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2026-27 county guide
Ottawa County Hunt Planner
What changes in Ottawa County and what does not: the county deer limit of 3, the Northwest Ohio district office, waterfowl Zone A, public ground by owner, towns, shops and legal shooting light.
Photo: Benny Mazur (CC BY 2.0)
Deer limit and harvest record for Ottawa County
ODNR lists Ottawa County as a 3-deer county for 2026-27, so no hunter may tag more than 3 deer inside its lines this season. Hunters who straddle the boundary should note Lucas (4) for the neighbours. Across all counties a hunter may take six deer in total, and only one of them antlered, meaning an antler 3 inches or longer.
An either-sex deer permit costs $31.20 for residents and $218.40 for nonresidents; the $15.00 deer management permit (antlerless only) is now good for the whole season. Lottery controlled hunts add deer beyond the county figure.
Ottawa County deer health and DSA lines
CWD rules for the DSA do not reach Ottawa County, which has no wild detections on the ODNR list through June 2026. The DSA edge nearest Ottawa County is in Crawford, around 48 miles between county centres. Carcass rules still apply statewide to deer brought back from the DSA or from other states.
Deer checked in Ottawa County from 2022-23 to 2025-26
Hunters checked 851 deer in Ottawa County in 2025-26, up 4% from 821 the season before. The total ranks 83rd statewide for 2025-26. The split was 56% archery, with antlered deer 40% of the total. This season, 196 deer had been checked in Ottawa County by November 3, 2026 (89 antlered). By season type, crossbow hunters took the most in 2025 (373).
| Season | Deer | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery total | Gun total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 635 | 252 | 383 | 372 | — |
| 2023-24 | 731 | 329 | 402 | 439 | — |
| 2024-25 | 821 | 323 | 498 | 441 | 380 |
| 2025-26 | 851 | 344 | 507 | 474 | 377 |
Season-by-season deer, Ottawa County 2025
| Type | Bucks | Does | Buttons | Total | 3-year mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 90 | 147 | 26 | 263 | 207 |
| Crossbow | 185 | 154 | 34 | 373 | 328 |
| Longbow | 41 | 43 | 7 | 91 | 83 |
| Bonus Gun | 14 | 32 | 7 | 53 | 55 |
| Muzzleloader | 12 | 21 | 3 | 36 | 26 |
| Youth | 12 | 9 | 8 | 29 | 26 |
| Total | 354 | 410 | 87 | 851 | 729 |
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 Ottawa County Hunting Guide
Ohio seasons that reach Ottawa County
ODNR splits duck and goose hunting into Zones A, B and C for 2026-27, which is why the bird rows for Ottawa County show zone dates and not statewide ones.
| Species | Hunt | Area | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 A | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone A | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone A | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone A | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 1, 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.
Ottawa County waterfowl, turkey and small game
Duck and goose zone dates for Ottawa County
Zone A covers the whole county, so there is no zone line to watch for waterfowl. The longer Zone A duck split starts November 14 and ends December 27, 2026. Geese stay open in Zone A until February 1, 2027. Early teal plus early Canada goose, September 5 to September 13, 2026, and youth and veterans waterfowl, October 3 to October 4, 2026, apply in Ottawa County as everywhere. Two dove windows (September 1 to November 8, 2026; December 12, 2026 to January 1, 2027) and one woodcock season (October 16 to November 29, 2026) cover the county. Duck and goose hunters 16 and older carry the $25.00 federal duck stamp and the $15.00 Ohio wetlands stamp, plus HIP certification each year.
| Zone | Duck dates | Goose dates |
|---|---|---|
| Zone A | Oct 17-Nov 1 Nov 14-Dec 27 | Oct 17-Nov 1 Nov 14-Feb 1 |
Gobblers in Ottawa County
Spring turkey here follows the South zone. Its 2026 dates were April 25 to May 24, 2026; treat them as last year's until ODNR posts 2027. In 2026, young hunters in the South zone went first, on April 18 to April 19, 2026. ODNR's 2026 spring results list 0 birds for Ottawa County (rank 88 of 88), compared with 1 in 2023. Gobblers are a spring-only hunt here; fall turkey stays closed in Ottawa County.
| Season | Total | Adults | Jakes | Bearded females |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Upland and fur seasons, Ottawa County
The county is not on the quail list. Squirrel season runs September 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027; rabbit, pheasant and chukar open together on November 6. Furbearer hunting and trapping run November 10, 2026 to January 31, 2027, and beaver and river otter trapping December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027; Ottawa County is in otter Zone B. ODNR sets the otter limit at 3 total, max. 1 from Zone B. Because Ottawa County borders the Lake Erie marshes, mink and muskrat sets stay legal until March 15, 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.
