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Southwest Ohio wildlife district
Clermont County Hunt Planner
Plan a Clermont County hunt around its own rules: deer limit and CWD status, every dated season, duck and turkey zones, deer and turkey harvest by year, and public land in and around the county.
Photo: Andrew Cannizzaro (CC BY 2.0)
Clermont County deer: bag limit and harvest
The bag limit map puts Clermont County at 3 deer per hunter, counted only for deer taken within the county. Limits shift at the line with Hamilton (4). Whatever the mix of counties, Ohio stops a hunter at six deer, one of them antlered.
Budget $31.20 (resident) or $218.40 (nonresident) per either-sex permit; the $15.00 deer management permit covers antlerless deer through the full season. The county cap ignores deer killed on controlled hunts.
CWD picture in Clermont County
ODNR has not placed Clermont County in the Disease Surveillance Area, and its June 2026 breakdown of wild detections names other counties only. Closest DSA county: Union, near 95 miles off. Hunters returning from the DSA or another state must follow the ODNR carcass part limits.
Clermont County harvest history
ODNR's final 2025-26 tally for Clermont County is 2,759 deer, an increase of 3% on the season before. By total deer it was the 34th county in the state that season. About 59% came during archery season and 41% were antlered. 651 deer were on the 2026-27 books for Clermont County as of November 3, 2026. In the 2025 season summary the crossbow season led the county with 1,083 deer.
| Year | All deer | Bucks | Does and fawns | Bow | Gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 2,547 | 985 | 1,562 | 1,553 | — |
| 2023-24 | 2,346 | 1,019 | 1,327 | 1,464 | — |
| 2024-25 | 2,675 | 1,132 | 1,543 | 1,635 | 1,040 |
| 2025-26 | 2,759 | 1,126 | 1,633 | 1,628 | 1,131 |
Clermont County 2025 harvest by method
| Season | Antlered | Does | Button bucks | Deer | Prior avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 254 | 451 | 88 | 793 | 654 |
| Crossbow | 524 | 468 | 91 | 1,083 | 1,025 |
| Longbow | 250 | 219 | 35 | 504 | 500 |
| Bonus Gun | 52 | 111 | 12 | 175 | 157 |
| Muzzleloader | 31 | 64 | 10 | 105 | 108 |
| Youth | 46 | 28 | 6 | 80 | 66 |
| Total | 1,165 | 1,352 | 244 | 2,761 | 2,523 |
Bag limit from the 2026-27 deer bag limit map and deer rules (digest pp. 6-11); DSA from OAC 1501:31-19-03 and CWD rules; detections from the ODNR CWD page and tests from the 2025-26 CWD summary; harvest from the 2022-23 final weekly report; 2023-24 final weekly report; 2024-25 final weekly report; 2025-26 final weekly report, the 2026-27 report through Nov. 3 and the 2025-26 deer summary; permit prices from the license list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Clermont County Hunting Guide
Clermont County openers and closing days
Spring turkey is missing from this table because the 2026 season is over and ODNR had not published 2027 dates when Clermont County was checked; the turkey section below gives the 2026 dates.
| Game | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | 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 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Youth small game weekend | Quail counties | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Youth small game weekend | Quail counties | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Quail counties | Nov 6, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| 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 C | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone C | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone C | 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 | 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 | |
| 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.
Clermont County seasons beyond deer
Waterfowl seasons and stamps for Clermont County
For ducks and geese, Clermont County is entirely Zone C country this season. Second-split ducks in Zone C: December 12, 2026 to January 31, 2027. Last goose day in Zone C: February 15, 2027. The September teal and early goose days (September 5 to September 13, 2026) and the October 3 to October 4, 2026 youth and military hunts are statewide. Dove fields open September 1, 2026; the late dove split starts December 12, and timberdoodles are legal October 16 to November 29, 2026. Ducks and geese mean HIP plus two stamps: $15.00 for Ohio wetlands and $25.00 federal, from age 16.
