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Hunting access · Ohio hunting area
Hunt Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area this 2026-27 season
Hunting ground of 8,512 acres, run as a public hunting area in Coshocton County and Muskingum County.
Photo: Nyttend (Public domain)
Getting to Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
- Parking areaParking · 3.6 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.
Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area by the numbers ODNR keeps
The ODNR Division of Wildlife manages Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area, 8,512 acres of public hunting area ground in Coshocton County and Muskingum County. For wildlife work it falls under District 4, run from Athens. By tenure the ground is held under a cooperative agreement.
Layers give between 6,621 and 8,512 acres, so the table shows each one.
| Measure | Acres |
|---|---|
| Hunting-status layer | 8,512 |
| GIS parcel area | 8,462 |
| GIS, open parcels only | 6,621 |
From the agency page, ODNR hunting-status layer; retrieved 2026-11-05, checked November 6, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area lottery hunts for 2026
The 2026 lottery list has 1 hunt on Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area (1 trapping). Entry fee: $3 per hunt, no refunds, one entry each. In-person trapping drawings: October 3, 2026, district offices.
| Number | Name | Kind | When to apply | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2868 | Wills Creek Lake MWCD beaver/otter trapping | Trapping | In person, Oct. 3 | packet |
Hunts from the ODNR controlled hunting access lotteries page and the 2026-27 regulations, pp. 26-27; checked November 6, 2026.
Ground rules for hunting Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
Not all of Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area is huntable; the restricted tag points you to the map. Watch the boundaries: 3 of 5 parcels are shut to hunters.
- No driving off the posted roads; park in the lots.
- No campsites on this property.
- 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.
- Another owner lets ODNR manage hunting here.
- Parts of the season need a controlled-hunt permit.
From the agency page, public hunting area rules; checked November 6, 2026.
Dates and limits for hunting Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
The record pairs Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area with trapping.
| Game | Window | From | To | Daily 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 |
Dates and limits from the 2026-27 hunting seasons list and the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations; species from the record (controlled hunt lotteries); checked November 6, 2026.
Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area: next-nearest open land, by miles
Closest neighbour on the ODNR map: Simco Wildlife Area, 2 miles west. Neighbour mix: 5 wildlife areas and 1 public hunting area. Do not mistake these for open ground: Unglaciated Appalachian Plateau Forest (forest unit closed).
| Area | Kind | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simco Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 825 | Coshocton | 2 miles | west |
| Conesville Public Recreation Area | Hunting area | 844 | Muskingum | 2 miles | south |
| Conesville Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 2,931 | Coshocton | 2 miles | west |
| Munro Basin Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 23 | Muskingum | 10 miles | west |
| Tri-Valley Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 16,200 | Muskingum | 10 miles | southwest |
| Woodbury Wildlife Area | Wildlife area | 19,252 | Coshocton | 12 miles | northwest |
Point: ODNR DNR_Lands_Hunting_Status layer, 5 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 Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area sits in Ohio's rules
The Coshocton County deer limit is 3 this season, only one of them antlered statewide. Coshocton County hunters checked 8,527 deer in 2025-26 (3,199 antlered). Through November 3, 2026: 2,193 deer checked.
| County | Bag | CWD area | Waterfowl | Turkey zone | Fall | Harvest 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coshocton County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 8,527 |
| Muskingum County | 3 deer | No | C | South | Open | 6,283 |
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.
Where to fuel up and grab ice near Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
Conesville is the closest town on this site to Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area, 6 miles in a straight line. Of the five, Coshocton is the biggest with 11,114 residents (2024 estimate). ODNR staff closest to Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area work out of Warsaw, 16 miles off.
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conesville | Coshocton | 329 | 6 miles | west |
| Coshocton | Coshocton | 11,114 | 7 miles | northwest |
| Dresden | Muskingum | 1,647 | 13 miles | west |
| Cambridge | Guernsey | 10,036 | 15 miles | southeast |
| Warsaw | Coshocton | 650 | 16 miles | northwest |
Towns from places.json (Census 2024 estimates); ODNR offices and businesses from services.json listings; straight-line miles. Checked November 6, 2026.
Wills Creek Lake Hunt 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 | 7:17 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 7:50 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 7:20 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:22 a.m. | 7:11 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:41 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:01 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:29 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:03 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:40 a.m. | 5:02 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:32 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. | 7:40 a.m. to 5:02 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:46 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:46 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:49 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:49 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 Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area and its managers
Your district office: 360 E State St, Athens, OH 45701, 740-589-9930. The officer assigned to Coshocton County is Jerrod Allison, (740) 502-4586. Call 1-800-POACHER to report a violation anonymously. The map PDF adds: Map is for informational purposes only. The map PDF adds: Property lines have not been field verified.
- Area map PDF · legend: lake
- 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, 5 parcels (polygon centroid of the largest part); checked November 6, 2026.
Classes, hunts and dinners near Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area
About 10 straight-line miles from here there is 1 date ahead.
| When | Title | Mi | Location | Register or details | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2027 | Muskingum Valley Chapter NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Coshocton | 7 | Coshocton, Coshocton County | Tickets | Source |
Images for sizing up a Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area hunt
Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area hunters: public range plus clubs
Tri-Valley Wildlife Area Archery Range is 11 miles from Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area and is the nearest public range on ODNR’s list. Club and private ranges within 30 miles fill the other cards.
From ODNR’s public range list and range pages, ranges’ own pages and directory listings, checked November 6, 2026.
Common Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area questions with sourced answers
Hunter orange rules for Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area in deer season?
A hunter orange vest or coat during the gun deer seasons; no square-inch rule.
Stand and bait rules for Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
Portable stands only, with nothing driven into the tree, and no bait: deer baiting is illegal on public hunting areas.
What office handles Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area for ODNR?
740-589-9930 reaches the managers.
What are deer hunting hours at Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area on the gun opener?
Deer hours run 6:59 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. on November 30, 2026, worked out for this spot.
Is hunting restricted anywhere on Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
Parts are closed or limited; carry the map.
Where is Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area relative to the nearest town?
Conesville is the nearest, 6 miles off.
Does Ohio law allow Sunday hunts on Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
Sunday is a normal hunting day in Ohio.
When must I check game taken on Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
Noon the next day is the deadline for the game check.
How many acres of hunting land is Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
8,512 acres, from the ODNR lands layer SUM_CALC_ACRES. The table above lists every source.
Which Ohio license and permits do I need for Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
A hunting license and species permits, as anywhere in Ohio; no separate area permit for general hunting. Some hunts here are by lottery permit.
Can I apply for a drawn hunt at Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
ODNR lists 1: trapping. Each costs $3 to enter.
Deer bag limit for Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
Up to 3, by the county rule. Remember the one-antlered rule and the two-antlerless public land cap.
Overnight stays at Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area?
No overnight camping.
Sign-off notes for Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area hunters
Report your deer or turkey by noon the next day, and keep your license and permits on you while hunting Wills Creek Lake Hunt Area.
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: Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).