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State park · Ohio public hunting land
Hunting Deer Creek State Park: what the ODNR record shows
2,337 acres of public state park ground in Pickaway County and Fayette County.
Photo: Andrew Cannizzaro (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Deer Creek State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Deer Creek State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
What kind of place Deer Creek State Park is
Expect 2,337 acres of state park here, in Pickaway County and Fayette County, with the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft in charge. In ODNR terms this is District 1 country, with district staff based in Columbus. Habitat named by ODNR includes fall color. Non-hunters share the ground for camping, golf, boating, disc golf, hiking and powerboating and use the snowmobile, hiking trails and horseback trails. ODNR history: first acres bought in 1974. In the parcel data the land is leased and owned outright by the state. In the Ohio Administrative Code it is "Deer creek" (1501:31-15-04(A)(2)).
In the words of its ODNR page:
“In the early 20th century, a cabin overlooking the valley was owned by Harry M. Daugherty, the attorney general under President Warren G. Harding.”
Not every ODNR source agrees: the spread is 2,337 to 3,886 acres.
| Where the figure comes from | Acres |
|---|---|
| Property Details layer | 2,337 |
| Water (Property Details) | 1,277 |
| Hunting-status layer | 3,886 |
| GIS parcel area | 3,833 |
One caution from the data review is attached below. Acreage disagreement: `acres` 2337 (ODNR Property Details layer (DNRProperty_Details_Amenities) Land_acres) vs GIS 3833 acres of the ODNR parcels (layer SUM_CALC_ACRES 3886). Lake parks: ODNR land figures exclude the water the parcels cover.
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Official word on Deer Creek State Park game
Two lines from the agency page on hunting Deer Creek State Park, quoted as written:
“Find Deer Creek State Park in Ohio Trails+ powered by the OuterSpatial app.”
“One of Ohio's largest state park resorts, Deer Creek Lodge & Conference Center offers well-appointed guest rooms, many with a panoramic view of the lake as well as two-bedroom, fully-furnished family cabins.”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Deer Creek State Park lottery hunts for 2026
For 2026 the controlled hunts here number 7: 2 deer archery, 1 trapping, 1 raccoon, 1 waterfowl, 1 waterfowl blind and 1 dove. You pay $3 per hunt applied for, online, in the app or by phone. A controlled-hunt deer is extra: it does not count toward the county or statewide limit. Furbearer and beaver-otter permits are drawn at district offices on the first Saturday in October. Blind winners chose sites on August 15, 2026; most lakes charge a $50 blind fee.
| Number | Name | Kind | When to apply | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2530 | Deer Creek SP archery deer | Deer archery | July 1-31 | – |
| 2717 | Deer Creek SP youth archery deer | Deer archery | July 1-31 | – |
| 2766 | Deer Creek SP dove | Dove | July 1-31 | – |
| 4000 | Deer Creek State Park raccoon trapping | Raccoon | In person, Oct. 3 | – |
| 2930 | Deer Creek State Park beaver/otter trapping | Trapping | In person, Oct. 3 | packet |
| 2552 | Deer Creek SP sept goose and teal | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
| 2967 | Deer Creek SP waterfowl blind drawing | Waterfowl blind | July 1-31 | – |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Before the first shot on Deer Creek State Park
Restricted status means only some of Deer Creek State Park is open; take the map along.
- Baiting deer is banned on all public hunting areas.
- Public land limit: no more than two antlerless deer a year.
- Stay inside the mapped hunting zones of the park.
- Stay 400 feet away from shelters and parking lots.
- Do not fire from or over a road, driveway or trail.
- Permanent duck blinds require a park permit.
- A few hunts are permit-only.
- Blind sites are assigned by drawing.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules, OAC 1501:46-15-07; checked November 6, 2026.
Deer Creek State Park dove, pheasant and range facts
Range facilities: Deer Creek State Park
Range list entry: class B C D. Class D ranges need no range permit.
| Range | Class | Type or contact | Supervised trap/skeet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Creek Wildlife Area | B C D | Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, & Archery | No |
From the range list; checked November 6, 2026.
Deer Creek State Park season dates, game by game
For deer, rabbit, pheasant, woodcock, waterfowl, raccoon and fox, here are the 2026-27 windows that apply on Deer Creek State Park. Zone C sets the duck and goose splits.
| Game | Kind | Begins | Ends | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Sep 26, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | County limit |
| Deer | Youth gun | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | County limit |
| Deer | Gun | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | County limit |
| Deer | Bonus gun | Dec 19, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | County limit |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 5, 2027 | County limit |
| Cottontail | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 4 daily |
| Pheasant | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 2 roosters daily |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 2 roosters daily |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 2 roosters daily |
| Red fox | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Red fox | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Gray fox | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Gray fox | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Mink | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| Beaver | Trapping | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| River otter | Trapping | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 1 of the 3 |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 15 daily |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 15 daily |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Oct 16, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 3 daily |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Teal | Early teal | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 ducks daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | 5 daily |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | Regular limits |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | Regular limits |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (ODNR property page hunting text); checked November 6, 2026.
What else lies near Deer Creek State Park on the map
First on the neighbour list is Deer Creek Wildlife Area, 3 miles away and northwest of here. Six neighbours by kind: 6 wildlife areas.
