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Hunting access · Ohio wildlife area
Hunt Resthaven Wildlife Area this 2026-27 season
Hunting ground of 2,218 acres, run as a state wildlife area in Erie County and Sandusky County.
Photo: Ohio Department of Natural Resources (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Resthaven Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Resthaven Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 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 · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.8 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.
Resthaven Wildlife Area by the numbers ODNR keeps
The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages Resthaven Wildlife Area, 2,218 acres of state wildlife area ground in Erie County and Sandusky County. Its ODNR page places the ground about 1 miles north of Castalia. For wildlife work it falls under District 2, run from Findlay. Natural features on record: summer wildflowers, woods, grassland, spring wildflowers, crops and wetlands. ODNR also lists kayaking, dog training area, boating, hiking, birding and pheasant release here, with APV Trails and hunter access. Hunters have had this ground since the state bought in starting 1942 (through 1992), 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 "Resthaven", the legal list of public hunting land.
Layers give between 1,822 and 2,244 acres, so the table shows each one.
| Measure | Acres |
|---|---|
| ODNR property page | 2,218 |
| Property Details layer | 1,822 |
| Water (Property Details) | 397 |
| Hunting-status layer | 2,219 |
| GIS parcel area | 2,244 |
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 Resthaven Wildlife Area
Ground rules for hunting Resthaven Wildlife Area
Resthaven Wildlife Area is open ground in the ODNR status map.
- No driving off the posted roads; park in the lots.
- Leave the tent at home: no camping here.
- 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.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
What ODNR plants and maintains on Resthaven Wildlife Area
Resthaven Wildlife Area dove plots and crops
4 dove fields cover about 40 acres here, planted in millet, sunflower, wheat and bare ground. All are non-controlled, open to any licensed hunter from the opener.
| Field | Acres | Status | Planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of Wahl Ditch | 15 | Non-Controlled | sunflower, millet |
| North of Oxbo | 11 | Non-Controlled | millet, bare ground |
| West of Wahl Ditch | 8.0 | Non-Controlled | wheat, millet |
| Clay Pits | 6.2 | Non-Controlled | wheat, sunflower |
Pheasants on Resthaven Wildlife Area
The release map shows public release and youth release on Resthaven Wildlife Area: 4 field(s), 163 acres. Birds go out for the youth weekends and on November 6, November 14 and November 26.
Resthaven Wildlife Area dog training area
The dog training layer places Northwest Road Dog Training Area (64 acres) here.
Shooting range at Resthaven Wildlife Area
1 range of class C sit on Resthaven Wildlife Area. Bring a range permit for class A to C ($5 per day).
| Range | Class | Type or contact | Supervised trap/skeet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resthaven Wildlife Area | C | Shotgun | No |
Mobility-impaired access at Resthaven Wildlife Area
A mobility-impaired permit allows vehicle use on set access roads.
From the ODNR dove fields layer, pheasant release list, dog training layer, range list; checked November 6, 2026.
Dates and limits for hunting Resthaven Wildlife Area
The record pairs Resthaven Wildlife Area with dove and pheasant.
| Game | Window | From | To | Daily 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 |
| 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.
Resthaven Wildlife Area: next-nearest open land, by miles
Closest neighbour on the ODNR map: Castalia Fish Hatchery, 1 mile east. Neighbour mix: 5 wildlife areas and 1 fish hatchery. Do not mistake these for open ground: Erie Sand Barrens State Nature Preserve (nature preserve), Lakeside Daisy State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Marblehead Lighthouse State Park (park without hunting).
| Nearby | Type | Acres | County | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castalia Fish Hatchery | Fish hatchery | 115 | Erie | 1 mile | east |
| Willow Point Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 432 | Erie | 3 miles | northwest |
| Moxley Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 191 | Erie | 3 miles | northeast |
| Millers Blue Hole WA | Wildlife area | 13 | Sandusky | 4 miles | west |
| Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 3,039 | Sandusky | 6 miles | west |
| Dempsey Sandusky Bay WA | Wildlife area | 68 | Ottawa | 8 miles | northeast |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 2 parcels (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.
