this area); checked November 6, 2026.
Blue Rock State Forest: deer limits and zones by county
Muskingum County is a 3-deer county for 2026-27. ODNR counted 6,283 deer in Muskingum County for 2025-26, 3,725 of them antlerless. So far in 2026-27 (through November 3, 2026) the county shows 1,349.
| County | Deer limit | DSA | Duck zone | Spring turkey | Fall turkey | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskingum County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 6,283 |
From the deer bag limit map, DSA, waterfowl zones, turkey zones, 2025-26 deer harvest report, harvest to date (ODNR Division of Wildlife); checked November 6, 2026.
Ohio hunting ground a short drive from Blue Rock State Forest
The nearest other public hunting ground is Blue Rock State Park, 2 miles off to the southeast. The six nearest places include 3 wildlife areas, 2 state parks and 1 state forest. Closed to hunting nearby: Muskingum Lock & Dam 3 State Park (park without hunting) and Muskingum River State Park (park without hunting).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Rock State Park | State park | 322 | Muskingum | 2 miles | southeast |
| Meiners Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 36 | Muskingum | 5 miles | northwest |
| West Blue Rock SF | State forest | 675 | Muskingum | 7 miles | west |
| Jesse Owens Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 4,836 | Morgan | 10 miles | southeast |
| Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 35,396 | Morgan | 11 miles | southeast |
| Jesse Owens State Park | State park | 4,629 | Morgan | 12 miles | southeast |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 1 parcel (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Closed places from the lands.json closed list. Checked November 6, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Towns and outfitters a short drive from Blue Rock State Forest
Count on Philo, about 3 miles out, for supplies. A bigger stop is Zanesville, population 24,916. The nearest ODNR office sits in Malta, 18 miles from the point.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philo | Muskingum | 723 | 3 miles | northwest |
| Cumberland | Guernsey | 314 | 11 miles | east |
| Zanesville | Muskingum | 24,916 | 11 miles | northwest |
| McConnelsville | Morgan | 1,633 | 12 miles | south |
| Malta | Morgan | 548 | 13 miles | south |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Phone numbers and maps for Blue Rock State Forest
Wildlife District Four staff work from 360 E State St, Athens, OH 45701; phone 740-589-9930. County wildlife officer: Jeff Berry, (740) 447-0570. Turn in a poacher at 1-800-POACHER (762-2437). Map note: fishermen may be present during other hours. Map note: or in portable stoves. Fires must be attended at all times.
- Area map PDF · legend: headquarters, boat ramp, parking, shooting range, camping, campground, no hunting, lake
- See map
- Blue Rock State Forest Map [Archived PDF]
- Google Maps pin
Address and phone from the agency page and the ODNR Property Details layer; district offices from the ODNR Districts layer; officers from the officer list; point from ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 1 parcel (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
Photo strip: land and game around Blue Rock State Forest
Sun-up to sundown hunting clock for Blue Rock State Forest
Furbearers have no hour limit in Ohio, but in the deer gun and muzzleloader weeks coyote hunting near Blue Rock State Forest keeps to deer hours.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Ducks and squirrels | Sunrise birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:17 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:22 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:01 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:28 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:39 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 7:39 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:45 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:45 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:49 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:49 a.m. to 5:13 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.
Blue Rock State Forest hunters: public range plus clubs
Blue Rock State Forest hunters reach Tri-Valley Wildlife Area Archery Range, the nearest ODNR-listed range, after about 17 miles. The other cards show clubs a 30-mile drive or less away.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Blue Rock State Forest, answered one question at a time
Does Blue Rock State Forest have lottery hunts?
Not in 2026: hunt it during the open seasons without a draw.
Duck zone and split dates for Blue Rock State Forest?
Zone C dates apply: Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Blue Rock State Forest?
Only at designated campsites.
Can I hang a stand on Blue Rock State Forest?
Stands must be portable; bait and feed are prohibited.
When is hunter orange required on Blue Rock State Forest?
In gun and muzzleloader seasons: an orange garment, unless you hunt waterfowl.
When is legal shooting light for deer at Blue Rock State Forest?
On the gun opener (November 30, 2026): 6:58 a.m. to 5:34 p.m.
Who should I phone about hunting Blue Rock State Forest?
The area phone is (740) 674-4035.
Which town on this site is nearest to Blue Rock State Forest?
Philo (3 miles).
Which parts of Blue Rock State Forest allow hunting?
It is open throughout.
What is the deadline to report a deer from Blue Rock State Forest?
Deer and turkeys go through the electronic game check by noon the next day.
Do Sunday rules limit hunting at Blue Rock State Forest?
Yes; Ohio sets no Sunday ban.
What licenses and permits cover a hunt on Blue Rock State Forest?
Your Ohio license and the right permit. First-time buyers need hunter education or an apprentice license.
What size is Blue Rock State Forest on the ODNR books?
Roughly 4,578 acres all told. Other sources differ a little; see the acreage table.
Blue Rock State Forest: the night-before checklist
Use this page to plan, then reread the official page for Blue Rock State Forest the week before the trip.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren (CC BY 2.0); Clay Heaton (CC BY-SA 3.0); Mas3cf (CC BY-SA 4.0).