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 4,220 | Fayette | 3 miles | northwest |
| Pickaway County WA 4 | Wildlife area | 79 | Pickaway | 4 miles | northeast |
| Pickaway County WA 10 | Wildlife area | 45 | Pickaway | 4 miles | northeast |
| Pickaway County WA 5 | Wildlife area | 40 | Pickaway | 6 miles | north |
| Fayette County WA 8 | Wildlife area | 55 | Fayette | 6 miles | southwest |
| Fayette County WA 3 | Wildlife area | 53 | Fayette | 6 miles | northwest |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 4 parcels (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Closed places from the lands.json closed list. Checked November 6, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Zone and limit check for Deer Creek State Park
County limit where it lies: 3 deer (Pickaway County). Pickaway County hunters checked 1,153 deer in 2025-26 (504 antlered). Early 2026-27 tally (to November 3, 2026): 216 deer.
| County | Deer bag | DSA | Duck zone | Turkey | Fall | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickaway County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Closed | 1,153 |
| Fayette County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Closed | 591 |
From the deer bag limit map, DSA, waterfowl zones, turkey zones, 2025-26 deer harvest report, harvest to date (ODNR Division of Wildlife); checked November 6, 2026.
Where to fuel up and grab ice near Deer Creek State Park
Fuel, ice and groceries: Pancoastburg is nearest, 1 mile away. Of the five, Grove City is the biggest with 44,019 residents (2024 estimate). The closest ODNR desk: Mount Sterling, 3 miles in a straight line.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pancoastburg | Fayette | – | 1 mile | west |
| Washington Court House | Fayette | 14,446 | 12 miles | southwest |
| Circleville | Pickaway | 14,433 | 16 miles | east |
| Andersonville | Ross | – | 18 miles | southeast |
| Grove City | Franklin | 44,019 | 19 miles | northeast |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Daylight math for Deer Creek State Park, worked from its own point
The sun comes up roughly a quarter hour later in Defiance than in Marietta, so use the times worked out for Deer Creek State Park rather than a Columbus table.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Waterfowl, squirrel | Rabbit, pheasant, dove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:23 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:06 a.m. | 5:27 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. | 6:36 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:27 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:33 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:33 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:44 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:44 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:50 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:50 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:54 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 7:54 a.m. to 5:19 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.
Maps and contacts for Deer Creek State Park
The Wildlife District One office is at 1500 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 (614-644-3925). Report problems to Josh Elster, the county wildlife officer, at (614) 203-3406. Report poaching at 1-800-762-2437. Map text: distribution or publication, this source must be referenced. Map text: structure or to shoot on, from, or across any road, or driveway within any area administered by the division.
- Hunting map PDF · legend: boat ramp, parking, restroom, latrine, camping, no hunting, no hunting zone, trail
- Download the Disc Golf Course Map
- Download the Lake Fishing Map
- Point on Google Maps
Address and phone from the agency page and the ODNR Property Details layer; district offices from the ODNR Districts layer; officers from the officer list; point from ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 4 parcels (polygon centroid); checked November 6, 2026.
Pictures from Deer Creek State Park country and its game
Deer Creek State Park: the nearest public range, then clubs
Deer Creek Wildlife Area Shooting Range is 3 miles from Deer Creek State Park and is the nearest public range on ODNR’s list. Private and club lines no more than 30 miles away complete the set.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Deer Creek State Park questions, from permits to parking
Orange clothing rules at Deer Creek State Park?
Wear an orange vest, coat or coveralls in all deer gun weeks; duck hunters are exempt.
What time can I start deer hunting at Deer Creek State Park?
Legal deer light on November 30, 2026: 7:03 a.m. to 5:41 p.m.
What office handles Deer Creek State Park for ODNR?
Try (740) 869-3124.
How far is Deer Creek State Park from the closest town?
Pancoastburg is the nearest, 1 mile off.
Are parts of Deer Creek State Park closed to hunters?
It is restricted; check the map.
When must I check game taken on Deer Creek State Park?
By noon the following day, through HuntFish OH, wildohio.gov or by phone.
Can I hunt Deer Creek State Park on a Sunday in Ohio?
Ohio law has no Sunday closure.
Do I need more than an Ohio hunting license for Deer Creek State Park?
Carry a valid Ohio hunting license; add a deer, turkey or fur taker permit, and for ducks the federal duck stamp, the $15 Ohio wetlands stamp and HIP. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
How big is the Deer Creek State Park property in acres?
It takes in 2,337 acres of ground. GIS and map figures vary.
Deer bag limit for Deer Creek State Park?
Up to 3, by the county rule. One antlered deer statewide; public areas cap antlerless deer at two a year.
Does ODNR draw permits for Deer Creek State Park?
Yes, 7 hunts in 2026: deer archery, trapping, raccoon, waterfowl, waterfowl blind and dove. The fee is $3 a hunt.
Which Ohio waterfowl zone covers Deer Creek State Park?
Waterfowl Zone C: ducks Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Overnight stays at Deer Creek State Park?
Campsites exist on the property; hunt away from them.
Other photos on this page: Fyn Kynd (CC BY 2.0); Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); Captainpisslord (CC0 1.0).