| Waterfowl zone | Duck splits | Goose splits |
|---|---|---|
| Zone C | Oct 17-25 Dec 12-Jan 31 | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Feb 15 |
Turkey zone and gobbler counts for Clermont County
For gobblers, Clermont County belongs to the South zone, where the 2026 season was April 25 to May 24, 2026; spring 2027 dates were not yet published. Youth hunters had April 18 to April 19, 2026 in 2026. From 288 in 2023 to 325 in 2026: that is the Clermont County spring turkey trend, which ranks 16th statewide for 2026. A fall season reaches Clermont County: October 1 to October 25, 2026, any sex, with archery tackle no longer allowed. ODNR counted 15 fall turkeys for Clermont County in 2025.
| Spring | Checked | Adult gobblers | Juveniles | Hens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 288 | 254 | 32 | 2 |
| 2024 | 252 | 207 | 44 | 1 |
| 2025 | 266 | 229 | 37 | 0 |
| 2026 | 325 | 270 | 52 | 3 |
| Autumn | Checked |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 15 |
| 2025 | 15 |
Clermont County small game and fur
Clermont County keeps a bobwhite season (November 6 to November 29, 2026), which most of Ohio does not. Small game begins with squirrels on September 1; cottontails, pheasants and chukar follow on November 6. Clermont County trappers fall in otter Zone B, with furbearers from November 10 and beaver and otter from December 26 to February 28, 2027. Otters are capped as 3 total, max. 1 from Zone B. Mink and muskrat trapping lasts until February 28, 2027.
Zones from OAC 1501:31-7-07 and the digest waterfowl pages; seasons from the 2026-27 season dates; turkey from the turkey rules with spring and fall results (2023 spring; 2024 spring; 2025 spring; 2026 spring; 2023 fall; 2024 fall; 2025 fall); quail from OAC 1501:31-15-21; otter zones from the trapping pages; stamps from the license list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Clermont County public acres and places
Roughly 1.2% of Clermont County (3,605 GIS acres) is public land where hunting is allowed, 40th among Ohio counties. The biggest public unit here is East Fork State Park, 4,870 acres including land beyond the county line. East Fork State Park and Stonelick State Park have park ground open to hunting, about 6,960 acres by GIS.
| Category | Acres |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 3,501 |
| Corps of Engineers land | 104 |
| State parks (hunting) | 6,960 |
The total leaves out 78 acres of state nature preserve land; hunting is not allowed there. L/HAP has no enrolled land in Clermont County at present. East Fork State Park and East Fork Wildlife Area offer controlled hunts, 3 in all, drawn by lottery.
Clermont County wildlife areas and forests
Clermont County: nearby public ground
- Grant Lake Wildlife Area12 miles · Brown County
- Della Gates & Edward Charles Bott Wildlife Area16 miles · Brown County
- Indian Creek Wildlife Area16 miles · Brown County
GIS acres from the ODNR lands layer, PAD-US 4.1 and the Census county file as compiled in counties.json (polygons, not official acreage; large water removed); lands and acreage from each land record; L/HAP counts from the ODNR L/HAP page; controlled hunts from the 2026 controlled hunt list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Clermont County wildlife officer and services
The Division of Wildlife handles Clermont County from its Southwest Ohio district office in Xenia, where Todd Haines is district manager. VACANT is the state wildlife officer assigned to Clermont County ((513) 673-1566). For area maps and local conditions, Indian Creek Wildlife Area headquarters in Fayetteville is the nearest headquarters (16 miles).
Census figures put 214,123 people in Clermont County in 2024, on 453 square miles, with Batavia as the seat.
Clermont County town guides
2 town guides on this site sit in Clermont County, each with public land within 10 and 25 miles.
- Batavia2,026 people
- Williamsburg2,645 people
Within the county lines: 1 taxidermist and 17 sporting goods stores. The directory has no deer processor here; nearby options are below.
Neighbouring-county deer processors for Clermont County
Taxidermy shops around Clermont County
Clermont County gun and archery shops
Guide or preserves in counties next to Clermont County
District offices, officers and wildlife area headquarters from the digest wildlife officer page and the ODNR county contacts and work units layers (counties.json); population from the Census 2024 estimates; services from store locators, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and Yellow Pages listings (not individually verified). Checked November 6, 2026.
Slug zero and clay practice in Clermont County
Clermont County has 9 ranges in this guide, every one a club, shop or private ground.
| Where | Town | Guns or bows | Open to | Listed at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rooks Range archery range | Bethel | archery, 3D archery | Access not stated | findarcheryranges.com Nov 5, 2026 |
| Sycamore Pheasant Club sporting clays course | Miamiville | trap, sporting clays, shotgun | Members only | boisegunclub.com Nov 5, 2026 |
| Sycamore Sporting Clays sporting clays course | Loveland | sporting clays, shotgun | Access not stated | boisegunclub.com Nov 5, 2026 |
Indian Creek Wildlife Area Shooting Range in Brown County is the nearest public range on ODNR’s list, about 16 miles away. Details
Shoots in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 2026 | CMP event | Match page |
Ranges from ODNR’s public range list, ranges’ own sites, the ATA club list and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Clermont County legal shooting light
The sun comes up roughly a quarter hour later in Defiance than in Marietta, so use the times worked out for Clermont County rather than a Columbus table.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Deer hours | Duck hours | Upland hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:27 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:31 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:09 a.m. | 5:32 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:35 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 7:35 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:46 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:46 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:52 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 7:52 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:55 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 7:55 a.m. to 5:24 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.
Permits, orange and bait rules in Clermont County
License first: $19.00 resident, $180.96 nonresident, $10.00 for youth or seniors, valid from March 1 to the end of February. The orange rule covers all hunters other than waterfowlers in every firearm deer season, and the garment may be solid or camouflage orange.
Bait is a private-land option for deer here, never for gobblers, doves or ducks, and never on public hunting areas. Report deer through HuntFish OH, the website, the toll-free line or an agent by noon the next day; turkeys the same night by 11:30 p.m. Hunt any day of the week; Ohio law carries no Sunday ban. First-time license buyers need hunter education unless they buy an apprentice license and hunt with a licensed adult 21 or older. Big Ohio bucks are scored and listed by the Buckeye Big Buck Club, not by ODNR.
From the license and permit list, hunter orange rule, baiting rules, game check, season calendar, hunter education and the Buckeye Big Buck Club notice in the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Clermont County hunting questions
Do Clermont County bowhunters get the early DSA archery start?
No; archery here opens with the rest of Ohio on September 26, 2026.
Does a waterfowl zone boundary cut through Clermont County?
No, all of it is Zone C.
Does Clermont County open for fall turkeys in 2026-27?
Yes, October 1 to October 25, 2026, shotgun only.
Does Clermont County contain any state wildlife areas?
Yes, the ODNR layer names East Fork Wildlife Area inside the county.
How far is the closest ODNR office from Clermont County?
Roughly 47 miles straight line, at Xenia.
What is the 2026-27 deer tally so far in Clermont County?
651 through November 3, 2026.
May I bait on public hunting land in Clermont County?
No, not on any public hunting area.
What orange clothing does gun week require in Clermont County?
A vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid or camouflage hunter orange.
When are beaver sets legal in Clermont County?
Beaver trapping runs December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
Is Sunday a legal hunting day in Clermont County?
Yes; Ohio has no statewide Sunday ban.
Answers from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, the deer bag limit map, the DSA rule, the waterfowl zone rule, shooting hours and the sources above. Checked November 6, 2026.
A note on Clermont County data
This Clermont County page is rebuilt from ODNR data; when the Wildlife Council or the 2027 spring turkey notice changes a date, the page follows.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).