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Buckeye state wildlife area with open hunting
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4: seasons, rules and access
One state wildlife area of 49 acres in Seneca County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4: size, setting and history
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 covers 49 acres in Seneca 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 "Seneca county wildlife area 4" in OAC 1501:31-15-04(A)(1).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| Hunting-status layer | 49 |
| GIS parcel area | 49 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4: rules that apply on the ground
No restricted parcels: Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 is open land in the status layer.
- Drive and park only on designated roads and lots.
- Camping is prohibited (Appalachian Hills, Simco and Woodbury are the exceptions).
- 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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 game is in season
ODNR and the lottery list tie dove to Seneca County Wildlife Area 4.
| 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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Where ODNR plants for doves on Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 has 9 acres of dove fields in 1 block(s) (winter wheat). Non-controlled fields: no permit beyond the license and HIP.
| Field | Acres | Status | Planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 8.6 | Non-Controlled | winter wheat |
From the ODNR dove fields layer; checked November 6, 2026.
County rules around Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Seneca County allows 3 deer per hunter in 2026-27. Final 2025-26 figure for Seneca County: 3,017 deer checked. This season to November 3, 2026, 595 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seneca County | 3 deer | No | B | South | Open | 3,017 |
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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Sandusky County Wildlife Area 1 lies 5 miles northwest of the Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 5 wildlife areas and 1 public hunting area. Neighbours closed to hunting: Wolf Creek Area – Sandusky Scenic River (scenic river land), Abbotts Bridge Area – Sandusky Scenic River (scenic river land) and Izaak Walton Area – Sandusky Scenic River (scenic river land).
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sandusky County WA 1 | Wildlife area | 40 | Sandusky | 5 miles | northwest |
| Sandusky County WA 2 | Wildlife area | 50 | Sandusky | 6 miles | north |
| Sandusky County WA 5 | Wildlife area | 48 | Sandusky | 7 miles | northwest |
| Seneca County Park District Conservation Area | Hunting area | 56 | Seneca | 7 miles | southeast |
| Sugar Creek Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 125 | Seneca | 8 miles | southeast |
| Knobbys Prairie Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 47 | Seneca | 8 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.
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave, Findlay, OH 45840, 419-424-5000. Seneca County is patrolled by officer Brock Williamson ((419) 429-8394). Poaching tips go to 1-800-POACHER, any hour.
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.
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4: towns, shops and the nearest ODNR office
Measured straight, Fremont is 10 miles from Seneca County Wildlife Area 4. For a full grocery run, Bowling Green (30,463 people) is the pick. Allow for 20 miles of straight-line distance to the Vickery ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont | Sandusky | 15,814 | 10 miles | northeast |
| Tiffin | Seneca | 17,729 | 10 miles | southeast |
| Wightmans Grove | Sandusky | – | 16 miles | northeast |
| Rocky Ridge | Ottawa | 306 | 19 miles | north |
| Bowling Green | Wood | 30,463 | 22 miles | northwest |
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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 seasons
Around Seneca County Wildlife Area 4, 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 | 7:23 a.m. | 7:26 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:56 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:26 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:28 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:09 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:28 a.m. | 5:11 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:11 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:38 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:55 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:55 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:59 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:59 a.m. to 5:14 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.
Dates held at or close to Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
On November 5, 2026 the 10-mile circle held 1 date ahead.
| Day | Name | Distance | Place | Next step | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 21, 2027 | Sandusky County Beardbusters NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Gibsonburg | 10 | Gibsonburg, Sandusky County | Tickets | Source |
Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 district scenes and wildlife photos
Public range and clubs on the road to Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Wyandot Wildlife Area Shooting Range (the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day)) is 23 miles from Seneca County Wildlife Area 4. 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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4
Where do hunters buy supplies near Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
Fremont, 10 miles away in a straight line.
Where do I take questions about Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
The Wildlife District Two office, 419-424-5000.
Is Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
All parcels are open in the status layer.
Does Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 have managed dove fields?
Yes: 1 field, 2.
Are Sundays open for hunting on Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
Check it in by noon the next day; no check station visit is needed.
How big is the Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 property in acres?
49 acres, according to the ODNR lands layer SUM_CALC_ACRES.
What must I hold to hunt Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 legally?
Ohio license first, then the game permit. Public hunting land in Ohio charges no access fee.
Are there controlled hunts on Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
No drawn hunts here in 2026.
How many deer can I take on Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
Seneca County allows 3. Only one buck per season in Ohio, and two antlerless deer at most from public land.
Where can hunters stay overnight at Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
No; book a room in a nearby town.
What are this season's duck dates for Seneca County Wildlife Area 4?
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 Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
Sign-off notes for Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 hunters
Rules, closures and lottery details for Seneca County Wildlife Area 4 can change mid-season; posted signs and the ODNR page have the last word.
Sources: source 1 · source 2 · source 3; seasons from the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked November 6, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Peter Wallack (CC BY-SA 3.0); ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0); greenebriar (Public domain).