Northwest Ohio town
Hunting Near Toledo
City in Lucas County. About 173 acres of public hunting land lie within 10 miles.
Photo: ksblack99 (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Toledo through a hunter’s eyes
Toledo is both the seat of Lucas County and a city of 25,000-plus, part of ODNR District 2, the Northwest Ohio district that takes in the old Black Swamp farmland, the Lake Erie marshes from Toledo to Sandusky Bay and the Killdeer Plains and Maumee River country. Roughly 265,638 people lived in Toledo in 2024, per the Census estimate. The 10-mile circle around Toledo holds 2 state wildlife areas and 1 state park; GIS measures the public land there at 173 acres. Lucas County carries a 4-deer bag limit in 2026-27, which covers the ground around Toledo.
Town point, population and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; wildlife district from the ODNR County Contacts layer; public land rings from ODNR and PAD-US boundaries (GIS acres); deer limit from the 2026-27 deer bag limit map. Checked November 6, 2026.
Which Ohio zone rules cover Toledo
For deer near Toledo, ODNR’s county class is four-deer. Only 1 antlered deer is allowed statewide. No part of Lucas County is in the Disease Surveillance Area. The new zone line runs through Lucas County, putting parts of it in Zone A and Zone B. Lucas County sits in the spring turkey South zone, and it is open in the fall. Also in Lucas County: river otter trapping is in Otter Zone B and the Lake Erie marsh trapping extension applies. Nonresidents coming to Toledo pay $180.96 for the yearly license; residents pay $19.00. During the deer gun and muzzleloader seasons, small game and coyote hunters wear orange too; only waterfowl hunters are exempt. Check deer in by noon the day after harvest, by app, phone or online.
Deer limits from the 2026-27 deer bag limit map and regulations; DSA from OAC 1501:31-19-03; CWD detections from ODNR; waterfowl zones from the 2026-27 regulations; turkey zones from the turkey rules. Checked November 6, 2026.
Wildlife areas and forests near Toledo
The list runs nearest first, measured to each boundary from Toledo; gates, parking lots and refuge closures change the real trip. Toledo has 14 state wildlife areas, 2 state parks, 2 national wildlife refuges, 2 public access areas, 1 state forest and 1 controlled hunt area within 25 miles. The biggest tract in that ring is Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, at about 7,593 acres. Deer lead the game lists (5 of 14 tracts), with turkey on 3 and waterfowl on 7. Open and Restricted come straight from the ODNR parcel layer; a restricted property still allows hunting under posted limits. Confirm tagged properties with ODNR: its sources disagree on hunting there.
| Property, miles | Type | Acres | Hunting status | Species | Controlled hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maumee Bay State Park · 9.7 mi check with ODNR | State park | 1,336 | Check rules | deer, pheasant + | 2 lotteries |
| Meilke Road Savanna Wildlife Area · 9.8 mi | Wildlife area | 22 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Taylor's Meilke Road Savanna Wildlife Area · 9.8 mi check with ODNR | Wildlife area | – | – | Ohio seasons | – |
| Wood County Wildlife Area 9 · 10 mi | Wildlife area | 64 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Mallard Club Wildlife Area · 12 mi | Wildlife area | 402 | Open | waterfowl, furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge · 12 mi | Wildlife refuge | 2,105 | – | migratory game birds (waterfowl, dove, woodcock, snipe, rail as authorized by the State), upland game (as authorized by the State) + | – |
| Miltonville Maumee River Access · 14 mi | Public access area | 1 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge · 15 mi | Wildlife refuge | 7,593 | – | migratory game birds (waterfowl, dove, woodcock, snipe, rail as authorized by the State), upland game (as authorized by the State) + | 8 lotteries |
| Missionary Island Wildlife Area · 15 mi | Wildlife area | 297 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Maumee State Forest · 16 mi | State forest | 3,332 | Open | deer, turkey | – |
| Howard Marsh Metropark · 17 mi check with ODNR | Controlled hunt area | – | – | waterfowl | 3 lotteries |
| Maumee River Weir Rapids Wildlife Area · 17 mi | Public access area | 6 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area · 18 mi | Wildlife area | 558 | Open | waterfowl, furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Fulton Pond Wildlife Area · 18 mi | Wildlife area | 35 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Van Tassel Wildlife Area · 20 mi | Wildlife area | 102 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Magee Marsh Wildlife Area · 21 mi | Wildlife area | 488 | Restricted | deer, squirrel + | 10 lotteries |
| Wood County Wildlife Area 1 · 22 mi | Wildlife area | 38 | Open | dove | – |
| Aldrich Pond Wildlife Area · 23 mi | Wildlife area | 41 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
Distances and acres from places.json and lands.json (ODNR_LANDS and hunting-status layers, PAD-US 4.1, USFS layers; GIS measures, not surveyed acreage); status from the ODNR hunting-status layer; lotteries from the 2026 controlled hunting access lists. Checked November 6, 2026.
