Home › Ohio › Public land › Strouds Run State Park
State park · District 4 ground
Strouds Run State Park for Buckeye State hunters
2,606 acres managed as a state park in Athens County.
Photo: DanaK~WaterPenny (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Strouds Run State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Strouds Run State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Cucumbertree TrailheadParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 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.
Access and conduct rules at Strouds Run State Park
The status layer says restricted, so check which zones of Strouds Run State Park allow hunting.
- Hunting deer over bait is illegal here.
- Only two antlerless deer may come from public hunting areas each year.
- Hunting is legal only where the park map allows it.
- No hunting within 400 feet of campgrounds, picnic areas, shelters, latrines, parking lots or other structures.
- No shooting on, from or across roads, driveways or trails.
- Permanent blinds are by permit.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules, OAC 1501:46-15-07; checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Strouds Run State Park
Inside the Strouds Run State Park record
This state park in Athens County spans 2,606 acres under the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft. It belongs to ODNR Wildlife District 4 (Southeast Ohio), whose office is in Athens. The listing describes fall color on the ground. Activities beyond the hunt: camping, kayaking, boating, hiking, powerboating and paddling. Trail types: hiking trails, horseback trails and mountain bike. Land tenure in the ODNR layer: owned outright by the state. Ohio rule 1501:31-15-04(A)(2) names it ("Strouds run") as land open to public hunting.
ODNR sums it up:
“Located outside of the city of Athens and within easy driving distance of Ohio University, Strouds Run State Park surrounds Dow Lake and draws a mix of trail and lake users.”
The acreage runs from 2,522 to 2,606 depending on the layer; the headline figure is 2,606.
| Source | Size (ac) |
|---|---|
| Property Details layer | 2,606 |
| Water (Property Details) | 161 |
| Hunting-status layer | 2,567 |
| GIS parcel area | 2,522 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer, OAC; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Strouds Run State Park: open seasons for its listed game
Listed game: deer, turkey, squirrel, raccoon, fox, upland birds and trapping. Dates follow. Read the spring turkey rows as 2026 dates.
| Species | Hunt | First day | Last day | Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Pheasant | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 2 roosters daily |
| Chukar | Regular | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | 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 |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 4 daily |
| Chukar | 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 | 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 (ODNR property page hunting text); checked November 6, 2026.
Strouds Run State Park: deer limits and zones by county
Athens County is a 2-deer county for 2026-27 (two-deer (max. 1 antlerless)). Final 2025-26 figure for Athens County: 917 deer checked. So far in 2026-27 (through November 3, 2026) the county shows 308.
| County | Deer limit | DSA | Duck zone | Spring turkey | Fall turkey | Deer 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens County | 2 deer | No | C | South | Open | 917 |
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.
Ohio hunting ground a short drive from Strouds Run State Park
The nearest other public hunting ground is Fox Lake Wildlife Area, 9 miles off to the southwest. The six nearest places include 3 wildlife areas, 1 state forest and 1 public hunting area. Closed to hunting nearby: Riddle State Nature Preserve (nature preserve), Desonier State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Ladd Natural Bridge State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fox Lake Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 421 | Athens | 9 miles | southwest |
| Gifford State Forest | State forest | 320 | Athens | 9 miles | northeast |
| Poston Plant Lands Hunting Area | Hunting area | 1,175 | Athens | 10 miles | west |
| Acadia Cliffs Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 273 | Washington | 10 miles | east |
| Acadia Cliffs SNP | Nature preserve | 113 | Washington | 11 miles | east |
| Taylor Ridge Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 1,226 | Athens | 11 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.
Notes from the Strouds Run State Park listing
The agency page has this to say about hunting Strouds Run State Park:
“These woods are home to white-tailed deer, fox, raccoon, opossum, squirrel, wild turkey and a variety of songbirds.”
Quoted from the agency page; checked November 6, 2026.
Supply towns and ODNR help around Strouds Run State Park
Count on Athens, about 4 miles out, for supplies. The nearest ODNR office sits in Athens, 3 miles from the point.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | Athens | 24,824 | 4 miles | southwest |
| Trimble | Athens | 329 | 10 miles | north |
| New Marshfield | Athens | – | 10 miles | west |
| Nelsonville | Athens | 4,555 | 12 miles | northwest |
| Murray City | Hocking | 335 | 13 miles | northwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Phone numbers and maps for Strouds Run State Park
Wildlife District Four staff work from 360 E State St, Athens, OH 45701; phone 740-589-9930. County wildlife officer: Ryan Donnelly, (740) 541-8266. Turn in a poacher at 1-800-POACHER (762-2437).
- Hunting map PDF · legend: lake
- Download the Lake Fishing Map
- Strouds Run State Park Map
- Google Maps pin
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.
Photo strip: land and game around Strouds Run State Park
Sun-up to sundown hunting clock for Strouds Run State Park
Furbearers have no hour limit in Ohio, but in the deer gun and muzzleloader weeks coyote hunting near Strouds Run State Park keeps to deer hours.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Ducks and squirrels | Sunrise birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:18 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 6:48 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:23 a.m. | 7:13 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:43 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:13 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:01 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:28 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:38 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:44 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:44 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:48 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:15 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.
Zeroing a slug gun on the way to Strouds Run State Park
The closest ODNR-listed range to Strouds Run State Park is Wolf Creek Wildlife Area Shooting Range, about 17 miles off as the crow flies. The other cards show clubs a 30-mile drive or less away.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Strouds Run State Park, answered one question at a time
Which number reaches the Strouds Run State Park managers?
(740) 767-3570 reaches the managers.
Which town on this site is nearest to Strouds Run State Park?
Athens, 4 miles away in a straight line.
Which parts of Strouds Run State Park allow hunting?
Not all of it: ODNR lists it as restricted, so use the hunting map.
Do I have to report game shot on Strouds Run State Park?
Deer and turkeys go through the electronic game check by noon the next day.
Do Sunday rules limit hunting at Strouds Run State Park?
Yes; Ohio sets no Sunday ban.
What licenses and permits cover a hunt on Strouds Run State Park?
Your Ohio license and the right permit. First-time buyers need hunter education or an apprentice license.
How big is the Strouds Run State Park property in acres?
Roughly 2,606 acres all told. Other sources differ a little; see the acreage table.
Which county deer limit applies to Strouds Run State Park?
Athens County allows 2. The statewide limit is six, one antlered; public land adds a two-antlerless cap.
Does Strouds Run State Park have lottery hunts?
Not in 2026: hunt it during the open seasons without a draw.
Duck zone and split dates for Strouds Run State Park?
Zone C dates apply: Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
May I camp while hunting Strouds Run State Park?
Use the campground; hunting is barred within 400 feet of camping areas.
Can I hang a stand on Strouds Run State Park?
Stands must be portable; bait and feed are prohibited.
When is hunter orange required on Strouds Run State Park?
In gun and muzzleloader seasons: an orange garment, unless you hunt waterfowl.
Strouds Run State Park trip, last details
Use this page to plan, then reread the official page for Strouds Run State Park the week before the trip.
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: lwolfartist (CC BY 2.0); ALAN SCHMIERER (CC0 1.0); Mas3cf (CC BY-SA 4.0).