Ohio › Species › Ruffed Grouse
Upland bird
Ruffed grouse in Ohio: 2026-27 controlled hunts
No general season this year; how to draw one of four ruffed grouse hunts in southeast Ohio.
Photo: Gerry (CC BY 2.0)
Ruffed Grouse hunting at a glance
Ruffed grouse can be hunted in Ohio this year only with a controlled-hunt permit for one of four Appalachian forest areas; there are no statewide dates.
- The bag (ruffed grouse): 1 per hunter per controlled-hunt permit.
- Dates in short (ruffed grouse): Controlled hunts only (new 2026: Appalachian Hills/Jesse Owens, Shawnee SF, Vinton Furnace, Zaleski SF/Waterloo); permits by July lottery; dates on each permit.
- Extra note (ruffed grouse): No general season in 2026-27.
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 17, ODNR controlled hunting page, OAC 1501:31-15-02 and ODNR hunting regulations page; checked November 6, 2026.
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How many ruffed grouse are taken in Ohio
Statewide survey numbers for ruffed grouse; ODNR publishes no county breakdown.
Statewide grouse survey, 2022-23
| Species | Estimated hunters | Days afield (mean) | Estimated harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruffed Grouse | 3,516 | 6.1 | 195 |
Sources: ODNR 2022-23 small game summary; checked November 6, 2026.
How many ruffed grouse you can take
Every limit that applies to ruffed grouse, row by row and rule by rule.
- Ruffed grouse (ruffed grouse page): Controlled hunts only; 1 grouse per hunter per permit.
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 17; checked November 6, 2026.
Buying a license for ruffed grouse
A hunting license is all that is required, unless an exemption applies. These grouse prices are the 2026-27 digest figures, slightly above the base fees in ORC 1533.10 because they include the writing fee.
| Permit | Buyer | Fee | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident license | Resident | $19.00 | License year |
| Nonresident license | Nonresident | $180.96 | License year |
| Youth license | Resident and nonresident | $10.00 | License year |
| Resident senior license | Resident | $10.00 | License year |
| Controlled hunt lottery application | Resident and nonresident | $3 | Per hunt applied for |
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 26, 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 29 and 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 28; checked November 6, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse: what you may hunt with
- Small game and furbearers (ruffed grouse), fine to use: Bow, crossbow, handgun and rifle (any caliber), shotgun 10 gauge or smaller, airgun.
- Small game and furbearers (ruffed grouse), off limits: During deer gun seasons only shotguns with number 4 shot or smaller (except coyote hunters with deer-legal implements and a deer permit).
- General (ruffed grouse), fine to use: Guns up to 10 gauge, bow and arrow, with or without dogs (ORC 1533.16); falconry and crossbows for any game (not migratory birds with crossbows).
- General (ruffed grouse), off limits: Blowguns are not guns; deadfalls; fully automatic firearms and tracer ammunition on wildlife areas.
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 17 and ORC 1533.16; checked November 6, 2026.
What ODNR requires on grouse hunts
- Visibility (ruffed grouse): Ruffed grouse hunters wear it only when they hunt during the deer gun weeks: hunting any wild animal (except waterfowl) from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset during the youth deer gun, deer gun (including bonus gun and DSA early gun) and deer muzzleloader seasons requires a visible vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange, statewide on public and private land.
- Written permission (ruffed grouse): No hunting or trapping on another's land without written permission of the owner or agent; carry it and show on request (also for deer recovery and shed hunting).
- Electronic calls (ruffed grouse): Legal except for migratory game birds and wild turkeys; legal for crows.
- Wildlife areas (ruffed grouse): No firearms except while hunting/trapping or on designated ranges; no vehicles off designated roads; no bait or feed; camping only at designated sites.
- Sunday rule (ruffed grouse): No statewide Sunday hunting restriction appears in the 2026-27 digest or the OAC 1501:31 and ORC 1533 sections read.
- Safety course (ruffed grouse): All first-time hunting license buyers except apprentice license buyers must complete a hunter education course (or show a previously held license, or attest they are 21+ and previously held a license in any state).