Three tracts worth scouting from Toledo
Maumee Bay State Park, 9.7 mi
Maumee Bay State Park's landscape is a unique environment created by the convergence of the land and Lake Erie. Species on the list: deer, pheasant, waterfowl, snipe, raccoon, fox. 2 controlled hunt lotteries for 2026 use this ground.
Mallard Club Wildlife Area, 12 mi
Mallard Club Wildlife Area is a 402-acre state wildlife area located 9 miles east of Toledo. Species on the list: waterfowl, furbearer trapping. 1 controlled hunt lottery for 2026 use this ground.
Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge, 12 mi
Species on the list: migratory game birds (waterfowl, dove, woodcock, snipe, rail as authorized by the State), upland game (as authorized by the State), deer, turkey.
Descriptions, species, dove fields and access from each property’s ODNR page and the ODNR property details layer, or the agency page linked on the land page (lands.json); lotteries from the 2026 controlled hunting lists. Checked November 6, 2026.
Lucas County deer harvest near Toledo
Lucas County hunters checked 965 deer in 2025-26, against 829 in 2022-23. For 2026-27, 232 had been checked in the county through November 3, 2026. Crossbows took 548 deer in Lucas County in 2025-26, the regular gun week 186 and longbows 154. For turkeys, the 2026 spring season in Lucas County ended with 88 checked.
| Year | Deer | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery total | Gun total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 829 | 347 | 482 | 666 | – |
| 2023-24 | 791 | 350 | 441 | 623 | – |
| 2024-25 | 895 | 376 | 519 | 662 | 233 |
| 2025-26 | 965 | 441 | 524 | 730 | 235 |
Final weekly deer harvest reports: 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26; 2026-27 to date from the in-season report; spring turkey from the 2026 spring turkey results; 2025-26 by method from the 2025-26 deer summary. County totals, not town figures. Checked November 6, 2026.
Toledo season calendar for 2026-27
ODNR splits duck and goose hunting into Zones A, B and C for 2026-27, which is why the bird rows for Toledo show zone dates and not statewide ones.
| Species | Window | Coverage | From | Until | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Deer | Youth gun | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Gun | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Deer | Bonus gun | Statewide | Dec 19, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Fall counties | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Chukar | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Zone A | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone A | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone A | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone A | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 1, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Oct 16, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Rails | Rail | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Gallinule | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Crow (Fri-Sun) | Statewide | Jun 5, 2026 | Mar 7, 2027 | |
| Groundhog | No closed season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting (no closed season) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Trapping (no closed season) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mink | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Lake Erie trapping | Lake Erie marsh | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mink | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| River otter | Trapping | Otter Zone B | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Beaver | Trapping | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
From the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and the 2026-27 hunting seasons list (ODNR Division of Wildlife), checked November 6, 2026.
