Home › Ohio › Public land › Salt Fork State Park
State park in Guernsey County, Ohio
Salt Fork State Park hunting, rules and county limits
A 17,229-acre Ohio state park in Guernsey County.
Photo: Bwsmith84 (CC BY 3.0)
Getting to Salt Fork State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Salt Fork State Park
- Gunn's Glen TrailTrailhead · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 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 · 1.6 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 · 1.8 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.
Inside the Salt Fork State Park record
At 17,229 acres, Salt Fork State Park is a state park in Guernsey County; the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft looks after it. The Division of Wildlife handles it from its Athens office (District 4, Southeast Ohio). Cover on the property page: lake, fall color and woods. Other uses listed: camping, kayaking, golf, 3d archery, boating and hiking; trails are marked as Buckeye Trail, snowmobile, hiking trails and horseback trails. The hunting layer shows the parcels as owned outright by the state. The administrative code lists it under 1501:31-15-04(A)(2), written "Salt fork".
From the ODNR property page:
“Located in eastern Ohio, Salt Fork State Park encompasses a stunning landscape featuring forested hills, open meadows, and misty valleys decorated with winding streams.”
Pick your number: 17,229 acres at the low end, 20,716 at the high end, by source.
| Source | Acres |
|---|---|
| Property Details layer | 17,229 |
| Water (Property Details) | 2,952 |
| Hunting-status layer | 20,716 |
| GIS parcel area | 20,573 |
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 Salt Fork State Park
Salt Fork State Park hunting rules, line by line
Restricted on the ODNR layer: read the map for Salt Fork State Park before you set up.
- Leave the corn at home: no bait on public land.
- Two antlerless deer at most from all public hunting areas in a license year.
- Only the zones on the official park hunting map are open.
- A 400-foot no-hunting buffer surrounds park facilities.
- Roads and trails are no-shoot lines.
- Ask the park office about a permanent blind permit.
- Certain hunts are drawn by lottery.
- Waterfowl blinds: lottery, then selection day.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules, OAC 1501:46-15-07; checked November 6, 2026.
Salt Fork State Park lottery hunts for 2026
3 drawings cover Salt Fork State Park this year: 1 raccoon, 1 deer archery and 1 deer gun. Each application costs $3 and is non-refundable; apply at wildohio.gov, in HuntFish OH or by phone. The county bag does not include deer from controlled hunts. Trapping lotteries are drawn in person on October 3, 2026 at the five district offices.
| Number | Name | Kind | When to apply | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2514 | Salt Fork SP archery deer | Deer archery | July 1-31 | – |
| 2708 | Salt Fork SP youth deer | Deer gun | July 1-31 | – |
| 2981 | Salt Fork State Park raccoon hunt & trap | Raccoon | In person, Oct. 3 | – |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Hunting calendar matched to Salt Fork State Park
The sources name deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, quail, ruffed grouse and waterfowl on Salt Fork State Park; the table shows the 2026-27 dates for that game. Waterfowl dates here are the Zone C dates. The spring turkey dates are from 2026, since ODNR had not published 2027. Grouse are by controlled hunt only, one bird per permit.
| Quarry | Season | Start | End | 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 |
| 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 |
| Red fox | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Red fox | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Gray fox | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Gray fox | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | No limit |
| 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 | 3 per season |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 15 daily |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | 15 daily |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Teal | Early teal | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 6 ducks daily |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 ducks daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 5 daily |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | 5 daily |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | Regular limits |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | Regular limits |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (ODNR property page hunting text); checked November 6, 2026.
Extras for hunters at Salt Fork State Park
Dove fields planted on Salt Fork State Park
ODNR plants 9 fields for doves on Salt Fork State Park, roughly 31 acres of winter wheat, corn, sunflower and buckwheat. None needs a lottery permit; bring your license and HIP.
| Field | Acres | Status | Planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 4.4 | Non-Controlled | winter wheat |
| 36 | 3.3 | Non-Controlled | egyptian wheat, millet |
| 35 | 4.9 | Non-Controlled | corn |
| 39 | 4.1 | Non-Controlled | sunflower, buckwheat |
| 34 | 4.0 | Non-Controlled | sunflower, buckwheat |
| 32 | 0.3 | Non-Controlled | winter wheat |
| 33 | 3.5 | Non-Controlled | winter wheat |
| 40 | 1.8 | Non-Controlled | soybeans |
| Deerassic B Fields 37 | 4.6 | Non-Controlled | corn |
Pheasant releases at Salt Fork State Park
Rooster hunters: release fields, 54 field(s) totalling 259 acres. Stocking dates: youth weekends, then November 6, November 14 and November 26.
Working dogs on Salt Fork State Park
Train dogs at Salt Fork Dog Training Area, 1,860 acres.
Salt Fork State Park range
Sight in on site: class C, D. The $24 annual range permit covers class A, B and C ranges.
| Range | Class | Type or contact | Supervised trap/skeet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Fork Wildlife Area | C | Shotgun | No |
| Salt Fork State Park | D | (740) 439-3521 | No |
From the ODNR dove fields layer, pheasant release list, dog training layer, range list; checked November 6, 2026.
