Home › Ohio › Public land › Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Buckeye public hunting area with open hunting
Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area hunting, rules and county limits
One public hunting area of 72 acres in Perry County, open to licensed hunters.
Photo: Ibagli (Public domain)
Getting to Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.4 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.
What kind of place Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area is
Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area covers 72 acres in Perry County, a public hunting area run by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. Questions go to District 4 in Athens, the district that covers it. Parcels are held under a cooperative agreement.
Sources disagree on size, from 71 to 72 acres; this page uses 72 (ODNR lands layer SUM_CALC_ACRES).
| Record | Acres |
|---|---|
| Hunting-status layer | 72 |
| GIS parcel area | 71 |
From the ODNR property page, ODNR hunting-status layer; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area: rules that apply on the ground
No restricted parcels: Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area is open land in the status layer.
- Drive and park only on designated roads and lots.
- Overnight camping is off the table on this ground.
- 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.
- The land is held under a cooperative agreement with the Division of Wildlife.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
When the Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area game is in season
No game is named in the sources for Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area; 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 Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Perry County allows 3 deer per hunter in 2026-27. 2025-26 harvest, Perry County: 2,989 deer. This season to November 3, 2026, 565 deer have been checked there.
| County | Deer limit | CWD | Zone | Spring | Fall | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 2,989 |
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 Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Flagdale Lake Public Hunting Area lies under a mile southwest of the Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area point, the nearest open land. Nearby public places: 4 public hunting areas, 1 wildlife area and 1 state forest. Neighbours closed to hunting: Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve (nature preserve), Kessler Swamp State Nature Preserve (nature preserve) and Rockbridge State Nature Preserve (nature preserve).
| Name | Kind | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagdale Lake PHA | Hunting area | 132 | Perry | under a mile | southwest |
| Clouse Lake Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 96 | Perry | 5 miles | north |
| Rush Creek Lake PHFA | Hunting area | 1,015 | Fairfield | 7 miles | northwest |
| Imhoff Preserve Wildlife Area | Hunting area | 106 | Perry | 7 miles | south |
| Perry State Forest | State forest | 4,706 | Perry | 9 miles | northeast |
| Oakthorpe Lake PHFA | Hunting area | 78 | Fairfield | 10 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.
Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area: who to call and which map to carry
District help: Wildlife District Four, 360 E State St, Athens, OH 45701, 740-589-9930. Perry County is patrolled by officer Mark Basinger ((614) 565-0137). 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.
Stores, deer processors and towns serving Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Measured straight, New Lexington is 7 miles from Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area. Lancaster tops the list at 41,671 people. Allow for 22 miles of straight-line distance to the Malta ODNR office.
| Town | County | 2024 population | Away | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Lexington | Perry | 4,463 | 7 miles | east |
| Logan | Hocking | 7,142 | 12 miles | south |
| Rockbridge | Hocking | – | 13 miles | southwest |
| Lancaster | Fairfield | 41,671 | 15 miles | west |
| Haydenville | Hocking | – | 15 miles | south |
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 Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area seasons
Around Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area, 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 | 7:19 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:24 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:03 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:30 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:41 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:46 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:46 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:50 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:50 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.
What meets on or near Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
On November 5, 2026 the 10-mile circle held 1 date ahead.
| On | Listing | Distance | Venue and county | Button | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2027 | Perry County Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, New Lexington | 7 | New Lexington, Perry County | Tickets | Source |
Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area district scenes and wildlife photos
Zeroing a slug gun on the way to Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Hebron Fish Hatchery Shooting Range (free (Class D)) is 20 miles from Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area. 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 Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area
Is there a campground at Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
No; book a room in a nearby town.
What are this season's duck dates for Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
It is in Zone C; duck splits run Oct 17 to Oct 25, 2026; Dec 12, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027.
Do I need hunter orange on Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area during gun week?
Ohio requires a visible orange garment during deer gun seasons; camo orange counts.
May I bait deer on Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
Portable stands yes, bait no.
Where do I take questions about Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
The Wildlife District Four office, 740-589-9930.
Deer hours at Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area on the first gun day?
Thirty minutes before sunrise to thirty after sunset; on November 30, 2026 that is 7:00 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. here (NOAA solar formula).
Is Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area fully open to hunters in the ODNR layer?
All parcels are open in the status layer.
Where do hunters buy supplies near Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
New Lexington sits 7 miles from the point.
Are Sundays open for hunting on Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
Ohio has no statewide Sunday restriction, so Sundays follow the regular seasons unless a lottery permit sets the day.
How is a turkey or deer from Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area checked?
Check it in by noon the next day; no check station visit is needed.
Acreage check: how large is Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
72 acres, according to the ODNR lands layer SUM_CALC_ACRES.
What must I hold to hunt Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area legally?
Ohio license first, then the game permit. Public hunting land in Ohio charges no access fee.
Are there controlled hunts on Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area?
No drawn hunts here in 2026.
Final word on Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area for this season
Rules, closures and lottery details for Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area 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: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0).