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Buckeye state wildlife area with open hunting
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3: seasons, rules and access
One state wildlife area of 41 acres in Putnam County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: Art Anderson (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Getting to Putnam County Wildlife Area 3
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3: size, setting and history
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 covers 41 acres in Putnam 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 "Putnam county wildlife area 3" in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| Area map PDF | 41 |
| Hunting-status layer | 41 |
| GIS parcel area | 41 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Putnam County Wildlife Area 3
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3: rules that apply on the ground
No restricted parcels: Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 is open land in the status layer.
- Drive and park only on designated roads and lots.
- No campsites on this property.
- 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 Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 game is in season
No game is named in the sources for Putnam County Wildlife Area 3; statewide dates hold. Spring gobbler dates listed are the 2026 ones.
| Game | Season | Opens | Closes | 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 |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 1 turkey |
| Squirrels | Regular | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 daily |
| Cottontail | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 4 daily |
| Pheasant | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 2 roosters daily |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 4 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 |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (No species named by ODNR for this area); checked November 6, 2026.
County rules around Putnam County Wildlife Area 3
Putnam County allows 3 deer per hunter in 2026-27. Putnam County hunters checked 1,376 deer in 2025-26 (529 antlered). This season to November 3, 2026, 313 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County | 3 deer | No | B | South | Open | 1,376 |
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 Putnam County Wildlife Area 3
Cascade Wayside Wildlife Area lies 3 miles east of the Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 5 wildlife areas and 1 public access area.
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade Wayside Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 36 | Putnam | 3 miles | east |
| Putnam County WA #4 | Wildlife area | 64 | Putnam | 5 miles | east |
| Putnam County WA 2 | Wildlife area | 41 | Putnam | 5 miles | east |
| Ottoville Quarry Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 7 | Putnam | 5 miles | south |
| Putnam County WA 1 | Wildlife area | 39 | Putnam | 6 miles | east |
| Five Mile Creek – Auglaize River Access | Access area | 6 | Defiance | 16 miles | north |
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.
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, 419-424-5000. Putnam County is patrolled by officer Jason Porinchok ((419) 429-8391). 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.
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3: towns, shops and the nearest ODNR office
Measured straight, Ottawa is 16 miles from Putnam County Wildlife Area 3. Of the five, Lima is the biggest with 34,690 residents (2024 estimate). Allow for 35 miles of straight-line distance to the Findlay ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | Putnam | 4,422 | 16 miles | east |
| Paulding | Paulding | 3,532 | 16 miles | northwest |
| Van Wert | Van Wert | 11,123 | 17 miles | southwest |
| Defiance | Defiance | 17,180 | 19 miles | north |
| Lima | Allen | 34,690 | 22 miles | southeast |
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 Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 seasons
Around Putnam County Wildlife Area 3, 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 | 7:27 a.m. | 7:30 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:32 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:13 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:31 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:41 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:59 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:59 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 8:02 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 7:32 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 8:02 a.m. to 5:19 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.
Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 district scenes and wildlife photos
Public range and clubs on the road to Putnam County Wildlife Area 3
Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area Shooting Range (the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day)) is 24 miles from Putnam County Wildlife Area 3. 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 Putnam County Wildlife Area 3
Where do I take questions about Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
The Wildlife District Two office, 419-424-5000.
Deer hours at Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 on the first gun day?
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty after sunset; on November 30, 2026 that is 7:11 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. here (NOAA solar formula).
Is Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
All parcels are open in the status layer.
Where do hunters buy supplies near Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
Ottawa is the nearest, 16 miles off.
Are Sundays open for hunting on Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
Ohio has no statewide Sunday restriction, so Sundays follow the regular seasons unless a lottery permit sets the day.
Game check rules after a kill on Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
Check it in by noon the next day; no check station visit is needed.
How big is the Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 property in acres?
41 acres, according to the ODNR area map PDF. The acreage table shows the spread.
What must I hold to hunt Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 legally?
Ohio license first, then the game permit. Public hunting land in Ohio charges no access fee.
Are there controlled hunts on Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
No drawn hunts here in 2026.
How many deer can I take on Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
Up to 3, by the county rule. Only one buck per season in Ohio, and two antlerless deer at most from public land.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
No; book a room in a nearby town.
What are this season's duck dates for Putnam County Wildlife Area 3?
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 Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
Sign-off notes for Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 hunters
Rules, closures and lottery details for Putnam County Wildlife Area 3 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: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Mas3cf (CC BY-SA 4.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0).