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Ohio county hunting guide
Knox County Hunt Planner
Knox County for 2026-27: a 3-deer county bag limit, waterfowl Zone C, the South zone for spring turkey, 2,584 GIS acres of public ground and the ODNR District 1 staff who cover Mount Vernon.
Photo: Austin Godber (CC BY 2.0)
Knox County deer limit, CWD status and harvest counts
A hunter working Knox County this season can check in as many as 3 deer from the county before its limit is reached. The adjoining Ohio counties use the same 3-deer setting. The statewide cap is six deer and one antlered buck, whichever counties the deer come from.
Every deer needs a permit: either-sex at $31.20 for Ohioans and $218.40 for visitors, or the $15.00 antlerless management permit that no longer stops early. Controlled-hunt deer are tallied separately from the county number.
Knox County CWD rules and testing
The county lies beyond the DSA lines; ODNR reports no CWD-positive wild deer from Knox County through June 2026. Morrow is the closest county touched by the DSA, roughly 21 miles from the middle of Knox County. The carcass import and export rules apply to any deer coming from the DSA or across a state line.
Four seasons of Knox County deer numbers
From 6,730 to 6,704: that is how the Knox County deer count moved between the last two final reports. Among Ohio's 88 counties it ranked 4th for deer checked in 2025-26. Archery accounted for 45% of those deer; 38% carried antlers. Through November 3, 2026, 2026-27 hunters had checked 1,440 deer here, mostly in archery season. The season-by-season table below is led by gun with 2,556 deer in 2025.
| Season | Total | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery | Gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 5,477 | 2,002 | 3,475 | 2,493 | — |
| 2023-24 | 5,625 | 2,161 | 3,464 | 2,684 | — |
| 2024-25 | 6,730 | 2,366 | 4,364 | 2,997 | 3,733 |
| 2025-26 | 6,704 | 2,539 | 4,165 | 2,993 | 3,711 |
Which 2025 seasons filled tags in Knox County
| Method | Bucks | Does | Buttons | All | Avg 2022-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 799 | 1,483 | 274 | 2,556 | 2,104 |
| Crossbow | 1,049 | 912 | 137 | 2,098 | 1,879 |
| Longbow | 389 | 419 | 55 | 863 | 821 |
| Bonus Gun | 104 | 314 | 52 | 470 | 424 |
| Muzzleloader | 87 | 239 | 31 | 357 | 364 |
| Youth | 174 | 112 | 30 | 316 | 293 |
| Total | 2,622 | 3,500 | 584 | 6,706 | 5,944 |
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 Knox County Hunting Guide
Ohio seasons that reach Knox County
ODNR splits duck and goose hunting into Zones A, B and C for 2026-27, which is why the bird rows for Knox County 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 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.
Waterfowl, gobblers and trapping around Knox County
Knox County zone for ducks
Duck and goose hunters in Knox 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.
| Zone | Ducks | Geese |
|---|---|---|
| Zone C | Oct 17-25 Dec 12-Jan 31 | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Feb 15 |
Wild turkey in Knox County
Knox 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. 284 spring turkeys came from Knox County in 2026, the 23rd highest county total; in 2023 it was 245. Fall turkey hunters may take one bird in Knox County between October 1 and October 25, 2026, using a shotgun with shotshells. In fall 2025, 8 turkeys were checked.
| Year | Birds | Gobblers | Jakes | Bearded hens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 245 | 210 | 32 | 3 |
| 2024 | 202 | 157 | 43 | 2 |
| 2025 | 256 | 199 | 54 | 3 |
| 2026 | 284 | 241 | 37 | 6 |
| Fall season | Birds |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 8 |
Knox County rabbits, quail and furbearers
Bobwhite quail may not be hunted in Knox County. 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.
Knox County wildlife areas, forests and access
The mapped public share of Knox County comes to roughly 2,584 acres, 0.8% of its area and the 48th biggest in the state. Start with Mohawk Lake Hunt Area, the largest public hunting area listed for the county (3,667 acres). Not counted: 183 acres of state nature preserve land, closed to hunting.
| Land type | GIS acres |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 2,223 |
| Corps of Engineers land | 193 |
| Public hunting areas | 339 |
Private land access: 1 L/HAP property in the county, booked through the online check-in. The 2026 controlled hunt list includes 3 hunts on Mohawk Lake Hunt Area, Kokosing Lake Wildlife Area and Knox Lake Wildlife Area.
