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Hunting area · District 1 ground
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas for Buckeye State hunters
78 acres managed as a public hunting area in Fairfield County.
Photo: Dan Keck (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Parking, trailheads and gates near Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 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 Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Status check: open, with no parcel restricted on Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas.
- Vehicles stay on marked roads and in parking areas.
- Leave the tent at home: no camping here.
- Closing hours apply to hikers, not to legal hunting or trapping.
- Shooting outside a hunt or a designated range is illegal.
- Hunting deer over bait is illegal here.
- No screw-in steps or nails in trees.
- Only two antlerless deer may come from public hunting areas each year.
- A cooperative agreement opens this land to public hunting.
- Some hunts here are by lottery permit only.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Inside the Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas record
This public hunting area in Fairfield County spans 78 acres under the ODNR Division of Wildlife. It belongs to ODNR Wildlife District 1 (Central Ohio), whose office is in Columbus. Activities beyond the hunt: fishing. Land tenure in the ODNR layer: held under a cooperative agreement.
ODNR sums it up:
“Oakthorpe Lake was originally impounded as part of a larger watershed project in the upper Hocking River watershed.”
The acreage runs from 77 to 78 depending on the layer; the headline figure is 78.
| Source | Size (ac) |
|---|---|
| Hunting-status layer | 78 |
| GIS parcel area | 77 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas: open seasons for its listed game
Listed game: trapping. Dates follow.
| Species | Hunt | First day | Last day | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mink | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| Beaver | Trapping | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| River otter | Trapping | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 1 of the 3 |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (controlled hunt lotteries); checked November 6, 2026.
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas: 2026 controlled hunting
ODNR runs 1 controlled hunt here in 2026: 1 trapping. Enter each drawing once per year for $3, holding the license and permits for that game first. Show up at the district office on October 3, 2026 for the trapping lottery.
| No. | Hunt name | Type | Application | Packet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2941 | Oakthorpe Lake beaver/otter trapping | Trapping | In person, Oct. 3 | packet |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas: deer limits and zones by county
Fairfield County is a 3-deer county for 2026-27. ODNR counted 2,351 deer in Fairfield County for 2025-26, 1,342 of them antlerless. So far in 2026-27 (through November 3, 2026) the county shows 478.
| County | Deer limit | DSA | Duck zone | Spring turkey | Fall turkey | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 2,351 |
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 Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
The nearest other public hunting ground is Rush Creek Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas, 3 miles off to the southeast. The six nearest places include 2 public hunting areas, 2 wildlife areas and 1 state park. Closed to hunting nearby: Cranberry Bog State Nature Preserve (nature preserve), Kessler Swamp State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Rhododendron Us Route 33 Easement Natural Area (natural area).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush Creek Lake PHFA | Hunting area | 1,015 | Fairfield | 3 miles | southeast |
| Hanby Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 20 | Perry | 5 miles | north |
| Colfax Lake PHA | Hunting area | 73 | Fairfield | 6 miles | southwest |
| Buckeye Lake State Park | State park | 176 | Fairfield | 8 miles | north |
| Clouse Lake Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 96 | Perry | 9 miles | east |
| Hebron Fish Hatchery | Fish hatchery | 155 | Licking | 9 miles | north |
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.
Towns and outfitters a short drive from Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Count on Lancaster, about 10 miles out, for supplies. A bigger stop is Newark, population 51,424. The nearest ODNR office sits in Malta, 30 miles from the point.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | Fairfield | 41,671 | 10 miles | southwest |
| New Lexington | Perry | 4,463 | 14 miles | southeast |
| Rockbridge | Hocking | – | 16 miles | south |
| Pickerington | Fairfield | 25,814 | 18 miles | west |
| Newark | Licking | 51,424 | 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.
Phone numbers and maps for Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Wildlife District One staff work from 1500 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215; phone 614-644-3925. County wildlife officer: Jade Heizer, (614) 902-4210. Turn in a poacher at 1-800-POACHER (762-2437).
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.
Photo strip: land and game around Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Sun-up to sundown hunting clock for Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Furbearers have no hour limit in Ohio, but in the deer gun and muzzleloader weeks coyote hunting near Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas keeps to deer hours.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Ducks and squirrels | Sunrise birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:20 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:25 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:03 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:31 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:41 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:47 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:47 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:51 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. to 5:15 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.
Zeroing a slug gun on the way to Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas hunters reach Hebron Fish Hatchery Shooting Range, the nearest ODNR-listed range, after about 10 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.
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas, answered one question at a time
When is hunter orange required on Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
In gun and muzzleloader seasons: an orange garment, unless you hunt waterfowl.
When is legal shooting light for deer at Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
On the gun opener (November 30, 2026): 7:01 a.m. to 5:37 p.m.
Who should I phone about hunting Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
The area phone is (614) 644-3925.
Which town on this site is nearest to Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
Lancaster (10 miles).
Which parts of Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas allow hunting?
It is open throughout.
What is the deadline to report a deer from Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
Deer and turkeys go through the electronic game check by noon the next day.
Do Sunday rules limit hunting at Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
Yes; Ohio sets no Sunday ban.
What licenses and permits cover a hunt on Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
Your Ohio license and the right permit. First-time buyers need hunter education or an apprentice license. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
How big is the Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas property in acres?
Roughly 78 acres all told.
What deer limit covers Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
3 deer, the Fairfield County limit. The statewide limit is six, one antlered; public land adds a two-antlerless cap.
Does Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas have lottery hunts?
Yes: trapping, 1 in all. Entry: $3.
Duck zone and split dates for Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
Zone C dates apply: Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas?
Camping is prohibited.
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas: the night-before checklist
Use this page to plan, then reread the official page for Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas the week before the trip.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain).