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Buckeye state wildlife area with open hunting
Missionary Island Wildlife Area: seasons, rules and access
One state wildlife area of 297 acres in Lucas County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: Nyttend (Public domain)
Getting to Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Missionary Island Wildlife Area
- Farnsworth Boat RampBoat ramp · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 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.
Missionary Island Wildlife Area: size, setting and history
Missionary Island Wildlife Area covers 297 acres in Lucas County, a state wildlife area run by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. ODNR puts it around 2 miles to the southwest of Waterville. Questions go to District 2 in Findlay, the district that covers it. Walk it and you will find river, woods and brush, according to the agency listing. Expect company: the page names boating, birding and fishing. Its story as public land begins in 1974 and runs to 1989, using several state funds. Parcels are owned outright by the state. You will find it as "Missionary island" in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1).
Sources disagree on size, from 297 to 301 acres; this page uses 297 (ODNR property page).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| ODNR property page | 297 |
| Area map PDF | 297 |
| Property Details layer | 297 |
| Water (Property Details) | 10 |
| Hunting-status layer | 297 |
| GIS parcel area | 301 |
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 Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Missionary Island Wildlife Area: rules that apply on the ground
No restricted parcels: Missionary Island Wildlife Area is open land in the status layer.
- Drive and park only on designated roads and lots.
- Camping is prohibited (Appalachian Hills, Simco and Woodbury are the exceptions).
- From May 2 to August 31 the night closure runs 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Target practice only at a designated Division of Wildlife range.
- No salt, grain or feed may be put out.
- Portable stands only; nothing inserted into a tree.
- Count your does: two antlerless deer from public areas per year.
- Lottery permits cover some hunts.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Lottery permits for Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Missionary Island Wildlife Area carries 1 lottery hunt in 2026, namely 1 trapping. A $3 fee buys one entry per hunt; results come by email. The trapping drawings happen face to face on October 3, 2026.
| No. | Lottery hunt | Game | Window | Packet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4006 | Missionary Island beaver-otter trapping | Trapping | In person, Oct. 3 | packet |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
When the Missionary Island Wildlife Area game is in season
ODNR and the lottery list tie trapping to Missionary Island Wildlife Area.
| Game | Season | Opens | Closes | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mink | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | No limit |
| Mink | Lake Erie trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | No limit |
| Muskrat | Lake Erie trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Mar 15, 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 |
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.
County rules around Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Lucas County allows 4 deer per hunter in 2026-27. Final 2025-26 figure for Lucas County: 965 deer checked. This season to November 3, 2026, 232 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucas County | 4 deer | No | A, B | South | Open | 965 |
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.
Mapped hunting places beside Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Maumee River Weir Rapids Wildlife Area lies 1 mile southwest of the Missionary Island Wildlife Area point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 2 public access areas, 2 wildlife areas and 1 state park. Neighbours closed to hunting: Lake Lepomis Wildlife Area (no open parcels), Lanker Wildlife Area (no open parcels) and Girdham Road Dunes State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maumee River Weir Rapids WA | Access area | 6 | Wood | 1 mile | southwest |
| Miltonville Maumee River Access | Access area | 1 | Wood | 2 miles | northeast |
| Van Tassel Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 102 | Wood | 5 miles | southwest |
| Wood County WA 1 | Wildlife area | 38 | Wood | 7 miles | southwest |
| Mary Jane Thurston SP | State park | 105 | Henry | 8 miles | southwest |
| Maumee State Forest | State forest | 3,332 | Fulton | 9 miles | west |
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.
Missionary Island Wildlife Area: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, 419-424-5000. Lucas County is patrolled by officer Anthony Lemle ((419) 429-8388). Poaching tips go to 1-800-POACHER, any hour.
- Area map PDF (published 5/19/2022)
- ODNR hunting regulations web 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, 1 parcel (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
Supply towns and ODNR help around Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Measured straight, Neapolis is 7 miles from Missionary Island Wildlife Area. For a full grocery run, Toledo (265,638 people) is the pick. Allow for 30 miles of straight-line distance to the Oak Harbor ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neapolis | Lucas | – | 7 miles | west |
| Perrysburg | Wood | 25,313 | 7 miles | northeast |
| Bowling Green | Wood | 30,463 | 8 miles | southeast |
| Toledo | Lucas | 265,638 | 16 miles | northeast |
| Napoleon | Henry | 8,724 | 20 miles | west |
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 Missionary Island Wildlife Area seasons
Around Missionary Island Wildlife Area, 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 | 7:25 a.m. | 7:27 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:57 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 7:27 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:30 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:12 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:22 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:40 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:40 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:58 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:01 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 8:01 a.m. to 5:15 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.
Missionary Island Wildlife Area district scenes and wildlife photos
Public range and clubs on the road to Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Wildlife District 2 Office Shooting Range (free (Class D)) is 31 miles from Missionary Island Wildlife Area. After it come club ranges that sit inside 30 miles.
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 Missionary Island Wildlife Area
Acreage check: how large is Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
297 acres, according to the ODNR property page. The acreage table shows the spread.
What must I hold to hunt Missionary Island Wildlife Area 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 Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
1 drawn hunt(s) for 2026 (trapping). Apply for $3 each.
Which county deer limit applies to Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
Lucas County allows 4. Only one buck per season in Ohio, and two antlerless deer at most from public land.
May I camp while hunting Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
No; book a room in a nearby town.
What are this season's duck dates for Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
It is in Zone B; duck splits run Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Nov 21, 2026 to Jan 10, 2027.
Do I need hunter orange on Missionary Island Wildlife Area during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
May I bait deer on Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
Portable stands yes, bait no.
Which number reaches the Missionary Island Wildlife Area managers?
The area phone is (419)424-5000.
Deer hours at Missionary Island Wildlife Area on the first gun day?
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty after sunset; on November 30, 2026 that is 7:10 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. here (NOAA solar formula).
Is Missionary Island Wildlife Area fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
All parcels are open in the status layer.
Where do hunters buy supplies near Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
Neapolis, 7 miles away in a straight line.
Are Sundays open for hunting on Missionary Island Wildlife Area?
Ohio has no statewide Sunday restriction, so Sundays follow the regular seasons unless a lottery permit sets the day.
Missionary Island Wildlife Area trip, last details
Rules, closures and lottery details for Missionary Island Wildlife Area 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; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).