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3-deer county
Greene County, Ohio Deer and Bird Hunting
From September squirrels to the January muzzleloader days, this Greene County page collects deer limits, harvest counts, bird zones, public land and ODNR contacts for the county.
Photo: Logan Rickert (CC BY 2.0)
Greene County deer rules and harvest
Greene County sits in the 3-deer class on the 2026-27 bag limit map, which caps what one hunter may take inside the county. Every Ohio county that touches Greene County carries the same 3-deer limit, so the number does not change at the line. Deer from several counties can be combined up to six, but just one may carry an antler 3 inches or longer.
Hunters choose between the either-sex permit ($31.20 resident, $218.40 nonresident) and the $15.00 deer management permit, which ODNR now honours all season. A deer from a controlled hunting access lottery sits outside the county count.
Disease Surveillance Area status for Greene County
No part of Greene County is in the DSA, and ODNR has listed no wild CWD case from the county through June 2026. The nearest county with DSA ground is Union, about 50 miles away centre to centre. Bringing deer parts home from the DSA or another state means following the carcass rules.
Deer tallies for Greene County over four seasons
Last season ended with 1,076 deer checked in Greene County, 3% more than the 1,043 of the year before. That places it 75th of 88 counties for 2025-26. Bows and crossbows took 60% of the 2025-26 total, and antlered deer made up 50%. ODNR's in-season report gives 283 deer for the county through November 3, 2026. Of the 2025 seasons, crossbow produced the most deer here: 449.
| Season | Deer tagged | Antlered | Antlerless | Bowhunters | Gunners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 923 | 388 | 535 | 508 | — |
| 2023-24 | 895 | 460 | 435 | 538 | — |
| 2024-25 | 1,043 | 485 | 558 | 576 | 467 |
| 2025-26 | 1,076 | 535 | 541 | 647 | 429 |
2025 deer by season type in Greene County
| Season | Bucks | Does | Button bucks | Total | 3-yr avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 128 | 143 | 34 | 305 | 266 |
| Crossbow | 262 | 165 | 22 | 449 | 372 |
| Longbow | 107 | 63 | 15 | 185 | 161 |
| Bonus Gun | 14 | 32 | 7 | 53 | 54 |
| Muzzleloader | 13 | 22 | 7 | 42 | 53 |
| Youth | 21 | 11 | 5 | 37 | 39 |
| Total | 546 | 440 | 90 | 1,076 | 954 |
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 Greene County Hunting Guide
Greene County hunting and trapping calendar
Deer gun, youth gun, bonus gun and muzzleloader dates are the same in all 88 counties; the Greene County deer limit is what differs.
| Game | Split or method | Zone | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 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.
Greene County bird and trapping seasons
Greene County duck and goose seasons
All of Greene County falls in waterfowl Zone C, one of the three duck and goose zones ODNR drew for 2026-27. Zone C ducks reopen on December 12 after the October split and last until January 31, 2027. Goose hunters in Zone C have until February 15, 2027. Before the zone seasons, all of Ohio gets early teal and goose from September 5 to September 13, 2026, then youth and military days on October 3 to October 4, 2026. Mourning dove hunting has two statewide splits, September 1 to November 8, 2026 and December 12, 2026 to January 1, 2027, and woodcock fall between them. The Ohio wetlands stamp ($15.00) and federal duck stamp ($25.00) go with HIP for anyone 16 or older after ducks or geese.
| Zone | Duck windows | Goose windows |
|---|---|---|
| Zone C | Oct 17-25 Dec 12-Jan 31 | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Feb 15 |
Greene County turkey numbers
In the South zone, which includes Greene County, spring 2026 ran April 25 to May 24, 2026; no 2027 dates were out at our check. The youth spring weekend was April 18 to April 19, 2026 in 2026. The 2026 spring count for Greene County was 34 birds (27 in 2023); that ranked 80th in Ohio. Fall turkey is closed in Greene County; it is one of the 18 counties left off the fall list.
| Spring | Total | Adult males | Jakes | Bearded hens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27 | 18 | 9 | 0 |
| 2024 | 29 | 23 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 0 |
| 2026 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 0 |
Small game and trapping in Greene County
Greene County is outside the quail counties, so bobwhites are off limits. Statewide small game dates apply: squirrel from September 1, cottontail and pheasant from November 6. River otter Zone B covers Greene County. Furbearers open November 10, 2026, beaver and otter December 26, 2026. The otter season limit reads: 3 total, max. 1 from Zone B. Mink and muskrat close on 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); quail from OAC 1501:31-15-21; otter zones from the trapping pages; stamps from the license list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Where the public ground is in Greene County
About 2,231 acres, or 0.8% of Greene County, is mapped public hunting land; that puts it 51st of 88. By acreage, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base leads the places in Greene County, 5,169 acres in total. There are also 630 acres of state nature preserve land and 59 acres of national park land, closed to hunting and left out above.
| Kind | Mapped acres |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 2,222 |
| Corps of Engineers land | 1,280 |
ODNR lists no L/HAP property for Greene County. Lottery hunts: Caesar Creek Wildlife Area, Spring Valley Wildlife Area and Beaver Creek Wildlife Area host 7 controlled hunts in 2026.
