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Hunt Fox Lake Wildlife Area this 2026-27 season
Hunting ground of 421 acres, run as a state wildlife area in Athens County.
Photo: DanaK~WaterPenny (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Fox Lake Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Fox Lake Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.2 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.
Fox Lake Wildlife Area by the numbers ODNR keeps
The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages Fox Lake Wildlife Area, 421 acres of state wildlife area ground in Athens County. Its ODNR page places the ground about 4 miles west of Athens. For wildlife work it falls under District 4, run from Athens. Natural features on record: lake, woods, grassland, unique geology, meadow and marsh. ODNR also lists boating, hiking, birding and fishing here. By tenure the ground is owned outright by the state. It appears in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1) as "Fox lake", the legal list of public hunting land.
The property page says:
“This 421-acre wildlife area lies 4 miles west of Athens.”
Layers give between 399 and 450 acres, so the table shows each one.
| Measure | Acres |
|---|---|
| ODNR property page | 421 |
| Area map PDF | 450 |
| Property Details layer | 399 |
| Water (Property Details) | 51 |
| Hunting-status layer | 450 |
| GIS parcel area | 442 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Fox Lake Wildlife Area
Fox Lake Wildlife Area hunting, as the agency puts it
Quoted from the official listing for Fox Lake Wildlife Area:
“Fox Lake has been stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegills, and redear sunfish.”
“Rabbit, gray and fox squirrels, ruffed grouse, woodchuck, and deer are the principal game species.”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Ground rules for hunting Fox Lake Wildlife Area
Fox Lake Wildlife Area is open ground in the ODNR status map.
- No driving off the posted roads; park in the lots.
- No camping; only three wildlife areas allow it.
- Closed 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from September through May 1 to anything but hunting, trapping and fishing.
- Guns may be fired only in lawful hunting, trapping or range use.
- Feed and bait are not allowed.
- Bring a portable stand; permanent stands are illegal.
- The public-area antlerless limit is two per license year.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Dates and limits for hunting Fox Lake Wildlife Area
The record pairs Fox Lake Wildlife Area with deer, squirrel, rabbit, ruffed grouse, woodcock, waterfowl and fox. For ducks and geese it sits in Zone C. Ruffed grouse has no open season; only controlled lottery hunts allow it.
| Game | Window | From | To | Daily 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 |
| Squirrels | Regular | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 daily |
| Cottontail | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 4 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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.
Fox Lake Wildlife Area: next-nearest open land, by miles
Closest neighbour on the ODNR map: Waterloo Wildlife Area, 5 miles northwest. Neighbour mix: 2 wildlife areas, 2 state parks and 1 public hunting area. Do not mistake these for open ground: Riddle State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Miriam Walter Barrens State Dedicated Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 2,659 | Athens | 5 miles | northwest |
| Poston Plant Lands Hunting Area | Hunting area | 1,175 | Athens | 6 miles | north |
| Zaleski State Forest | State forest | 27,822 | Vinton | 8 miles | west |
| Strouds Run State Park | State park | 2,606 | Athens | 9 miles | northeast |
| Lake Hope State Park | State park | 2,983 | Vinton | 9 miles | west |
| Turkey Ridge Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 377 | Vinton | 11 miles | west |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 1 parcel (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Closed places from the lands.json closed list. Checked November 6, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Where Fox Lake Wildlife Area sits in Ohio's rules
The Athens County deer limit is 2 this season, only one of them antlered statewide. The 2025-26 deer total for Athens County was 917, by ODNR's final report. Through November 3, 2026: 308 deer checked.
| County | Bag | CWD area | Waterfowl | Turkey zone | Fall | Harvest 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County | 2 deer | No | C | South | Open | 917 |
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.
Fox Lake Wildlife Area: towns, shops and the nearest ODNR office
New Marshfield is the closest town on this site to Fox Lake Wildlife Area, 2 miles in a straight line. Athens, 5 miles out, is larger: 24,824 people in 2024. ODNR staff closest to Fox Lake Wildlife Area work out of Athens, 6 miles off.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Marshfield | Athens | – | 2 miles | northwest |
| Athens | Athens | 24,824 | 5 miles | east |
| Nelsonville | Athens | 4,555 | 11 miles | north |
| Trimble | Athens | 329 | 14 miles | northeast |
| Haydenville | Hocking | – | 14 miles | northwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Fox Lake Wildlife Area legal-hour chart by opener
Ohio deer hunters may shoot from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; ducks, geese, squirrels and fall turkeys stop at sunset; rabbits, pheasants, quail and doves wait for sunrise.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Deer | Waterfowl | Small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:19 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:23 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:01 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:28 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:39 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:39 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:45 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:45 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:48 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:16 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.
Reaching Fox Lake Wildlife Area and its managers
Your district office: 360 E State St, Athens, OH 45701, 740-589-9930. The officer assigned to Athens County is Ryan Donnelly, (740) 541-8266. Call 1-800-POACHER to report a violation anonymously.
- Area map PDF (published 5/13/2022) · legend: parking area, parking, trail, lake
- ODNR hunting regulations web map
- Open the point in 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, 1 parcel (polygon centroid); checked November 6, 2026.
Images for sizing up a Fox Lake Wildlife Area hunt
Public range and clubs on the road to Fox Lake Wildlife Area
Vinton County holds the ODNR-listed range nearest Fox Lake Wildlife Area: Lake Hope State Park Archery Range (9 miles). Club and private ranges within 30 miles fill the other cards.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Common Fox Lake Wildlife Area questions with sourced answers
Does Ohio law allow Sunday hunts on Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
Sunday is a normal hunting day in Ohio.
Game check rules after a kill on Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
Noon the next day is the deadline for the game check.
How many acres of hunting land is Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
421 acres, from the ODNR property page. The table above lists every source.
Which Ohio license and permits do I need for Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
A hunting license and species permits, as anywhere in Ohio; no separate area permit for general hunting.
Can I apply for a drawn hunt at Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
No controlled hunts are on file for it.
How many deer may one hunter kill around Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
2, as set for Athens County. Remember the one-antlered rule and the two-antlerless public land cap.
Can I camp at Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
No overnight camping.
When can ducks be hunted on Fox Lake Wildlife Area this year?
Ducks in Zone C open Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Hunter orange rules for Fox Lake Wildlife Area in deer season?
A hunter orange vest or coat during the gun deer seasons; no square-inch rule.
Stand and bait rules for Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
Portable stands only, with nothing driven into the tree, and no bait: deer baiting is illegal on public hunting areas.
Which phone line answers questions on Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
Phone (740) 589-9930.
What are deer hunting hours at Fox Lake Wildlife Area on the gun opener?
Deer hours run 6:58 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. on November 30, 2026, worked out for this spot.
Is hunting restricted anywhere on Fox Lake Wildlife Area?
Open: no restricted parcels.
Last checks before loading up for Fox Lake Wildlife Area
Report your deer or turkey by noon the next day, and keep your license and permits on you while hunting Fox Lake Wildlife Area.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).