Where Resthaven Wildlife Area sits in Ohio's rules
The Erie County deer limit is 3 this season, only one of them antlered statewide. ODNR counted 1,161 deer in Erie County for 2025-26, 667 of them antlerless. Through November 3, 2026: 311 deer checked.
| County | Bag | CWD area | Waterfowl | Turkey zone | Fall | Harvest 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Open | 1,161 |
| Sandusky County | 3 deer | No | A | South | Closed | 1,485 |
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.
Towns and outfitters a short drive from Resthaven Wildlife Area
Castalia is the closest town on this site to Resthaven Wildlife Area, 2 miles in a straight line. A bigger stop is Sandusky, population 24,174. ODNR staff closest to Resthaven Wildlife Area work out of Sandusky, 7 miles off.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castalia | Erie | 746 | 2 miles | southeast |
| Sandusky | Erie | 24,174 | 7 miles | northeast |
| Port Clinton | Ottawa | 5,915 | 9 miles | northwest |
| Wightmans Grove | Sandusky | – | 11 miles | west |
| Fremont | Sandusky | 15,814 | 15 miles | west |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Resthaven 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 | 7:21 a.m. | 7:24 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:27 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:08 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. |
| Nov 14, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:18 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:18 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 | 7:54 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:54 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:57 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:57 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.
Reaching Resthaven Wildlife Area and its managers
Your district office: 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, 419-424-5000. The officer assigned to Erie County is Michele Butler, (419) 429-8382. Call 1-800-POACHER to report a violation anonymously. The map PDF adds: very rough surface which has reverted to woody vegetation and cattails. The map PDF adds: judgment and go slow. All of the area ponds are open to fishing year around, including ice fishing.
- Area map PDF · legend: boat ramp, parking, dog training area, accessible, pheasant, waterfowl hunting, trail, grassland
- ODNR hunting regulations web map
- 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, 2 parcels (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
Dates held at or close to Resthaven Wildlife Area
About 10 straight-line miles from here there is 1 date ahead.
| Scheduled | What | Mi | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2027 | Huron River Valley Fantails NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Sandusky | 7 | Sandusky, Erie County | Tickets | Source |
Images for sizing up a Resthaven Wildlife Area hunt
The range on Resthaven Wildlife Area, plus clubs nearby
ODNR lists Resthaven Wildlife Area Shooting Range on Resthaven Wildlife Area; entry is the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day).
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Common Resthaven Wildlife Area questions with sourced answers
Who should I phone about hunting Resthaven Wildlife Area?
The area phone is (419) 424-5000.
What are deer hunting hours at Resthaven Wildlife Area on the gun opener?
Deer hours run 7:07 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. on November 30, 2026, worked out for this spot.
Can I hunt doves on planted fields at Resthaven Wildlife Area?
The dove layer shows 4 field(s).
Where is Resthaven Wildlife Area relative to the nearest town?
Castalia (2 miles).
Is hunting restricted anywhere on Resthaven Wildlife Area?
Open: no restricted parcels.
Pheasant hunting at Resthaven Wildlife Area?
Pheasants are stocked here.
Does Ohio law allow Sunday hunts on Resthaven Wildlife Area?
Sunday is a normal hunting day in Ohio.
What is the deadline to report a deer from Resthaven Wildlife Area?
Noon the next day is the deadline for the game check.
How many acres of hunting land is Resthaven Wildlife Area?
2,218 acres, from the ODNR property page. The table above lists every source.
Which Ohio license and permits do I need for Resthaven Wildlife Area?
A hunting license and species permits, as anywhere in Ohio; no separate area permit for general hunting.
Can I apply for a drawn hunt at Resthaven Wildlife Area?
No controlled hunts are on file for it.
What deer limit covers Resthaven Wildlife Area?
3 deer, the Erie County limit. Remember the one-antlered rule and the two-antlerless public land cap.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Resthaven Wildlife Area?
No overnight camping.
Resthaven Wildlife Area: the night-before checklist
Report your deer or turkey by noon the next day, and keep your license and permits on you while hunting Resthaven 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: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0); greenebriar (Public domain); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0).