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Buckeye state wildlife area with open hunting
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4: seasons, rules and access
One state wildlife area of 75 acres in Sandusky County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4: size, setting and history
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 covers 75 acres in Sandusky County, a state wildlife area run by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. Questions go to District 2 in Findlay, the district that covers it. Parcels are owned outright by the state. You will find it as "Sandusky county wildlife area 4" in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1).
Sources disagree on size, from 75 to 76 acres; this page uses 75 (ODNR area map PDF).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| Area map PDF | 75 |
| Hunting-status layer | 75 |
| GIS parcel area | 76 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4: rules that apply on the ground
No restricted parcels: Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 is open land in the status layer.
- Drive and park only on designated roads and lots.
- Overnight camping is off the table on this ground.
- From May 2 to August 31 the night closure runs 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Target practice only at a designated Division of Wildlife range.
- No salt, grain or feed may be put out.
- Portable stands only; nothing inserted into a tree.
- Count your does: two antlerless deer from public areas per year.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
When the Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 game is in season
No game is named in the sources for Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4; statewide dates hold.
| Game | Season | Opens | Closes | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Raccoon | Lake Erie trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 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.
County rules around Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4
Sandusky County allows 3 deer per hunter in 2026-27. 2025-26 harvest, Sandusky County: 1,485 deer. This season to November 3, 2026, 360 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Closed | 1,485 |
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.
Mapped hunting places beside Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4
Ron Abraham Forest lies 2 miles west of the Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 4 wildlife areas, 1 state forest and 1 public hunting area. Neighbours closed to hunting: Wolf Creek Area – Sandusky Scenic River (scenic river land), Abbotts Bridge Area – Sandusky Scenic River (scenic river land) and Izaak Walton Area – Sandusky Scenic River (scenic river land).
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ron Abraham Forest | State forest | 116 | Sandusky | 2 miles | west |
| Seneca County WA 1 | Wildlife area | 40 | Seneca | 3 miles | southwest |
| Seneca County WA 3 | Wildlife area | 70 | Seneca | 5 miles | southwest |
| Knobbys Prairie Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 47 | Seneca | 6 miles | southwest |
| Sugar Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 125 | Seneca | 6 miles | southwest |
| Seneca County Park District Conservation Area | Hunting area | 56 | Seneca | 7 miles | southwest |
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.
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, 419-424-5000. Sandusky County is patrolled by officer Charles McMullen ((419) 429-8393). Poaching tips go to 1-800-POACHER, any hour.
- Area map PDF (published 7/13/2022) · legend: parking area, parking
- Route to the point
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.
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4: towns, shops and the nearest ODNR office
Measured straight, Fremont is 8 miles from Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4. Tiffin tops the list at 17,729 people. Allow for 13 miles of straight-line distance to the Vickery ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont | Sandusky | 15,814 | 8 miles | northwest |
| Wightmans Grove | Sandusky | – | 11 miles | north |
| Tiffin | Seneca | 17,729 | 13 miles | southwest |
| Castalia | Erie | 746 | 16 miles | northeast |
| Port Clinton | Ottawa | 5,915 | 18 miles | north |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
First and last legal minutes across Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 seasons
Around Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4, deer light opens 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; rabbit and pheasant hunters keep strict sunrise to sunset.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Deer hours | Duck hours | Upland hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:22 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:09 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:18 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:37 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:37 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:54 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:54 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:58 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:58 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.
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 district scenes and wildlife photos
Public range and clubs on the road to Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4
Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range (the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day)) is 14 miles from Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4. After it come club ranges that sit inside 30 miles.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Things people ask before driving to Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4
Are Sundays open for hunting on Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
Ohio has no statewide Sunday restriction, so Sundays follow the regular seasons unless a lottery permit sets the day.
Game check rules after a kill on Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
Check it in by noon the next day; no check station visit is needed.
How big is the Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 property in acres?
75 acres, according to the ODNR area map PDF. The acreage table shows the spread.
What must I hold to hunt Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 legally?
Ohio license first, then the game permit. Public hunting land in Ohio charges no access fee.
Are there controlled hunts on Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
No drawn hunts here in 2026.
How many deer can I take on Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
The county limit of 3 applies. Only one buck per season in Ohio, and two antlerless deer at most from public land.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
No; book a room in a nearby town.
What are this season's duck dates for Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
It is in Zone A; duck splits run Oct 17 to Nov 1, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 27, 2026.
Do I need hunter orange on Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
May I bait deer on Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
Portable stands yes, bait no.
Where do I take questions about Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4?
The Wildlife District Two office, 419-424-5000.
Deer hours at Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 on the first gun day?
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty after sunset; on November 30, 2026 that is 7:07 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. here (NOAA solar formula).
Is Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
All parcels are open in the status layer.
Sign-off notes for Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 hunters
Rules, closures and lottery details for Sandusky County Wildlife Area 4 can change mid-season; posted signs and the ODNR page have the last word.
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: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); Clay Heaton (CC BY-SA 3.0).