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State park · District 4 ground
Dillon State Park for Buckeye State hunters
2,285 acres managed as a state park in Muskingum County.
Photo: Dan Keck (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Dillon State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Dillon State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Archery ParkingParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Horse Trailer ParkingParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 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 Dillon State Park
The status layer says restricted, so check which zones of Dillon State Park allow hunting.
- Hunting deer over bait is illegal here.
- Only two antlerless deer may come from public hunting areas each year.
- Hunting is legal only where the park map allows it.
- No hunting within 400 feet of campgrounds, picnic areas, shelters, latrines, parking lots or other structures.
- No shooting on, from or across roads, driveways or trails.
- Permanent blinds are by permit.
- Some hunts here are by lottery permit only.
- Blind locations come through the lottery.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules, OAC 1501:46-15-07; checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Dillon State Park
Inside the Dillon State Park record
This state park in Muskingum County spans 2,285 acres under the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft. It belongs to ODNR Wildlife District 4 (Southeast Ohio), whose office is in Athens. The listing describes fall color on the ground. Activities beyond the hunt: camping, accessible facilities, boating, disc golf, hiking and powerboating. Trail types: hiking trails, horseback trails and mountain bike. Land tenure in the ODNR layer: leased and owned outright by the state. Ohio rule 1501:31-15-04(A)(2) names it ("Dillon") as land open to public hunting.
ODNR sums it up:
“The wooded hills and scenic valleys surrounding Dillon State Park in east central Ohio offer a picturesque setting for outdoor adventure.”
The acreage runs from 2,285 to 2,904 depending on the layer; the headline figure is 2,285.
| Source | Size (ac) |
|---|---|
| ODNR property page | 2,285 |
| Property Details layer | 2,285 |
| Water (Property Details) | 1,560 |
| Hunting-status layer | 2,904 |
| GIS parcel area | 2,880 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Dillon State Park: open seasons for its listed game
Listed game: deer, turkey, ruffed grouse, waterfowl, trapping and raccoon. Dates follow. Duck and goose rows follow waterfowl Zone C. Read the spring turkey rows as 2026 dates. Only drawn hunts take grouse in Ohio now.
| 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 |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| 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 | 3 per season |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Teal | Early teal | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 ducks daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 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 (ODNR property page hunting text); checked November 6, 2026.
Dillon State Park: 2026 controlled hunting
ODNR runs 2 controlled hunts here in 2026: 1 raccoon and 1 deer gun. Enter each drawing once per year for $3, holding the license and permits for that game first. Deer from a drawn hunt are not charged to your county limit. Show up at the district office on October 3, 2026 for the trapping lottery.
| No. | Hunt name | Type | Application | Packet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2732 | Dillon SP youth shotgun deer | Deer gun | July 1-31 | – |
| 2954 | Dillon State Park raccoon hunt & trap | Raccoon | In person, Oct. 3 | – |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Dillon State Park: 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.
Dillon State Park: fields and facilities
There is an archery range on site, per ODNR.
From the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Ohio hunting ground a short drive from Dillon State Park
The nearest other public hunting ground is Dillon Wildlife Area, 4 miles off to the northwest. The six nearest places include 5 wildlife areas and 1 state forest. Closed to hunting nearby: Black Run Wetland Conservation Area (no open parcels), Muskingum Lock & Dam 3 State Park (park without hunting) and Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dillon Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 3,612 | Muskingum | 4 miles | northwest |
| Powelson Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 2,729 | Muskingum | 6 miles | northeast |
| Tri-Valley Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 16,200 | Muskingum | 11 miles | northeast |
| Munro Basin Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 23 | Muskingum | 13 miles | northeast |
| Meiners Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 36 | Muskingum | 13 miles | southeast |
| West Blue Rock SF | State forest | 675 | Muskingum | 13 miles | southeast |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 2 parcels (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.
Notes from the Dillon State Park listing
The agency page has this to say about hunting Dillon State Park:
“Ruffed Grouse Loop — 0.6 Mile — Moderate”
“White-tailed deer and wild turkey can be seen along the park’s trails by quiet observers.”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Towns and outfitters a short drive from Dillon State Park
Count on Nashport, about 5 miles out, for supplies. A bigger stop is Zanesville, population 24,916. The nearest ODNR office sits in Warsaw, 20 miles from the point.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashport | Muskingum | – | 5 miles | northwest |
| Zanesville | Muskingum | 24,916 | 6 miles | southeast |
| Dresden | Muskingum | 1,647 | 9 miles | northeast |
| Philo | Muskingum | 723 | 15 miles | southeast |
| Conesville | Coshocton | 329 | 17 miles | northeast |
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 Dillon State Park
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: distribution or publication, this source must be referenced. Map note: shoot on, from, or across any road, driveway, or trail within any area administered by the division.
- Hunting map PDF · legend: boat ramp, parking, latrine, camping, waterfowl hunting, open to hunting, closed to hunting, trail
- map
- map
- Download the Lake Fishing Map
- 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, 2 parcels (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
Sun-up to sundown hunting clock for Dillon State Park
Furbearers have no hour limit in Ohio, but in the deer gun and muzzleloader weeks coyote hunting near Dillon State Park keeps to deer hours.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Ducks and squirrels | Sunrise birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:18 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:23 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:02 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:30 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:41 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:46 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:46 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:50 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:50 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.
Photo strip: land and game around Dillon State Park
Dillon State Park: the nearest public range, then clubs
Dillon State Park hunters reach Dillon Wildlife Area Shooting Range, the nearest ODNR-listed range, after about 2 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.
Dates held at or close to Dillon State Park
Ahead: 1. Already held here: 0.
| Scheduled | What | How far | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 8, 2027 | Y-Bridge Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Zanesville | 6 | Zanesville, Muskingum County | Tickets | Source |
Dillon State Park, answered one question at a time
Who should I phone about hunting Dillon State Park?
The area phone is (740) 453-4377.
Which town on this site is nearest to Dillon State Park?
Nashport (5 miles).
Which parts of Dillon State Park allow hunting?
Not all of it: ODNR lists it as restricted, so use the hunting map.
What is the deadline to report a deer from Dillon State Park?
Deer and turkeys go through the electronic game check by noon the next day.
Do Sunday rules limit hunting at Dillon State Park?
Yes; Ohio sets no Sunday ban.
What licenses and permits cover a hunt on Dillon State Park?
Your Ohio license and the right permit. First-time buyers need hunter education or an apprentice license. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
What size is Dillon State Park on the ODNR books?
Roughly 2,285 acres all told. Other sources differ a little; see the acreage table.
What deer limit covers Dillon State Park?
3 deer, the Muskingum County limit. The statewide limit is six, one antlered; public land adds a two-antlerless cap.
Does Dillon State Park have lottery hunts?
Yes: raccoon and deer gun, 2 in all. Entry: $3.
Duck zone and split dates for Dillon State Park?
Zone C dates apply: Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Dillon State Park?
Use the campground; hunting is barred within 400 feet of camping areas.
Can I hang a stand on Dillon State Park?
Stands must be portable; bait and feed are prohibited.
When is hunter orange required on Dillon State Park?
In gun and muzzleloader seasons: an orange garment, unless you hunt waterfowl.
Dillon State Park: the night-before checklist
Use this page to plan, then reread the official page for Dillon State Park the week before the trip.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5 · source 6; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: GlacierNPS (Public domain); GerryT (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).