Wildlife areas and parks touching Knox County
Just outside Knox County
- Richland County Wildlife Area 112 miles · Richland County
- Mohican-Memorial State Forest14 miles · Ashland County
- Malabar Farm State Park17 miles · Richland County
- Pleasant Hill Lake Hunt Area17 miles · Richland County
- Mohler Wildlife Area21 miles · Holmes County
- Mt Gilead State Park23 miles · Morrow 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 gatherings in Knox County
Held within the county: 3 past rows (DU dinner and UKC nite hunt). Still to come: 1.
| Starts | Event | Site | Go | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 27, 2027 | Knox County DU Annual Banquet · DU dinner, Howard | Howard, Knox County | Tickets | Source |
Held here recently
| Day | Event | Grounds | Who won | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2026 | Knox Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, Gambier | Gambier, Knox County | 'PR'Catman Dax TW | Source |
| Jul 17, 2026 | Knox Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, Gambier | Gambier, Knox County | CH NITECH'PR'Bear Creek Peggy Sue BLU | Source |
| Mar 28, 2026 | Knox County DU Annual Banquet · DU dinner, Howard | Howard, Knox County | Source |
Offices, towns and shops listed for Knox County
Knox County belongs to ODNR Wildlife District 1, Central Ohio, run from the office at 1500 Dublin Road in Columbus under district manager Korey Brown. The county wildlife officer listed by ODNR is Austin Levering, (614) 400-0731. Closest wildlife area HQ: Woodbury Wildlife Area headquarters, Warsaw, near 22 miles off.
The county (525 square miles of land, 63,848 people in 2024) is run from Mount Vernon.
Town guides inside Knox County
The Knox County town list starts with Mount Vernon.
- Mount Vernon17,329 people
- Fredericktown2,658 people
The service list for Knox County holds 2 deer processors, 1 taxidermist and 5 sporting goods stores.
Knox County meat processors
Knox County taxidermy
Gear shops serving Knox County
Across the line from Knox 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.
Knox County shooters: ranges and match dates
Knox County range count: 1; each card carries its access rule and source.
Coshocton County has the ODNR-listed range closest to Knox County: Woodbury Wildlife Area Shooting Range, 25 miles off. Range page
Matches coming up here
| Date and event | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | Gun show | Source |
Ranges from ODNR’s public range list, ranges’ own sites, the ATA club list and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Knox County hours on key season dates
Three sets of hours apply in Ohio: deer, then waterfowl, squirrel and turkey, then the sunrise-to-sunset upland and dove rule. The table shows all three for Knox County.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Waterfowl, squirrel | Rabbit, pheasant, dove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:20 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:25 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:04 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:32 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:43 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:43 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:49 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:49 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:53 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:53 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.
Before you hunt Knox 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.
Asked about Knox County
On what day do Knox County rabbit hunters start?
November 6, 2026.
Should Knox County coyote callers wear orange in gun week?
Yes, during legal deer hours of the gun seasons.
Is Knox County a two-, three- or four-deer county?
It is a 3-deer county this season (three-deer).
Is night coyote hunting allowed in Knox County?
Yes, except that in the deer gun and muzzleloader weeks coyote hunting keeps to deer hours.
What are the 2026-27 duck splits for Knox County?
Zone C: October 17 to October 25, 2026; December 12, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
Is putting out deer feed allowed in Knox County?
The DSA feed ban does not reach here; hunting over bait is legal on private land.
Where is public hunting ground close to Knox County?
Richland County Wildlife Area 1, Mohican-Memorial State Forest and Malabar Farm State Park are among the nearest outside the county.
What were the last published spring gobbler dates for Knox County?
The South zone ran April 25 to May 24, 2026 in 2026; 2027 dates were not published yet.
Is the Knox County deer count rising or falling?
Down 0% in 2025-26.
Which ODNR Wildlife District handles Knox County?
Wildlife District 1 (Central Ohio), with its office in Columbus.
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.
Knox County sources and updates
Dates and limits for Knox 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.
Other photos on this page: Ryan Kitko (CC BY 2.0); Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Mark Spearman (CC BY 2.0); Art Anderson (CC BY-SA 3.0).