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Buckeye state park with open hunting
Hueston Woods State Park: seasons, rules and access
One state park of 2,936 acres in Preble County and Butler County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain)
Getting to Hueston Woods State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Hueston Woods State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.5 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.
Hueston Woods State Park: size, setting and history
Hueston Woods State Park covers 2,936 acres in Preble County and Butler County, a state park run by the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft. Questions go to District 5 in Xenia, the district that covers it. Walk it and you will find fall color, according to the agency listing. Expect company: the page names camping, kayaking, golf, 3d archery, boating and disc golf, plus hiking trails, horseback trails and mountain bike. Parcels are owned outright by the state. You will find it as "Hueston woods" in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(2).
One line from the ODNR listing:
“Long ago, over 10,000 years, the Hueston Woods area was home to early people.”
Sources disagree on size, from 2,936 to 3,290 acres; this page uses 2,936 (ODNR Property Details layer).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| Property Details layer | 2,936 |
| Water (Property Details) | 625 |
| Hunting-status layer | 3,290 |
| GIS parcel area | 3,243 |
| GIS, open parcels only | 3,243 |
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 Hueston Woods State Park
Hueston Woods State Park: rules that apply on the ground
Part of Hueston Woods State Park is off limits or carries special limits, according to the status layer. The layer counts 3 parcels, 1 of them closed.
- No salt, grain or feed may be put out.
- Count your does: two antlerless deer from public areas per year.
- Open zones are marked on the park map; the rest is closed.
- Park facilities carry a 400-foot safety zone.
- Trails and roads: no shooting across them.
- Build no permanent blind without a permit.
- Lottery permits cover some hunts.
- Duck blinds are drawn; the pick day was August 15, 2026.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules, OAC 1501:46-15-07; checked November 6, 2026.
Permit hunts on Hueston Woods State Park
Hueston Woods State Park carries 4 lottery hunts in 2026, namely 1 trapping, 1 raccoon, 1 waterfowl and 1 waterfowl blind. A $3 fee buys one entry per hunt; results come by email. The trapping drawings happen face to face on October 3, 2026. The blind lottery picked sites on August 15, 2026, with a $50 fee at most lakes.
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Type | Apply | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2984 | Hueston Woods SP raccoon hunt & trap | Raccoon | In person, Oct. 3 | – |
| 2880 | Hueston Woods SP beaver/otter trapping | Trapping | In person, Oct. 3 | packet |
| 2569 | Hueston Woods SP sept goose and teal | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
| 2972 | Hueston Woods 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.
When the Hueston Woods State Park game is in season
ODNR and the lottery list tie turkey, trapping, raccoon and waterfowl to Hueston Woods State Park. Bird rows are filtered to Zone C. Spring gobbler dates listed are the 2026 ones.
| Game | Season | Opens | Closes | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild turkey | Fall | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 1 turkey |
| 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 |
| 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.
Managed hunting features at Hueston Woods State Park
Hueston Woods State Park shooting range
The regulations list 1 public range here (class D). No range permit is needed at a class D range.
| Range | Class | Type or contact | Supervised trap/skeet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hueston Woods State Park | D | (513) 523-6347 | No |
From the range list; checked November 6, 2026.
County rules around Hueston Woods State Park
Preble County allows 3 deer per hunter in 2026-27. 2025-26 harvest, Preble County: 1,354 deer. This season to November 3, 2026, 278 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preble County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 1,354 |
| Butler County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 1,466 |
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.
Hueston Woods State Park in the agency's words
What the managing agency says about the game on Hueston Woods State Park:
“This project was created and is maintained for the public’s enjoyment by the Shady Hollow Longbeards, Preble County’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation.”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Mapped hunting places beside Hueston Woods State Park
Rush Run Wildlife Area lies 7 miles east of the Hueston Woods State Park point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 5 wildlife areas and 1 state park. Neighbours closed to hunting: Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Doty Highbank State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rush Run Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 1,165 | Preble | 7 miles | east |
| Woodland Trails Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 718 | Preble | 7 miles | northeast |
| Pater Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 192 | Butler | 11 miles | south |
| Sycamore State Park | State park | 2,384 | Montgomery | 26 miles | northeast |
| Great Miami River WA | Wildlife area | 18 | Hamilton | 31 miles | south |
| Stillwater Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 5 | Montgomery | 34 miles | northeast |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 3 parcels (polygon centroid of the largest part). Straight-line distances. Closed places from the lands.json closed list. Checked November 6, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Hueston Woods State Park: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Five, 1076 Old Springfield Pike, Xenia, OH 45385, 937-372-9261. Preble County is patrolled by officer Brad Turner ((937) 510-1154). Poaching tips go to 1-800-POACHER, any hour. A note on the map reads: distribution or publication, this source must be referenced. A note on the map reads: shoot on, from, or across any road, driveway, or trail within any area administered by the division.
