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Hunting Jackson County Line Wildlife Area: what the ODNR record shows
Hunting ground of 42 acres, run as a state wildlife area in Jackson County.
Photo: Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Jackson County Line Wildlife Area
Inside the Jackson County Line Wildlife Area record
The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages Jackson County Line Wildlife Area, 42 acres of state wildlife area ground in Jackson County. For wildlife work it falls under District 4, run from Athens. By tenure the ground is owned outright by the state. It appears in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1) as "Jackson county line", the legal list of public hunting land.
Layers give between 41 and 42 acres, so the table shows each one.
| Measure | Acres |
|---|---|
| Hunting-status layer | 42 |
| GIS parcel area | 41 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Jackson County Line Wildlife Area
Ground rules for hunting Jackson County Line Wildlife Area
Jackson County Line Wildlife Area is open ground in the ODNR status map.
- No driving off the posted roads; park in the lots.
- No campsites on this property.
- 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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area
No species list exists for Jackson County Line Wildlife Area; Ohio statewide seasons govern it. Spring turkey rows show the 2026 dates; the 2027 spring dates were not out when checked.
| 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 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 1 turkey |
| Squirrels | Regular | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 daily |
| 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 |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (No species named by ODNR for this area); checked November 6, 2026.
Jackson County Line Wildlife Area: next-nearest open land, by miles
Closest neighbour on the ODNR map: Vinton Furnace Wildlife Area, 1 mile northeast. Neighbour mix: 4 wildlife areas, 1 state forest and 1 state park. Do not mistake these for open ground: Miriam Walter Barrens State Dedicated Nature Preserve (nature preserve), Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Sylvan Deep State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinton Furnace Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 3,533 | Vinton | 1 mile | northeast |
| Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest | State forest | 12,331 | Vinton | 4 miles | northeast |
| Lake Alma State Park | State park | 292 | Vinton | 5 miles | west |
| Wellston Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 1,446 | Vinton | 6 miles | northwest |
| Broken ARO Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 2,914 | Jackson | 7 miles | southwest |
| Flint Run Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 567 | Jackson | 7 miles | southwest |
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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area sits in Ohio's rules
The Jackson County deer limit is 2 this season, only one of them antlered statewide. Jackson County hunters checked 2,643 deer in 2025-26 (1,149 antlered). Through November 3, 2026: 625 deer checked.
| County | Bag | CWD area | Waterfowl | Turkey zone | Fall | Harvest 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 2 deer | No | C | South | Open | 2,643 |
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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area
Hamden is the closest town on this site to Jackson County Line Wildlife Area, 5 miles in a straight line. Of the five, Jackson is the biggest with 6,226 residents (2024 estimate). ODNR staff closest to Jackson County Line Wildlife Area work out of Oak Hill, 14 miles off.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamden | Vinton | 717 | 5 miles | west |
| Wellston | Jackson | 5,493 | 6 miles | west |
| McArthur | Vinton | 1,743 | 8 miles | north |
| Coalton | Jackson | 444 | 10 miles | west |
| Jackson | Jackson | 6,226 | 13 miles | southwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Jackson County Line 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 | 7:20 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:24 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:02 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:29 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:39 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:39 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:45 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:45 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:49 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 7:49 a.m. to 5:17 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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area and its managers
Your district office: 360 E State St, Athens, OH 45701, 740-589-9930. The officer assigned to Jackson County is Ted Witham, (614) 563-4138. Call 1-800-POACHER to report a violation anonymously.
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.
Classes, hunts and dinners near Jackson County Line Wildlife Area
About 10 straight-line miles from here there is 1 date ahead.
| When | Title | Mi | Location | Register or details | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2027 | Vinton County Sharp Spurs NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, McArthur | 8 | McArthur, Vinton County | Tickets | Source |
Images for sizing up a Jackson County Line Wildlife Area hunt
Jackson County Line Wildlife Area: the nearest public range, then clubs
Zaleski State Forest Shooting Range is 11 miles from Jackson County Line Wildlife Area and is the nearest public range on ODNR’s list. 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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area questions with sourced answers
What office handles Jackson County Line Wildlife Area for ODNR?
740-589-9930 reaches the managers.
What are deer hunting hours at Jackson County Line Wildlife Area on the gun opener?
Deer hours run 6:59 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. on November 30, 2026, worked out for this spot.
Is hunting restricted anywhere on Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
Open: no restricted parcels.
Where is Jackson County Line Wildlife Area relative to the nearest town?
Hamden is the nearest, 5 miles off.
Does Ohio law allow Sunday hunts on Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
Sunday is a normal hunting day in Ohio.
When must I check game taken on Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
Noon the next day is the deadline for the game check.
How many acres of hunting land is Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
42 acres, from the ODNR lands layer SUM_CALC_ACRES.
Which Ohio license and permits do I need for Jackson County Line 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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
No controlled hunts are on file for it.
Deer bag limit for Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
Up to 2, by the county rule. Remember the one-antlered rule and the two-antlerless public land cap.
Overnight stays at Jackson County Line Wildlife Area?
No overnight camping.
When can ducks be hunted on Jackson County Line 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 Jackson County Line Wildlife Area in deer season?
A hunter orange vest or coat during the gun deer seasons; no square-inch rule.
Sign-off notes for Jackson County Line Wildlife Area hunters
Report your deer or turkey by noon the next day, and keep your license and permits on you while hunting Jackson County Line Wildlife Area.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Raul654 (CC BY-SA 3.0); Russ (CC BY 2.0); Wing-Chi Poon (CC BY-SA 2.5).