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Hunt Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge this 2026-27 season
7,593 acres on record as a national wildlife refuge in Ottawa County and Lucas County.
Photo: Benny Mazur (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 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.
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge hunt units
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge falls under 50 CFR 32.54(b), which allows migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting, big game hunting and sport fishing on designated parts of the refuge. The FWS hunt-unit layer shows 7,014 acres in units where hunting is allowed under special regulations, and 1,486 acres closed. Ottawa is also the headquarters of the refuge complex that includes Cedar Point and West Sister Island; West Sister Island is closed to hunting. The refuge hunting page names the public units as Metzger Marsh, Middle Toussaint, Upper Toussaint and Turkey Run, with controlled deer and waterfowl hunts run with the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
| FWS hunt unit | Huntable | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Controlled Big Game & Waterfowl | Special Regulations Apply | 1,925 |
| Open | Special Regulations Apply | 1,485 |
| Controlled Big Game | Special Regulations Apply | 2,891 |
| Daily Permit Area | Special Regulations Apply | 713 |
| Closed | No | 1,486 |
From 50 CFR 32.54, the FWS Public Hunt Units layer and the refuge page; checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
What Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge allows and what it bans
- Enter no earlier than 90 minutes before legal light and leave within an hour after sunset.
- Buckshot is not allowed.
- A permit is mandatory in the special units.
From the agency page, 50 CFR 32.54; checked November 6, 2026.
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge at a glance for hunters
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge: 7,593 acres in Ottawa County and Lucas County, classed as a national wildlife refuge and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Northwest Ohio is its home district; the district office sits in Findlay.
Mapping methods differ, so size ranges from 7,014 to 7,593 acres.
| Layer or document | Acres |
|---|---|
| GIS parcel area | 7,593 |
| FWS hunt units open | 7,014 |
From the agency page; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
2026-27 season dates for the game on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Game on record for Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge: migratory birds, upland game, deer and turkey. The waterfowl zone is Zone A. 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 |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 15 daily |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 15 daily |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Oct 16, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 3 daily |
| Teal | Early teal | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 1, 2027 | 5 daily |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | Regular limits |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | Regular limits |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (50 CFR 32.54: migratory game birds and upland game species authorized by the State); checked November 6, 2026.
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge: 2026 controlled hunting
Lottery hunts on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge for 2026: 3 deer gun, 3 waterfowl, 1 tue/thu waterfowl and 1 deer archery. Applications are $3 apiece through wildohio.gov, the HuntFish OH app or by phone. Deer taken on controlled hunts do not count against the county limit, though the one-antlered rule still holds. Apply Monday or Wednesday morning for the next day's waterfowl drawing.
| No. | Hunt name | Type | Application | Packet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2506 | Magee Marsh/ottawa NWR archery deer | Deer archery | July 1-31 | – |
| 2505 | Magee Marsh/ottawa NWR deer | Deer gun | July 1-31 | – |
| 2590 | Ottawa NWR mobility impaired deer | Deer gun | July 1-31 | – |
| 2706 | Magee Marsh/ottawa NWR youth deer | Deer gun | July 1-31 | – |
| daily | Ottawa NWR thursday waterfowl | Tue/Thu waterfowl | Mon/Wed, day before | – |
| 2511 | Ottawa NWR waterfowl | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
| 2566 | Ottawa NWR mobility impaired waterfowl | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
| 2711 | Ottawa NWR youth waterfowl | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge counties, limits and harvest
Hunters on this ground follow the Ottawa County limit of 3 deer. ODNR counted 851 deer in Ottawa County for 2025-26, 507 of them antlerless. Running total to November 3, 2026: 196.
| County | Deer | Surveillance | Ducks | Spring zone | Fall season | Deer checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Closed | 851 |
| Lucas County | 4 deer | No | A, B | South | Open | 965 |
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.
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and the open ground around it
When parking fills at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area waits 2 miles to the northwest. Close by are 4 wildlife areas, 1 controlled hunt area and 1 wildlife refuge. No hunting at West Sister Island National Wildlife Refuge (refuge closed).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 558 | Lucas | 2 miles | northwest |
| Magee Marsh Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 488 | Ottawa | 3 miles | east |
| Howard Marsh Metropark | Controlled hunts | – | Lucas | 3 miles | northwest |
| Toussaint Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 225 | Ottawa | 4 miles | southeast |
| Cedar Point NWR | Refuge | 2,105 | Lucas | 7 miles | northwest |
| Mallard Club Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 402 | Lucas | 8 miles | northwest |
Point: USFWS Interest layer (fee-owned refuge land) inside Ohio (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.
What the managers say about Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
In the agency's own words about Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge:
“Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge offers numerous hunting opportunities.”
“Public hunting for waterfowl and deer is available at the refuge's Metzger Marsh Unit, which is adjacent to the Metzger Marsh State Wildlife Area.”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Towns and outfitters a short drive from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
The handiest town is Reno Beach, 4 miles off. A bigger stop is Port Clinton, population 5,915. ODNR Magee Marsh Wildlife Area headquarters is the nearest Division office, roughly 2 miles away.
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno Beach | Lucas | – | 4 miles | northwest |
| Rocky Ridge | Ottawa | 306 | 6 miles | south |
| Curtice | Ottawa | – | 8 miles | west |
| Wightmans Grove | Sandusky | – | 16 miles | southeast |
| Port Clinton | Ottawa | 5,915 | 16 miles | southeast |
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 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Wildlife District Two: 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, tel. 419-424-5000. Wildlife officer for Ottawa County: Reid Van Cleve ((419) 429-8389). See a violation? 1-800-POACHER takes calls day and night.
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 USFWS Interest layer (fee-owned refuge land) inside Ohio (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
What the cover looks like around Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge: 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 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer light | Marsh light | Field light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:23 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:10 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:20 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:39 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:39 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:56 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:56 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:00 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 8:00 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.
Public range and clubs on the road to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge hunters reach Resthaven 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 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge for this season
Which lottery hunts include Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Deer gun, waterfowl, tue/thu waterfowl and deer archery: 8 lottery hunt(s). $3 per entry.
What deer limit covers Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Limits: Ottawa 3; Lucas 4. Statewide, only one antlered deer, and no more than two antlerless deer may come from public hunting areas.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Stay off site.
When do the duck splits open around Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Use Zone A: Oct 17 to Nov 1, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 27, 2026.
What orange garment do I need on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
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 Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
A single labeled portable stand per unit.
Who should I phone about hunting Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
The number on file is 419-424-5000.
Shooting hours for deer on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge this season?
For the gun opener: 7:09 a.m. until 5:35 p.m.
What is the deadline to report a deer from Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Game check closes at noon the next day; use the app, the website or the phone line.
Which town do I aim for when driving to Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Reno Beach (4 miles).
What paperwork must I carry on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
An Ohio license is the base; permits apply to special units.
Is Sunday hunting legal on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
Yes, Sundays are open in season.
Acreage check: how large is Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge?
7,593 acres is the headline figure used on this page.
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge: the night-before checklist
Confirm the county limit, the zone and the open dates for Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge before you load the truck.
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: david roorbach (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Dakota Callaway (CC BY 2.0).