Hunting land open to the public in Ottawa County
ODNR and federal GIS layers map about 7,981 acres of public hunting ground in Ottawa County, roughly 4.9% of its land area and 26th among the 88 counties. The largest place on our list that reaches the county is Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, national wildlife refuge, 7,593 acres in all. Park land open to some hunting covers near 1,415 acres: East Harbor State Park, Middle Bass Island State Park and North Bass Island State Park.
| Public ground | GIS acres |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 2,695 |
| National wildlife refuges | 5,297 |
| State parks (hunting) | 1,415 |
140 acres of state nature preserve land and 26 acres of national park land sit outside the total because they are closed to hunters. The county has no L/HAP properties on the ODNR count. Apply for 21 controlled hunts on Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, East Harbor State Park and Magee Marsh Wildlife Area; each application is $3.
Ottawa County public tracts
- Ottawa County Wildlife Area 2
- Kuehnle Wildlife Area
- Portage River Fishing Access
- Honey Point Wildlife Area
Hunting tracts over the Ottawa County line
- Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area9 miles · Sandusky County
- Willow Point Wildlife Area10 miles · Erie County
- Sandusky County Wildlife Area 311 miles · Sandusky County
- Millers Blue Hole Wildlife Area11 miles · Sandusky County
- Moxley Wildlife Area13 miles · Erie County
- Resthaven Wildlife Area13 miles · Erie 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 Ottawa County
County count as of November 5, 2026: 0 ahead, 1 already held (DU dinner).
| Day | Event | Grounds | Who won | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 2026 | Ottawa County Banquet · DU dinner, Oak Harbor | Oak Harbor, Ottawa County | Source |
Ottawa County district office, towns and processors
For ODNR, Ottawa County is a Northwest Ohio county; the Wildlife District 2 office sits in Findlay with Scott Butterworth as manager. For a violation or a question in the field, the Ottawa County wildlife officer is Reid Van Cleve at (419) 429-8389. Vickery hosts the nearest wildlife area headquarters, Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area headquarters, around 8 miles away.
Ottawa County covers 255 square miles of land; Port Clinton is its seat and the 2024 population estimate is 39,692.
Ottawa County towns with pages
Town pages for Ottawa County: 3, listed by size after the seat.
- Port Clinton5,915 people
- Rocky Ridge306 people
- CurticeCDP
Our directory lists 2 taxidermists, 5 sporting goods stores and 1 guide or preserve in Ottawa County. No deer processor turned up inside the county, so the nearest ones across the line are shown.
Nearest deer processor listings outside Ottawa County
Ottawa County mount makers
Shops for ammo and bows around Ottawa County
Ottawa County hunting 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.
Ottawa County shooters: ranges and match dates
Ottawa County range count: 5; each card carries its access rule and source.
Erie County has the ODNR-listed range closest to Ottawa County: Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range, 13 miles off. Hours
Local match calendar
| Date, shoot | Format | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1-Dec 31, 2026 | CMP event | Squad up |
| Jan 1-Dec 31, 2026 | CMP event | Squad up |
| Jan 1-Dec 31, 2026 | CMP event | Squad up |
| Jan 1-Dec 31, 2026 | CMP event | Match page |
| Jan 1-Dec 31, 2026 | CMP event | Match page |
| Sep 1, 2026-Apr 30, 2027 | 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.
Ottawa County hours on key season dates
Around Ottawa County, deer light opens 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; rabbit and pheasant hunters keep strict sunrise to sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Ducks and squirrels | Sunrise birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:22 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:09 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:19 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:38 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:55 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:55 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:58 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:12 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.
Ottawa County hunter checklist
The base license is $19.00 for an Ohioan and $180.96 for a visitor; youth and resident seniors pay $10.00. Any hunter afield in a gun or muzzleloader deer season needs a hunter orange vest, jacket, coat or coveralls; waterfowl hunters are exempt.
The baiting rule: legal for deer on private land outside the DSA, illegal on public areas and for turkeys and migratory birds. Every deer is game checked by noon the day after it is taken, and each turkey by 11:30 p.m. on its day. Sunday is a normal hunting day in Ohio. Hunter education is required for a first license; the apprentice license lets a beginner skip it while accompanied by a licensed hunter 21 or older. For a record-book whitetail, contact the Buckeye Big Buck Club; ODNR keeps harvest counts, not 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.
Ottawa County questions hunters ask
Can turkey hunters in Ottawa County use bait?
No, turkey baiting is illegal statewide.
How does Ottawa County stack up against other counties for deer?
83rd of 88 in 2025-26.
Do Ottawa County trappers get the Lake Erie marsh extension?
Yes.
Must archers in Ottawa County wear orange during gun seasons?
Yes, in the youth gun, gun and muzzleloader seasons.
Do controlled-hunt deer eat into the Ottawa County county limit?
No. Deer from a controlled hunt are kept apart from the county cap of 3.
When does legal deer light begin and end in Ottawa County?
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 after sunset.
On what date do geese close in Ottawa County?
Goose hunting in Zone A closes February 1, 2027.
Do the CWD surveillance rules cover any of Ottawa County?
No, the county lies outside the DSA lines.
Does the Wayne National Forest reach into Ottawa County?
No.
Which spring turkey zone holds Ottawa County?
The South zone.
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.
Last check for Ottawa County
Check the official digest before you go: ODNR can change a rule, and the officer for Ottawa County has the final word in the field.
Other photos on this page: Art Anderson (CC BY-SA 3.0); Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).