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Wildlife area · Ohio public hunting land
Hunting Parkersburg Wildlife Area: what the ODNR record shows
153 acres of public state wildlife area ground in Williams County.
Photo: Nyttend (Public domain)
Getting to Parkersburg Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Parkersburg Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 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.
What kind of place Parkersburg Wildlife Area is
Expect 153 acres of state wildlife area here, in Williams County, with the ODNR Division of Wildlife in charge. Head about 5 miles north from Bryan to reach it. In ODNR terms this is District 2 country, with district staff based in Findlay. Habitat named by ODNR includes woods, grassland, streams, ponds and brush. Non-hunters share the ground for hiking, birding and fishing and use the hunter access. ODNR history: first acres bought in 1993, funded by state funds and Wildlife Restoration money. In the parcel data the land is owned outright by the state. In the Ohio Administrative Code it is "Parkersburg" (1501:31-15-04(A)(1)).
Not every ODNR source agrees: the spread is 152 to 156 acres.
| Where the figure comes from | Acres |
|---|---|
| ODNR property page | 153 |
| Area map PDF | 154 |
| Property Details layer | 152 |
| Water (Property Details) | 1 |
| Hunting-status layer | 153 |
| GIS parcel area | 156 |
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 Parkersburg Wildlife Area
Drawn hunts at Parkersburg Wildlife Area
For 2026 the controlled hunts here number 2: 1 trapping and 1 pheasant. You pay $3 per hunt applied for, online, in the app or by phone. Furbearer and beaver-otter permits are drawn at district offices on the first Saturday in October.
| Hunt # | Drawing | Category | Apply | Rules PDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2765 | Parkersburg WA pheasant | Pheasant | July 1-31 | – |
| 2799 | Parkersburg WA 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.
Before the first shot on Parkersburg Wildlife Area
Restricted status means only some of Parkersburg Wildlife Area is open; take the map along.
- Keep trucks on the open roads and in marked lots.
- No camping; only three wildlife areas allow it.
- 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.
Parkersburg Wildlife Area dove, pheasant and range facts
Stocked roosters on Parkersburg Wildlife Area
Released pheasants: controlled-hunt fields; the layer maps 7 field(s) and 40 acres. ODNR releases before the youth weekends and on November 6, November 14 and November 26.
From the pheasant release list; checked November 6, 2026.
Parkersburg Wildlife Area season dates, game by game
For trapping and pheasant, here are the 2026-27 windows that apply on Parkersburg Wildlife Area.
| Game | Kind | Begins | Ends | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pheasant | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 2 roosters 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 |
| 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 |
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 Parkersburg Wildlife Area on the map
First on the neighbour list is St Joseph River Wildlife Area, 7 miles away and west of here. Six neighbours by kind: 5 wildlife areas and 1 state park. Off limits to hunting close by: Goll Woods State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Mud Lake Bog State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Public land | Kind | Acres | County | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph River WA | Wildlife area | 196 | Williams | 7 miles | west |
| Harrison Lake State Park | State park | 142 | Fulton | 11 miles | northeast |
| Lake La Su An WA | Wildlife area | 2,616 | Williams | 13 miles | northwest |
| Tiffin River Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 471 | Fulton | 13 miles | northeast |
| Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 435 | Defiance | 14 miles | south |
| Nettle Lake Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 1 | Williams | 14 miles | northwest |
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.
Zone and limit check for Parkersburg Wildlife Area
County limit where it lies: 3 deer (Williams County). The 2025-26 deer total for Williams County was 2,842, by ODNR's final report. Early 2026-27 tally (to November 3, 2026): 607 deer.
| County | Deer bag | DSA | Duck zone | Turkey | Fall | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Open | 2,842 |
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.
Parkersburg Wildlife Area: towns, shops and the nearest ODNR office
Fuel, ice and groceries: Bryan is nearest, 5 miles away. Defiance, 20 miles out, is larger: 17,180 people in 2024. The closest ODNR desk: Pioneer, 12 miles in a straight line.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan | Williams | 8,601 | 5 miles | south |
| Nettle Lake | Williams | – | 14 miles | northwest |
| Defiance | Defiance | 17,180 | 20 miles | southeast |
| Wauseon | Fulton | 7,455 | 20 miles | east |
| Napoleon | Henry | 8,724 | 23 miles | southeast |
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 Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg Wildlife Area rather than a Columbus table.
| Date | Season point | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Waterfowl, squirrel | Rabbit, pheasant, dove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:28 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. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:33 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:33 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:15 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:25 a.m. | 5:21 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:21 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:44 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:44 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 8:01 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 8:01 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:05 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 7:35 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 7:35 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 8:05 a.m. to 5:18 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 Parkersburg Wildlife Area
The Wildlife District Two office is at 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840 (419-424-5000). Report problems to Ethan Bingham, the county wildlife officer, at (419) 429-8396. Report poaching at 1-800-762-2437.
- Area map PDF (published 5/17/2022) · legend: parking area, parking, trail
- Point on 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.
Pictures from Parkersburg Wildlife Area country and its game
Zeroing a slug gun on the way to Parkersburg Wildlife Area
Defiance County holds the ODNR-listed range nearest Parkersburg Wildlife Area: Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area Shooting Range (14 miles). 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.
Parkersburg Wildlife Area questions, from permits to parking
Pheasant stocking at Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
Yes, ODNR releases birds here.
Are parts of Parkersburg Wildlife Area closed to hunters?
It is restricted; check the map.
Game check rules after a kill on Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
By noon the following day, through HuntFish OH, wildohio.gov or by phone.
Can I hunt Parkersburg Wildlife Area on a Sunday in Ohio?
Ohio law has no Sunday closure.
Do I need more than an Ohio hunting license for Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg Wildlife Area property in acres?
It takes in 153 acres of ground. GIS and map figures vary.
How many deer may one hunter kill around Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
3, as set for Williams County. One antlered deer statewide; public areas cap antlerless deer at two a year.
Does ODNR draw permits for Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
Yes, 2 hunts in 2026: trapping and pheasant. The fee is $3 a hunt.
Which Ohio waterfowl zone covers Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
Waterfowl Zone A: ducks Oct 17 to Nov 1, 2026; Nov 14 to Dec 27, 2026.
Can I camp at Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
Not allowed; only three wildlife areas have camping.
What are the stand and baiting rules on Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
Bait is banned on public land; use portable stands only.
Orange clothing rules at Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg Wildlife Area?
Legal deer light on November 30, 2026: 7:14 a.m. to 5:40 p.m.
Last checks before loading up for Parkersburg Wildlife Area
Saw a violation on Parkersburg Wildlife Area? Call 1-800-POACHER; tips can stay anonymous.
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: lwolfartist (CC BY 2.0); ALAN SCHMIERER (CC0 1.0); Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0).