Greene County hunting places
Wildlife areas and forests near Greene County
- Caesar Creek State Park14 miles · Warren County
- Stillwater Wildlife Area20 miles · Montgomery County
- Cowan Lake State Park21 miles · Clinton County
- Buck Creek State Park21 miles · Clark County
- Clark Lake Wildlife Area22 miles · Clark County
- Fayette County Wildlife Area 123 miles · Fayette 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.
Hunting events in Greene County, ahead and held
On November 5, 2026 the county showed 1 date ahead and 1 past row.
| On | Listing | Venue and county | Button | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2026 | ODNR Hunter Education Class (Xenia) · hunter education class, Xenia | Xenia, Greene County | Register | Source |
Recently held
| Date run | Event | Where held | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2026 | Greene County DU Banquet · DU dinner, Xenia | Xenia, Greene County | Source |
Calling ODNR about Greene County
The county answers to the Southwest Ohio district of the Division of Wildlife, based in Xenia. Greene County has its own state wildlife officer, VACANT, listed at (937) 545-6327. Spring Valley Wildlife Area headquarters (Waynesville) is the closest wildlife area office, roughly 10 miles from the county centre.
Xenia is the county seat; Greene County had 172,347 residents in the 2024 Census estimate across 414 square miles of land.
Base towns in Greene County
Open a town page to see public ground around Xenia and Beavercreek.
- Xenia26,067 people
- Beavercreek48,012 people
- Fairborn35,105 people
Greene County has 1 taxidermist and 13 sporting goods stores in the services list. For a deer processor, look across the county line: none is listed inside Greene County.
Closest deer processors beyond Greene County
Shoulder mounts made near Greene County
Guns and bows, Greene County
Nearest guide or preserve listings outside Greene 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.
Sighting in a deer gun around Greene County
5 ranges turn up inside Greene County, from conservation league benches to indoor bays.
Greene County match dates
| Date and shoot | Category | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 6, 2026 | NRL22 | Squad up |
Ranges from ODNR’s public range list, ranges’ own sites, the ATA club list and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Greene County legal shooting light
ODNR prints no sunrise table and points hunters to its app, the NOAA calculator and the Naval Observatory; the times for Greene County 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 | 7:26 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:09 a.m. | 5:30 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:36 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:36 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:47 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:47 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:53 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:53 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:56 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:56 a.m. to 5:22 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.
Greene County license costs and rules
An Ohio hunting license costs $19.00 for residents and $180.96 for nonresidents; youth and senior licenses are $10.00. Hunter orange in Ohio means a whole garment: a vest, coat, jacket or coveralls, solid or camo orange, during the firearm deer seasons, for everyone but waterfowl hunters.
Ohio allows deer baiting on private ground outside the Disease Surveillance Area; public land, turkey hunting and migratory bird hunting stay bait-free. Game check deadlines, by app, website, phone line or license agent: noon the next day for deer, and for turkeys 11:30 p.m. the same day. There is no Sunday restriction in the Ohio rules; hunters may go out on Sundays in any open season. Buying a license for the first time means a hunter education card, unless you go the apprentice route with a licensed adult 21 or older. Score sheets go to the Buckeye Big Buck Club, the private keeper of Ohio deer records.
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.
Common Greene County questions
How many deer were checked in Greene County in 2025-26?
1,076 on the final weekly report.
How long does a Greene County field stay baited after cleanup?
10 days after complete removal.
Is a square-inch orange minimum enforced in Greene County?
No; the rule names the garment.
Which river otter zone covers Greene County?
Zone B.
How were the Greene County sunrise times on this page worked out?
With the NOAA solar formula for the county centre.
What deer bag limit did ODNR give Greene County for 2026-27?
3 deer per hunter; the map group reads three-deer.
Which Greene County townships fall inside the DSA?
None.
Which of the new A, B and C waterfowl zones covers Greene County?
Zone C.
Has ODNR posted spring 2027 turkey dates for Greene County?
Not at our check; the 2026 dates are shown and labelled.
Which public tract touching Greene County is largest?
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
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.
Keeping Greene County current
Greene County rules last checked November 6, 2026; watch for ODNR updates on spring turkey 2027 and for new weekly deer reports.
Other photos on this page: Rob Ireton (CC BY 2.0); Logan Rickert (CC BY 2.0); Rob Ireton (CC BY 2.0); Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Public Domain Mark 1.0).