County limits that apply on Salt Fork State Park
Deer bag in Guernsey County: 3, with a single antlered deer allowed across Ohio. Guernsey County hunters checked 4,804 deer in 2025-26 (1,957 antlered). The 2026-27 count stood at 953 on November 3, 2026.
| County | Limit | DSA | Zone | Spring | Fall turkey | 2025-26 deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guernsey County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 4,804 |
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.
Salt Fork State Park hunting, as the agency puts it
Hunting notes from the Salt Fork State Park page:
“Some trails travel through areas open to hunting during lawful seasons.”
“Deer Run Trail – 1.5 Miles – moderate”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Public hunting land within reach of Salt Fork State Park
Drive under a mile northeast and the next public tract is Salt Fork Wildlife Area. Around it on the map: 4 wildlife areas and 2 public hunting areas.
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Fork Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 342 | Guernsey | under a mile | northeast |
| Dan & Margaret James WA | Wildlife area | 75 | Guernsey | 11 miles | south |
| Buffalo Fork Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 199 | Guernsey | 14 miles | south |
| Senecaville Lake Hunt Area | Hunting area | 7,674 | Noble | 15 miles | south |
| Keen Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 85 | Harrison | 16 miles | northeast |
| Conesville Public Recreation Area | Hunting area | 844 | Muskingum | 16 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.
Salt Fork State Park maps, address and officers
For permits and questions try the Wildlife District Four office, 740-589-9930. The Guernsey County wildlife officer is Taylor Combs, (614) 563-2355. Anonymous tip line: 1-800-POACHER.
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.
Where to fuel up and grab ice near Salt Fork State Park
From the point, Cambridge sits 8 miles away. For face-to-face help, the Lore City ODNR office lies 1 mile away as the crow flies.
| Place | County | Population | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | Guernsey | 10,036 | 8 miles | southwest |
| Senecaville | Guernsey | 414 | 12 miles | south |
| Tippecanoe | Harrison | – | 16 miles | northeast |
| Holloway | Belmont | 324 | 19 miles | east |
| Cumberland | Guernsey | 314 | 20 miles | southwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Gun-week light and other opener times on Salt Fork State Park
ODNR prints no sunrise table and points hunters to its app, the NOAA calculator and the Naval Observatory; the times for Salt Fork State Park below are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for its own location.
| Date | Opener | Sunrise | Sunset | Big game | Duck window | Pheasant window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:16 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:21 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:00 a.m. | 5:19 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:49 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:28 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:38 a.m. | 5:01 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:01 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:44 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 7:44 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:48 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:11 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.
Classes, hunts and dinners near Salt Fork State Park
This ground and its 10-mile ring: 2 dates ahead, 1 past row.
| When | Title | Miles off | Location | Register or details | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9, 2027 | 2027 Ohio State Awards Banquet · NWTF awards banquet, Cambridge | 8 | Cambridge, Guernsey County | Event details | Source |
| Mar 22, 2027 | Guernsey County Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Cambridge | 8 | Cambridge, Guernsey County | Tickets | Source |
Earlier dates and winners
| Date run | Event | Where held | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2026 | Guernsey County Greenwing Day Camp · DU Greenwing day, Cambridge | Cambridge, Guernsey County | Source |
Field and woods views near Salt Fork State Park
Salt Fork State Park has its own archery range
Before a hunt on Salt Fork State Park, the range on the property (Salt Fork State Park Archery Range) is the obvious place to check a gun or bow.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Salt Fork State Park: what Buckeye hunters keep asking
Dove field hunting at Salt Fork State Park: how many fields?
9 field(s) are planted for doves.
Is Salt Fork State Park a pheasant release area?
Yes, stocked birds on release days.
Is every part of Salt Fork State Park open to hunting?
Restricted: only mapped zones are open.
When must I check game taken on Salt Fork State Park?
Report deer and turkeys by noon the day after the kill, online, by phone or in the HuntFish OH app.
Can Salt Fork State Park be hunted all seven days?
No statewide Sunday limit applies.
Is any special pass needed to hunt Salt Fork State Park?
An Ohio hunting license ($19 resident, $180.96 nonresident) plus the permit for your game: deer or turkey permit, fur taker permit, or HIP and stamps for waterfowl. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
How big is the Salt Fork State Park property in acres?
About 17,229 acres by the main source; other layers are in the acreage table. Different layers give slightly different totals.
Deer bag limit for Salt Fork State Park?
Up to 3, by the county rule. Statewide: 6 deer, 1 antlered; public hunting areas: 2 antlerless at most.
Is any hunting at Salt Fork State Park by permit only?
Yes. The 2026 list has 3 (raccoon, deer archery and deer gun). Applications are $3.
Which zone sets the waterfowl calendar at Salt Fork State Park?
Zone C. Splits: Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Overnight stays at Salt Fork State Park?
Yes, at the campground; no hunting near it.
Can I leave a tree stand or use bait on Salt Fork State Park?
No bait, and stands must be portable.
Must I wear orange while hunting Salt Fork State Park in winter?
During the youth gun, gun, bonus gun, DSA early gun and muzzleloader seasons, every hunter except waterfowl hunters wears a hunter orange vest, coat, jacket or coveralls.
Sign-off notes for Salt Fork State Park hunters
Gravel lanes and parking lots can flood or close in wet weather; check access to Salt Fork State Park before the drive.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4 · source 5 · source 6; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: ilouque (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).