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Hunting Mercer Wildlife Area: what the ODNR record shows
Hunting ground of 316 acres, run as a state wildlife area in Mercer County.
Photo: Nyttend (Public domain)
Getting to Mercer Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Mercer Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 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.
Mercer Wildlife Area by the numbers ODNR keeps
The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages Mercer Wildlife Area, 316 acres of state wildlife area ground in Mercer County. Its ODNR page places the ground about 3 miles south of Celina. For wildlife work it falls under District 5, run from Xenia. Natural features on record: lake, grassland, crops, wetlands, meadow and brush. ODNR also lists hiking and birding here. Hunters have had this ground since the state bought in starting 1959 (through 1993), through several state funds and Wildlife Restoration money. By tenure the ground is owned outright by the state. It appears in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1) as "Mercer", the legal list of public hunting land.
Layers give between 316 and 324 acres, so the table shows each one.
| Measure | Acres |
|---|---|
| Property Details layer | 316 |
| Water (Property Details) | 8 |
| Hunting-status layer | 324 |
| GIS parcel area | 323 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Mercer Wildlife Area lottery hunts for 2026
The 2026 lottery list has 7 hunts on Mercer Wildlife Area (3 waterfowl, 2 tue/thu waterfowl, 1 trapping and 1 deer archery). Entry fee: $3 per hunt, no refunds, one entry each. Lottery deer add to the county limit rather than count against it (one buck rule unchanged). In-person trapping drawings: October 3, 2026, district offices. Midweek drawings close at noon the day before the hunt.
| Number | Name | Kind | When to apply | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2515 | Mercer WA archery deer | Deer archery | July 1-31 | – |
| 2951 | Mercer WA furbearer trapping | Trapping | In person, Oct. 3 | packet |
| daily | Mercer tuesday thursday sept goose and teal | Tue/Thu waterfowl | Mon/Wed, day before | – |
| daily | Mercer WA thursday waterfowl | Tue/Thu waterfowl | Mon/Wed, day before | – |
| 2512 | Mercer WA waterfowl | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
| 2713 | Mercer WA youth waterfowl | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
| 2763 | Mercer WA mentor waterfowl | Waterfowl | July 1-31 | – |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Ground rules for hunting Mercer Wildlife Area
Not all of Mercer Wildlife Area is huntable; the restricted tag points you to the 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.
- Parts of the season need a controlled-hunt permit.
- Midweek duck permits by lottery.
- Permit-only area under the Ohio code.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Dates and limits for hunting Mercer Wildlife Area
The record pairs Mercer Wildlife Area with trapping, deer and waterfowl. For ducks and geese it sits in Zone A.
| 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 |
| 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 | Nov 1, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 27, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 1, 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 (controlled hunt lotteries); checked November 6, 2026.
Mercer Wildlife Area: next-nearest open land, by miles
Closest neighbour on the ODNR map: Windy Point Wetlands, 2 miles east. Neighbour mix: 4 conservation areas, 1 public hunting area and 1 state park. Do not mistake these for open ground: Southwest Greenspace (no open parcels), Coldwater Creek Treatment Train (no open parcels) and Beaver Creek Vegetated Biofilter (no open parcels).
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windy Point Wetlands | Conservation area | 42 | Mercer | 2 miles | east |
| Coldwater Creek Nature & Wildlife Corridor | Conservation area | 116 | Mercer | 2 miles | west |
| Burntwood-Langenkamp Wetland | Conservation area | 89 | Mercer | 2 miles | west |
| Prairie Creek Nature SP | Hunting area | 37 | Mercer | 2 miles | east |
| Grand Lake St Marys SP | State park | 591 | Mercer | 4 miles | northeast |
| Chickasaw Creek Treatment Wetlands | Conservation area | 36 | Mercer | 5 miles | east |
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 Mercer Wildlife Area sits in Ohio's rules
The Mercer County deer limit is 3 this season, only one of them antlered statewide. Mercer County hunters checked 1,432 deer in 2025-26 (532 antlered). Through November 3, 2026: 255 deer checked.
| County | Bag | CWD area | Waterfowl | Turkey zone | Fall | Harvest 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Closed | 1,432 |
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 Mercer Wildlife Area
Celina is the closest town on this site to Mercer Wildlife Area, 4 miles in a straight line. Of the five, Sidney is the biggest with 20,392 residents (2024 estimate). ODNR staff closest to Mercer Wildlife Area work out of Celina, under a mile off.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celina | Mercer | 10,945 | 4 miles | north |
| Wapakoneta | Auglaize | 9,817 | 20 miles | east |
| Van Wert | Van Wert | 11,123 | 25 miles | north |
| Sidney | Shelby | 20,392 | 25 miles | southeast |
| Greenville | Darke | 12,701 | 27 miles | south |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Mercer 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 | 7:28 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:13 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:23 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:41 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:58 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:01 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 8:01 a.m. to 5:22 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 Mercer Wildlife Area and its managers
Your district office: 1076 Old Springfield Pike, Xenia, OH 45385, 937-372-9261. The officer assigned to Mercer County is Brad Buening, (419) 236-8787. Call 1-800-POACHER to report a violation anonymously. The map PDF adds: mile south of State Route 703. The map PDF adds: Lake St. Marys are managed for waterfowl through a cooperative agreement with the Division of Parks and Recreation.
- Area map PDF · legend: wildlife area headquarters, headquarters, parking, refuge area, refuge, waterfowl hunting, hunting area, cropland
- Mercer Wildlife Area Map [pdf]
- 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 Mercer Wildlife Area hunt
Public range and clubs on the road to Mercer Wildlife Area
St. Marys Fish Hatchery Shooting Range is 8 miles from Mercer 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 Mercer Wildlife Area questions with sourced answers
Is hunting restricted anywhere on Mercer Wildlife Area?
Parts are closed or limited; carry the map.
Where is Mercer Wildlife Area relative to the nearest town?
Celina is the nearest, 4 miles off.
Does Ohio law allow Sunday hunts on Mercer Wildlife Area?
Sunday is a normal hunting day in Ohio.
When must I check game taken on Mercer Wildlife Area?
Noon the next day is the deadline for the game check.
Acreage check: how large is Mercer Wildlife Area?
316 acres, from the ODNR Property Details layer. The table above lists every source.
Which Ohio license and permits do I need for Mercer Wildlife Area?
A hunting license and species permits, as anywhere in Ohio; no separate area permit for general hunting. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
Can I apply for a drawn hunt at Mercer Wildlife Area?
ODNR lists 7: waterfowl, tue/thu waterfowl, trapping and deer archery. Each costs $3 to enter.
Deer bag limit for Mercer Wildlife Area?
Up to 3, by the county rule. Remember the one-antlered rule and the two-antlerless public land cap.
Overnight stays at Mercer Wildlife Area?
No overnight camping.
When can ducks be hunted on Mercer Wildlife Area this year?
Ducks in Zone A open Oct 17 to Nov 1, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 27, 2026.
Hunter orange rules for Mercer 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 Mercer Wildlife Area?
Portable stands only, with nothing driven into the tree, and no bait: deer baiting is illegal on public hunting areas.
What office handles Mercer Wildlife Area for ODNR?
1-800-WILDLIFE reaches the managers.
Sign-off notes for Mercer Wildlife Area hunters
Report your deer or turkey by noon the next day, and keep your license and permits on you while hunting Mercer 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: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).