Where to buy shells and drop off a deer near Toledo
The 25-mile count around Toledo: 19 sporting goods listings, 2 for taxidermy, 1 for processing and 1 for guides and preserves.
Listings from Yellow Pages, store locators, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and the ODNR office list (services.json); not every listing was checked as open, so call first. Checked November 6, 2026.
Wildlife officer and district office for Toledo
21 miles separate Toledo from ODNR Magee Marsh Wildlife Area headquarters, its nearest ODNR wildlife office. Magee Marsh Wildlife Area headquarters in Oak Harbor is the nearest wildlife area office to central Lucas County. Enforcement in Lucas County falls to wildlife officer Anthony Lemle.
District offices from the ODNR wildlife contacts page and Districts layer; county wildlife officers from the ODNR County Contacts layer; nearest offices measured from the town point (services.json); ranger district offices from the USFS office layer (places.json). Checked November 6, 2026.
Toledo shooters: the three nearest ranges
Each card gives the entry rule for Toledo shooters.
The public range nearest Toledo on the ODNR list is Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range, about 42 miles away. Range page
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 6, 2026.
What hunters can attend near Toledo
Read November 5, 2026: 3 dates ahead within about 30 miles, namely JAKES youth deer hunt and NWTF banquet.
| Day | Name | Mi | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Maumee Bay Youth Deer Hunt (age 4-17) · JAKES youth deer hunt, Oregon | 7 | Oregon, Lucas County | Event details | Source |
| Mar 1, 2027 | Maumee Valley NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Holland | 7 | Holland, Lucas County | Tickets | Source |
| Mar 21, 2027 | Sandusky County Beardbusters NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Gibsonburg | 23 | Gibsonburg, Sandusky County | Tickets | Source |
Toledo legal shooting light
ODNR prints no sunrise table and points hunters to its app, the NOAA calculator and the Naval Observatory; the times for Toledo below are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for its own location.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer light | Marsh light | Field light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:24 a.m. | 7:27 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:57 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:30 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:11 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 6:41 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:22 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:40 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:40 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:58 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:01 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 8:01 a.m. to 5:14 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.
Toledo hunting questions
Which spring turkey zone holds Toledo?
The South zone. Until ODNR posts 2027 dates, the 2026 window (April 25 to May 24, 2026) is the guide.
What game is in season around Toledo at the moment?
As of November 6, 2026, 14 season rows covered Lucas County, among them Deer, Squirrels, Cottontail, Pheasant and Chukar. Coming up: Red fox (Hunting) opens November 10.
Which ODNR district runs things around Toledo?
ODNR District 2, Northwest Ohio, with its office in Findlay; district manager Scott Butterworth.
Which hours did deer hunters have at Toledo on November 6?
6:41 a.m. to 5:55 p.m., worked out for Toledo with the NOAA solar formula.
Is there a hunting preserve or guide near Toledo?
1 guide or preserve listing inside 25 miles of Toledo.
Which properties near Toledo have drawn hunts?
Maumee Bay State Park, Mallard Club Wildlife Area, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Missionary Island Wildlife Area and 5 more.
How does 2025-26 compare with earlier seasons in Lucas County?
The chart on this page runs from 2022-23 (829) to 2025-26 (965).
What is the first public tract a hunter reaches leaving Toledo?
Maumee Bay State Park, a state park, 9.7 miles out; the distance table on this page carries every tract out to 25 miles.
Is Lucas County a two, three or four deer county?
ODNR lists Lucas County as four-deer for 2026-27.
How far is Toledo from the CWD zone?
Lucas County is not in it; the DSA is centred on Allen, Hardin, Marion and Wyandot in west-central Ohio.
Which duck splits apply in Lucas County?
The Zone A and Zone B rows in the season table on this page, both splits.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, regs.json, harvest.json and services.json, the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and the 2026-27 hunting seasons list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Before you leave Toledo
Check the property map and posted rules before any trip out of Toledo; restricted parcels change by method and date.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0).