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Wildlife area · Ohio public hunting land
Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area hunting, rules and county limits
157 acres of public state wildlife area ground in Erie County.
Photo: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Sawmill Creek Golf Club Parking LotParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 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 Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area is
Expect 157 acres of state wildlife area here, in Erie County, with the ODNR Division of Wildlife in charge. In ODNR terms this is District 2 country, with district staff based in Findlay. In the parcel data the land is protected by a conservation easement.
Not every ODNR source agrees: the spread is 127 to 157 acres.
| Where the figure comes from | Acres |
|---|---|
| Hunting-status layer | 157 |
| GIS parcel area | 127 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
Permit hunts on Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
For 2026 the controlled hunts here number 1: 1 deer archery. 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.
| Hunt no. | Hunt | Type | Apply | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2733 | Steinen WA youth archery deer | Deer archery | 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 Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
Restricted status means only some of Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area is open; take the map along.
- Keep trucks on the open roads and in marked lots.
- Overnight camping is off the table on this ground.
- Hours: other visitors leave by 8 p.m. from September 1 to May 1.
- No casual shooting: guns are for hunting, trapping or a Division range.
- Baiting deer is banned on all public hunting areas.
- Tree stands must be portable, with no nails or screw-in steps.
- Public land limit: no more than two antlerless deer a year.
- A few hunts are permit-only.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area season dates, game by game
For deer, here are the 2026-27 windows that apply on Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area.
| 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 |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (controlled hunt lotteries); checked November 6, 2026.
What else lies near Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area on the map
First on the neighbour list is Putnam Marsh Hunting Area, under a mile away and southeast of here. Six neighbours by kind: 4 wildlife areas, 1 public hunting area and 1 fish hatchery. Off limits to hunting close by: Sheldon Marsh State Nature Preserve (nature preserve), Erie Sand Barrens State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Dupont Marsh State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam Marsh Hunting Area | Hunting area | 60 | Erie | under a mile | southeast |
| Pipe Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 97 | Erie | 2 miles | northwest |
| Moxley Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 191 | Erie | 9 miles | west |
| Dempsey Sandusky Bay WA | Wildlife area | 68 | Ottawa | 9 miles | northwest |
| Castalia Fish Hatchery | Fish hatchery | 115 | Erie | 9 miles | west |
| Milan Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 300 | Erie | 9 miles | south |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 1 parcel (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.
Zone and limit check for Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
County limit where it lies: 3 deer (Erie County). 2025-26 harvest, Erie County: 1,161 deer. Early 2026-27 tally (to November 3, 2026): 311 deer.
| County | Deer bag | DSA | Duck zone | Turkey | Fall | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Open | 1,161 |
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.
Stores, deer processors and towns serving Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
Fuel, ice and groceries: Sandusky is nearest, 5 miles away. The closest ODNR desk: Sandusky, 4 miles in a straight line.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky | Erie | 24,174 | 5 miles | northwest |
| Castalia | Erie | 746 | 9 miles | west |
| Norwalk | Huron | 17,172 | 13 miles | south |
| Port Clinton | Ottawa | 5,915 | 17 miles | west |
| Wightmans Grove | Sandusky | – | 21 miles | west |
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 Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area, 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 Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area rather than a Columbus table.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Waterfowl, squirrel | Rabbit, pheasant, dove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:21 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:26 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:26 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:07 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:17 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:36 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:06 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 7:36 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:53 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:53 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:57 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:57 a.m. to 5:11 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 Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
The Wildlife District Two office is at 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840 (419-424-5000). Report problems to Michele Butler, the county wildlife officer, at (419) 429-8382. Report poaching at 1-800-762-2437.
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 of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
What meets on or near Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
Rows marked for this land meet on it; upcoming rows also count within about 10 miles. In all, 1 date ahead.
| On | Listing | Miles | Venue and county | Button | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2027 | Huron River Valley Fantails NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Sandusky | 5 | Sandusky, Erie County | Tickets | Source |
Pictures from Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area country and its game
Zeroing a slug gun on the way to Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area
Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range (the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day)) is 11 miles from Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area. 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.
Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area questions, from permits to parking
Are parts of Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area closed to hunters?
It is restricted; check the map.
How is a turkey or deer from Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area checked?
By noon the following day, through HuntFish OH, wildohio.gov or by phone.
Can I hunt Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area on a Sunday in Ohio?
Ohio law has no Sunday closure.
Do I need more than an Ohio hunting license for Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
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 Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area property in acres?
It takes in 157 acres of ground.
What is the deer limit at Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
The county limit of 3 applies. One antlered deer statewide; public areas cap antlerless deer at two a year.
Does ODNR draw permits for Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Yes, 1 hunt in 2026: deer archery. The fee is $3 a hunt.
Which Ohio waterfowl zone covers Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Waterfowl Zone A: ducks Oct 17 to Nov 1, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 27, 2026.
Is there a campground at Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Not allowed; only three wildlife areas have camping.
What are the stand and baiting rules on Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Bait is banned on public land; use portable stands only.
Orange clothing rules at Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Wear an orange vest, coat or coveralls in all deer gun weeks; duck hunters are exempt.
What time can I start deer hunting at Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Legal deer light on November 30, 2026: 7:06 a.m. to 5:33 p.m.
Where do I take questions about Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area?
Phone 419-424-5000.
Final word on Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area for this season
Saw a violation on Joseph Steinen Wildlife Area? Call 1-800-POACHER; tips can stay anonymous.
Sources: source 1 · source 2; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: NPS Photo (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain).