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Buckeye state wildlife area with open hunting
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1: seasons, rules and access
One state wildlife area of 64 acres in Ottawa County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: Niagara66 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Getting to Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 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.
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1: size, setting and history
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 covers 64 acres in Ottawa County, a state wildlife area run by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. Questions go to District 2 in Findlay, the district that covers it. Parcels are owned outright by the state. You will find it as "Ottawa county wildlife area 1" in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1).
Sources disagree on size, from 64 to 66 acres; this page uses 64 (ODNR area map PDF).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| Area map PDF | 64 |
| Hunting-status layer | 65 |
| GIS parcel area | 66 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1: rules that apply on the ground
No restricted parcels: Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 is open land in the status layer.
- Drive and park only on designated roads and lots.
- No camping; only three wildlife areas allow it.
- 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.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
When the Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 game is in season
ODNR and the lottery list tie dove to Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1.
| Game | Season | Opens | Closes | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning dove | Dove | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 15 daily |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 15 daily |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (dove fields layer); checked November 6, 2026.
Managed hunting features at Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Where ODNR plants for doves on Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 has 13 acres of dove fields in 1 block(s) (winter wheat and millet – failed). Non-controlled fields: no permit beyond the license and HIP.
| Field | Acres | Status | Planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field 2 | 13 | Non-Controlled | winter wheat, millet – failed |
From the ODNR dove fields layer; checked November 6, 2026.
County rules around Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Ottawa County allows 3 deer per hunter in 2026-27. The 2025-26 deer total for Ottawa County was 851, by ODNR's final report. This season to November 3, 2026, 196 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Closed | 851 |
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 Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Portage River Fishing Access lies under a mile north of the Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 5 wildlife areas and 1 public access area. Neighbours closed to hunting: Catawba Island State Park (park without hunting), South Bass Island State Park (park without hunting) and Oak Point State Park (park without hunting).
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage River Fishing Access | Access area | 11 | Ottawa | under a mile | north |
| Little Portage Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 357 | Ottawa | 3 miles | west |
| Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 3,039 | Sandusky | 6 miles | south |
| Ottawa County WA 2 | Wildlife area | 31 | Ottawa | 7 miles | west |
| West Harbor Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 77 | Ottawa | 7 miles | east |
| Willow Point Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 432 | Erie | 7 miles | southeast |
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.
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, 419-424-5000. Ottawa County is patrolled by officer Reid Van Cleve ((419) 429-8389). Poaching tips go to 1-800-POACHER, any hour.
- Area map PDF (published 7/13/2022) · legend: parking area, parking
- 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); checked November 6, 2026.
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1: towns, shops and the nearest ODNR office
Measured straight, Port Clinton is 2 miles from Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1. Fremont, 13 miles out, is larger: 15,814 people in 2024. Allow for 5 miles of straight-line distance to the Vickery ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Clinton | Ottawa | 5,915 | 2 miles | east |
| Wightmans Grove | Sandusky | – | 7 miles | southwest |
| Castalia | Erie | 746 | 11 miles | southeast |
| Rocky Ridge | Ottawa | 306 | 12 miles | west |
| Fremont | Sandusky | 15,814 | 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.
First and last legal minutes across Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 seasons
Around Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1, 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 | 7:22 a.m. | 7:24 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:09 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:19 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:37 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:37 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:55 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:55 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:58 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:12 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.
Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 district scenes and wildlife photos
Public range and clubs on the road to Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range (the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day)) is 10 miles from Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1. 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 Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1
Do I need hunter orange on Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
May I bait deer on Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
Portable stands yes, bait no.
Where do I take questions about Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
The Wildlife District Two office, 419-424-5000.
Deer hours at Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 on the first gun day?
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty after sunset; on November 30, 2026 that is 7:07 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. here (NOAA solar formula).
Does Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 have managed dove fields?
Yes: 1 field, Field 2.
Where do hunters buy supplies near Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
About 2 miles from Port Clinton.
Game check rules after a kill on Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
Check it in by noon the next day; no check station visit is needed.
Is Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
All parcels are open in the status layer.
What must I hold to hunt Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 legally?
Ohio license first, then the game permit. Public hunting land in Ohio charges no access fee.
Are Sundays open for hunting on Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
Ohio has no statewide Sunday restriction, so Sundays follow the regular seasons unless a lottery permit sets the day.
How many deer can I take on Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
3, as set for Ottawa County. Only one buck per season in Ohio, and two antlerless deer at most from public land.
How big is the Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 property in acres?
64 acres, according to the ODNR area map PDF. The acreage table shows the spread.
What are this season's duck dates for Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1?
It is in Zone A; duck splits run Oct 17 to Nov 1, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 27, 2026.
Sign-off notes for Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 hunters
Rules, closures and lottery details for Ottawa County Wildlife Area 1 can change mid-season; posted signs and the ODNR page have the last word.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); Peter Wallack (CC BY-SA 3.0).