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Northeast Ohio wildlife district
Wayne County for Hunters
Plan a Wayne 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: Tom Bower (CC BY 2.0)
Wayne County deer: bag limit and harvest
The bag limit map puts Wayne County at 3 deer per hunter, counted only for deer taken within the county. Limits shift at the line with Summit (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 Wayne County
ODNR has not placed Wayne County in the Disease Surveillance Area, and its June 2026 breakdown of wild detections names other counties only. Closest DSA county: Morrow, near 52 miles off. Hunters returning from the DSA or another state must follow the ODNR carcass part limits.
Wayne County harvest history
ODNR's final 2025-26 tally for Wayne County is 3,562 deer, an increase of 6% on the season before. By total deer it was the 19th county in the state that season. About 50% came during archery season and 38% were antlered. 903 deer were on the 2026-27 books for Wayne County as of November 3, 2026. In the 2025 season summary the gun season led the county with 1,258 deer.
| Year | All deer | Bucks | Does and fawns | Bow | Gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 2,711 | 1,068 | 1,643 | 1,373 | — |
| 2023-24 | 2,986 | 1,188 | 1,798 | 1,553 | — |
| 2024-25 | 3,359 | 1,238 | 2,121 | 1,570 | 1,789 |
| 2025-26 | 3,562 | 1,353 | 2,209 | 1,765 | 1,797 |
Wayne County 2025 harvest by method
| Season | Antlered | Does | Button bucks | Deer | Prior avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gun | 374 | 730 | 154 | 1,258 | 982 |
| Crossbow | 627 | 529 | 101 | 1,257 | 1,086 |
| Longbow | 204 | 252 | 29 | 485 | 395 |
| Bonus Gun | 47 | 145 | 32 | 224 | 228 |
| Muzzleloader | 42 | 77 | 15 | 134 | 131 |
| Youth | 75 | 63 | 10 | 148 | 138 |
| Total | 1,395 | 1,819 | 349 | 3,563 | 3,019 |
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 Wayne County Hunting Guide
What is open when around Wayne County
For Wayne County the table lists 55 seasons for 2026-27: deer, turkey, small game, upland birds, waterfowl, doves, woodcock and furbearers.
| 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 | |
| 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 B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Zone C | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone C | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| 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 A | 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.
Wayne County seasons beyond deer
Waterfowl seasons and stamps for Wayne County
Wayne County is split between Zone B and Zone C, and the dividing line runs along state and U.S. routes rather than the county line. Second-split ducks in Zone B: November 21, 2026 to January 10, 2027. Last goose day in Zone B: 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 B | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Jan 10 | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Feb 15 |
| Zone C | Oct 17-25 Dec 12-Jan 31 | Oct 17-25 Nov 21-Feb 15 |
Turkey zone and gobbler counts for Wayne County
For gobblers, Wayne 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 102 in 2023 to 108 in 2026: that is the Wayne County spring turkey trend, which ranks 54th statewide for 2026. A fall season reaches Wayne County: October 1 to October 25, 2026, any sex, with archery tackle no longer allowed. ODNR counted 7 fall turkeys for Wayne County in 2025.
| Spring | Checked | Adult gobblers | Juveniles | Hens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 102 | 80 | 22 | 0 |
| 2024 | 95 | 68 | 27 | 0 |
| 2025 | 114 | 91 | 23 | 0 |
| 2026 | 108 | 83 | 24 | 1 |
| Autumn | Checked |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 7 |
Wayne County small game and fur
Quail hunting is closed here; the open counties are in the south and southwest. Small game begins with squirrels on September 1; cottontails, pheasants and chukar follow on November 6. Wayne County trappers fall in otter Zone A, 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.
Wayne County public acres and places
Roughly 1.8% of Wayne County (6,214 GIS acres) is public land where hunting is allowed, 32nd among Ohio counties. The biggest public unit here is Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, 5,703 acres including land beyond the county line. The total leaves out 309 acres of state nature preserve land; hunting is not allowed there.
| Category | Acres |
|---|---|
| State wildlife areas | 6,214 |
L/HAP has no enrolled land in Wayne County at present. Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area, Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area and Shreve Lake Wildlife Area offer controlled hunts, 9 in all, drawn by lottery.
