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Wildlife area · Northwest Ohio woods and fields
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 hunting guide for 2026-27
39 acres on record as a state wildlife area in Putnam County.
Photo: Adam Moss (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
What Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 allows and what it bans
The hunting-status layer shows Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 as open throughout.
- Motor vehicles: designated roads and parking only.
- Overnight camping is off the table on this ground.
- After 8 p.m. in season only hunters, trappers and anglers may be there.
- Firearms only while hunting or trapping, or on a designated range.
- No bait, salt or feed for deer or birds.
- Climbers and ladders are fine if nothing pierces the tree.
- Antlerless cap: two per license year across public hunting areas.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 at a glance for hunters
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1: 39 acres in Putnam County, classed as a state wildlife area and managed by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. Northwest Ohio is its home district; the district office sits in Findlay. Ownership on file: owned outright by the state. Legal footing: OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1) ("Putnam county wildlife area 1").
Mapping methods differ, so size ranges from 39 to 40 acres.
| Layer or document | Acres |
|---|---|
| Area map PDF | 39 |
| Hunting-status layer | 39 |
| GIS parcel area | 40 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
2026-27 season dates for the game on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
Statewide seasons apply on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1; ODNR lists no game for it. Turkey: spring rows are 2026 dates, 2027 to be announced.
| Species | Season | Opening | Closing | 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.
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 counties, limits and harvest
Hunters on this ground follow the Putnam County limit of 3 deer. 2025-26 harvest, Putnam County: 1,376 deer. Running total to November 3, 2026: 313.
| County | Deer | Surveillance | Ducks | Spring zone | Fall season | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 3 deer | No | B | South | Open | 1,376 |
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.
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 and the open ground around it
When parking fills at Putnam County Wildlife Area 1, Putnam County Wildlife Area 2 waits 2 miles to the southwest. Close by are 5 wildlife areas and 1 public access area.
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County WA 2 | Wildlife area | 41 | Putnam | 2 miles | southwest |
| Putnam County WA #4 | Wildlife area | 64 | Putnam | 3 miles | southwest |
| Cascade Wayside Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 36 | Putnam | 4 miles | west |
| Putnam County WA 3 | Wildlife area | 41 | Putnam | 6 miles | west |
| Ottoville Quarry Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 7 | Putnam | 9 miles | southwest |
| Five Mile Creek – Auglaize River Access | Access area | 6 | Defiance | 18 miles | northwest |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 1 parcel (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Closed places from the lands.json closed list. Checked November 6, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Supply towns and ODNR help around Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
The handiest town is Ottawa, 9 miles off. Lima tops the list at 34,690 people. ODNR Wildlife District 2: Northwest Ohio is the nearest Division office, roughly 29 miles away.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | Putnam | 4,422 | 9 miles | east |
| Defiance | Defiance | 17,180 | 19 miles | northwest |
| Lima | Allen | 34,690 | 20 miles | south |
| Paulding | Paulding | 3,532 | 21 miles | northwest |
| Van Wert | Van Wert | 11,123 | 22 miles | southwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Contact and map files for Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
Wildlife District Two: 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, tel. 419-424-5000. Wildlife officer for Putnam County: Jason Porinchok ((419) 429-8391). See a violation? 1-800-POACHER takes calls day and night.
- Area map PDF (published 5/17/2022) · legend: parking area, parking
- Driving directions
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); checked November 6, 2026.
What the cover looks like around Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1: shooting minutes for each Ohio opener
Three sets of hours apply in Ohio: deer, then waterfowl, squirrel and turkey, then the sunrise-to-sunset upland and dove rule. The table shows all three for Putnam County Wildlife Area 1.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer light | Marsh light | Field light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:27 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:32 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:13 a.m. | 5:28 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:58 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:31 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:41 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:58 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:02 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 8:02 a.m. to 5:19 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.
Ranges to visit before hunting Putnam County Wildlife Area 1
Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 hunters reach Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area Shooting Range, the nearest ODNR-listed range, after about 25 miles. The remaining cards are clubs within a 30-mile radius.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Straight answers on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 for this season
What orange garment do I need on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
Yes in the deer gun and muzzleloader seasons: a solid or camouflage orange vest, coat, jacket or coveralls (waterfowl hunters excepted).
Are tree stands and bait allowed at Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
Portable stands are fine; baiting deer is not.
Who should I phone about hunting Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
The number on file is 419-424-5000.
Shooting hours for deer on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 this season?
For the gun opener: 7:11 a.m. until 5:41 p.m.
Can I hunt anywhere on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1, or only parts?
Yes, open land.
Which town do I aim for when driving to Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
Ottawa sits 9 miles from the point.
Is Sunday hunting legal on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
Yes, Sundays are open in season.
How do I report a deer from Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
Game check closes at noon the next day; use the app, the website or the phone line.
How much ground does Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 take in?
39 acres is the headline figure used on this page. Other measures appear in the table.
What paperwork must I carry on Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
No entry pass: the Ohio hunting license and the species permit are enough, such as an either-sex deer permit ($31.20 resident).
Which lottery hunts include Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
No 2026 lottery hunts are listed for it; hunt it during the regular seasons.
How many deer may one hunter kill around Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
The county limit of 3 applies. Statewide, only one antlered deer, and no more than two antlerless deer may come from public hunting areas.
Can I camp at Putnam County Wildlife Area 1?
No camping here; stay in a nearby town.
Wrapping up the Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 plan
Confirm the county limit, the zone and the open dates for Putnam County Wildlife Area 1 before you load the truck.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); NPS Photo (Public domain).