- Hunting map PDF · legend: boat ramp, parking, latrine, camping, waterfowl hunting, open to hunting, closed to hunting, hunting permitted
- Submit a Haiku to the Park
- Hueston Woods Hiking Map
- Route to the point
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, 3 parcels (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
Stores, deer processors and towns serving Hueston Woods State Park
Measured straight, Somerville is 6 miles from Hueston Woods State Park. Hamilton tops the list at 63,953 people. Allow for 7 miles of straight-line distance to the Somerville ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerville | Butler | – | 6 miles | east |
| Lake Lakengren | Preble | – | 8 miles | northeast |
| Eaton | Preble | 8,337 | 13 miles | northeast |
| Hamilton | Butler | 63,953 | 16 miles | southeast |
| Fairfield | Butler | 45,094 | 21 miles | southeast |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
First and last legal minutes across Hueston Woods State Park seasons
Around Hueston Woods State Park, deer light opens 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; rabbit and pheasant hunters keep strict sunrise to sunset.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Deer hours | Duck hours | Upland hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:29 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 7:32 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:34 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:12 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:39 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 7:39 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:50 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:50 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:56 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 7:56 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:59 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 7:59 a.m. to 5:25 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.
What meets on or near Hueston Woods State Park
On November 5, 2026 the 10-mile circle held 1 date ahead.
| On | Listing | Distance | Venue and county | Button | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | ODNR Trapper Education Class (Camden) · trapper education class, Camden | 7 | Camden, Preble County | Register | Source |
Hueston Woods State Park district scenes and wildlife photos
Tuning a bow at Hueston Woods State Park itself
Hueston Woods State Park Archery Range sits on Hueston Woods State Park, one of 40 entries on ODNR’s public range list.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Things people ask before driving to Hueston Woods State Park
Do I need hunter orange on Hueston Woods State Park during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
May I bait deer on Hueston Woods State Park?
Portable stands yes, bait no.
Where do I take questions about Hueston Woods State Park?
Call (513) 523-6347.
Deer hours at Hueston Woods State Park on the first gun day?
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty after sunset; on November 30, 2026 that is 7:09 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. here (NOAA solar formula).
Is Hueston Woods State Park fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
Only part of it is open.
Where do hunters buy supplies near Hueston Woods State Park?
Somerville sits 6 miles from the point.
Are Sundays open for hunting on Hueston Woods State Park?
Ohio has no statewide Sunday restriction, so Sundays follow the regular seasons unless a lottery permit sets the day.
How is a turkey or deer from Hueston Woods State Park checked?
Check it in by noon the next day; no check station visit is needed.
How many acres of hunting land is Hueston Woods State Park?
2,936 acres, according to the ODNR Property Details layer. The acreage table shows the spread.
What must I hold to hunt Hueston Woods State Park legally?
Ohio license first, then the game permit. Public hunting land in Ohio charges no access fee. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
Are there controlled hunts on Hueston Woods State Park?
4 drawn hunt(s) for 2026 (trapping, raccoon, waterfowl and waterfowl blind). Apply for $3 each.
What is the deer limit at Hueston Woods State Park?
The county limit of 3 applies. Only one buck per season in Ohio, and two antlerless deer at most from public land.
Is there a campground at Hueston Woods State Park?
The park has a campground; reserve a site and stay 400 feet from it while hunting.
Final word on Hueston Woods State Park for this season
Rules, closures and lottery details for Hueston Woods State Park can change mid-season; posted signs and the ODNR page have the last word.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5 · source 6; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0); Yellowstone National Park (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).