Highland County Hunting Guide

Waterfowl, gobblers and trapping around Highland County

Highland County zone for ducks

Duck and goose hunters in Highland County follow a single zone, Zone C, under the new three-zone layout. After the first split, Zone C duck hunting resumes December 12, 2026 to January 31, 2027. Zone C closes to geese on February 15, 2027. Zone lines do not matter for early teal and Canada geese (September 5 to September 13, 2026) or the special waterfowl days for youth, veterans and active military (October 3 to October 4, 2026). For doves, mark September 1 to November 8, 2026 and the late split from December 12; woodcock open October 16, 2026. Every waterfowl hunter registers with HIP; those 16 and up also buy the $15.00 wetlands stamp and the $25.00 federal stamp.

Wild turkey in Highland County

Highland County is in the spring turkey South zone; in 2026 that season ran April 25 to May 24, 2026, and ODNR had not set the 2027 dates when this page was checked. The 2026 youth spring hunt in the South zone was April 18 to April 19, 2026. 407 spring turkeys came from Highland County in 2026, the 6th highest county total; in 2023 it was 342. Fall turkey hunters may take one bird in Highland County between October 1 and October 25, 2026, using a shotgun with shotshells. In fall 2025, 21 turkeys were checked.

Highland County rabbits, quail and furbearers

Quail hunting is legal here: Highland County is on the 16-county list, with a season of November 6 to November 29, 2026. Squirrels open September 1, 2026, while rabbits, pheasants and chukar start November 6, 2026. The general furbearer season is November 10, 2026 to January 31, 2027; in Zone B for otters, beaver and otter sets are legal December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027. Otter limit in the rule: 3 total, max. 1 from Zone B. Muskrat and mink trapping ends 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.

Offices, towns and shops listed for Highland County

Highland County belongs to ODNR Wildlife District 5, Southwest Ohio, run from the office at 1076 Old Springfield Pike in Xenia under district manager Todd Haines. The county wildlife officer listed by ODNR is Matt Roberts, (937) 205-3020. Closest wildlife area HQ: Fallsville Wildlife Area headquarters, New Vienna, near 8 miles off.

The county (553 square miles of land, 43,785 people in 2024) is run from Hillsboro.

Town guides inside Highland County

The Highland County town list starts with Hillsboro.

• Hillsboro6,599 people
• Greenfield4,350 people

The service list for Highland County holds 1 deer processor, 2 taxidermists and 8 sporting goods stores.

Highland County meat processors

Highland County taxidermy

Gear shops serving Highland County

Across the line from Highland County: guide or preserves

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.

Before you hunt Highland County: licenses and rules

Residents pay $19.00 for the annual hunting license and nonresidents $180.96, with $10.00 youth and senior versions. During the deer gun and muzzleloader seasons, including youth gun and bonus gun, wear an orange vest, coat, jacket or coveralls unless you are hunting waterfowl.

Private-land deer hunters may use bait in this county; wildlife areas and other public hunting land may not be baited. Before skinning a deer or taking off its head, check it in; the deadline is noon the following day, and a turkey must be in by 11:30 p.m. Sundays are open: the digest and the code show no statewide Sunday rule. Hunter education comes before the first regular license; apprentices hunt with a licensed mentor aged 21 or over. ODNR runs no records program of its own; the Buckeye Big Buck Club, a private club, keeps Ohio's 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.

County guides near Highland County

Nearest county guides first, then a few statewide pages that cover rules for every county.

On the Highland County line: Adams County, Brown County, Clinton County, Fayette County, Pike County, Ross County.

Highland County sources and updates

Dates and limits for Highland County come from the 2026-27 ODNR regulations and season list; harvest counts come from ODNR reports and will change as 2026-27 goes on.