Wayne County wildlife areas and forests
Wayne County: nearby public ground
- Cool Springs Wildlife Conservation Park14 miles · Ashland County
- Mohler Wildlife Area20 miles · Holmes County
- Nimisila Reservoir20 miles · Summit County
- Portage Lakes State Park21 miles · Summit County
- Beach City Lake Hunt Area21 miles · Tuscarawas County
- Beach City Wildlife Area22 miles · Tuscarawas 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.
Wayne County hunting calendar and results
Inside the county line: 1 date ahead (NWTF banquet) and 2 past rows. Checked November 5, 2026.
| Day | Name | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 2027 | Wayne County Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Kidron | Kidron, Wayne County | Tickets | Source |
Already run
| Date run | Event | Where held | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 24, 2026 | ODNR Trapper Education Class (Shreve) · OSTA trapping workshop, Shreve | Shreve, Wayne County | Source | |
| Mar 21, 2026 | Wayne County Banquet · DU dinner, Wooster | Wooster, Wayne County | Source |
Wayne County wildlife officer and services
The Division of Wildlife handles Wayne County from its Northeast Ohio district office in Akron, where Pete Novotny is district manager. Aaron Brown is the state wildlife officer assigned to Wayne County ((330) 323-2554). For area maps and local conditions, Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area headquarters in Shreve is the nearest headquarters (11 miles).
Census figures put 116,632 people in Wayne County in 2024, on 555 square miles, with Wooster as the seat.
Wayne County town guides
1 town guide on this site sits in Wayne County, each with public land within 10 and 25 miles.
- Wooster26,982 people
Within the county lines: 2 deer processors, 4 taxidermists, 13 sporting goods stores and 2 guide or preserves.
Processing for Wayne County deer
Taxidermy shops around Wayne County
Wayne County gun and archery shops
Preserves near Wayne 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.
Benches, bays and trap houses for Wayne County
Up to six Wayne County ranges appear as cards, any others in the table beneath.
Nearest range on the ODNR list: Spencer Lake Wildlife Area Shooting Range in Medina County, about 22 miles from the Wayne County centre. Details
Shoots in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | Pistol or air gun | Entry |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Trap shoot | Enter |
| Nov 14, 2026 | IDPA | Match page |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Turkey shoot | Sign up |
| Dec 12, 2026 | IDPA | Host page |
| Dec 19, 2026 | Trap shoot | Enter |
Ranges from ODNR’s public range list, ranges’ own sites, the ATA club list and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Wayne 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 Wayne County rather than a Columbus table.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Deer hours | Duck hours | Upland hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:18 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:23 a.m. | 7:12 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:12 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:03 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:21 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:31 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:48 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:52 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:52 a.m. to 5:10 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 Wayne 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.
Wayne County hunting questions
May I bait on public hunting land in Wayne County?
No, not on any public hunting area.
What orange clothing does gun week require in Wayne County?
A vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid or camouflage hunter orange.
When are beaver sets legal in Wayne County?
Beaver trapping runs December 26, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
Is Sunday a legal hunting day in Wayne County?
Yes; Ohio has no statewide Sunday ban.
Could a hunter take two bucks out of Wayne County?
No. Ohio allows one antlered deer statewide, and the Wayne County cap of 3 counts every deer.
Do Wayne 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 Wayne County?
Yes, it splits the county between Zone B and Zone C.
Does Wayne County open for fall turkeys in 2026-27?
Yes, October 1 to October 25, 2026, shotgun only.
Does Wayne County contain any state wildlife areas?
Yes, the ODNR layer names Funk Bottoms Wildlife Area, Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area and Shreve Lake Wildlife Area inside the county.
How far is the closest ODNR office from Wayne County?
Roughly 22 miles straight line, at Akron.
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 Wayne County data
This Wayne 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: Tom Bower (CC BY 2.0); Tom Bower (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).