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 5, ORC 1533.17, 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 33, 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 34, 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 4 and 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 29; checked November 6, 2026.
Ohio grouse controlled hunting lotteries
Drawn grouse hunts: 4 on the 2026-27 list. Permits cannot be bought, sold or traded.
Ruffed grouse hunts: Pheasant hunts (permittee + up to 4 partners) on the youth Saturdays, opening day, November 14 and Thanksgiving; squirrel, rabbit, quail and grouse hunts in 3-day periods; grouse limited to 1 per hunter per permit.
| No. | Hunt name | Area page | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2746 | Appalachian Hills and Jesse Owens grouse | Appalachian Hills WA +1 | Small Game Hunts |
| 2747 | Shawnee SF grouse | Shawnee SF | Small Game Hunts |
| 2748 | Vinton Furnace WA and SF grouse | Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest +1 | Small Game Hunts |
| 2749 | Zaleski SF and Waterloo WA grouse | Zaleski SF +1 | Small Game Hunts |
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 26, 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 27 and ODNR controlled hunting page; checked November 6, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse on wildlife areas and forests
The land data ties ruffed grouse to 38 public places (ruffed grouse); by district: District 3 7, District 4 30. Big state forests and the Wayne hold the most ground, but small wildlife areas can sit closer to home.
| Place (district) | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shawnee SF | State forest | Adams +1 | 64,735 |
| Appalachian Hills WA | Wildlife area | Guernsey +3 | 35,396 |
| Zaleski SF | State forest | Athens +1 | 27,822 |
| Egypt Valley WA | Wildlife area | Belmont +1 | 22,663 |
| Salt Fork SP | State park | Guernsey | 17,229 |
| Vinton Furnace Experimental Forest | State forest | Vinton | 12,331 |
| Scioto Trail SF | State forest | Ross | 9,600 |
| Mosquito Creek WA | Wildlife area | Trumbull | 9,021 |
| Superior WA | Wildlife area | Vinton | 5,000 |
| Jesse Owens WA | Wildlife area | Morgan | 4,836 |
| Shenango WA | Wildlife area | Trumbull | 3,957 |
| Dillon WA | Wildlife area | Licking +1 | 3,612 |
Sources: 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 6 and 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations, page 13 and the ODNR property pages linked from each land page; checked November 6, 2026.
Ruffed grouse on the forest floor. Photo: GlacierNPS (Public domain)
Ruffed grouse walking on the ground. Photo: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)
Ruffed grouse hen with neck ruff flared and tail fanned. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Ruffed Grouse questions
Which properties host Ohio grouse hunts?
The 2026-27 list names 4 grouse hunts: Appalachian Hills and Jesse Owens grouse, Shawnee SF grouse, Vinton Furnace WA and SF grouse and Zaleski SF and Waterloo WA grouse.
Are ruffed grouse open to hunting in Ohio in 2026-27?
Grouse are now controlled hunts only. No general season in 2026-27; controlled hunts only (new 2026: Appalachian Hills/Jesse Owens, Shawnee SF, Vinton Furnace, Zaleski SF/Waterloo); permits by July lottery; dates on each permit.
When is the application window for grouse permits?
Grouse permits come from the July lottery: turkey March 1-31; deer, small game, dove, waterfowl and waterfowl blind July 1-31; trapping (beaver/otter, furbearer, raccoon) in person on the first Saturday in October (October 3, 2026) at the five district offices; Tuesday/Thursday waterfowl permits by online lottery each Monday and Wednesday 10 am-noon; controlled access lotteries (computer-generated random draw) for deer, waterfowl, waterfowl blinds, dove, pheasant, squirrel, rabbit, quail, grouse (new for 2026), turkey and trapping; Apply at wildohio.gov / Ohio Wildlife Licensing System, the HuntFish OH app or by phone; $3 non-refundable per hunt; each hunt once per year; must already hold the license and permits for the species; Results by email the week after the application period; Permits may not be bought, sold, bartered or traded.
What is the grouse limit on an Ohio permit?
Controlled hunts only; 1 grouse per hunter per permit.
How many Ohio hunters pursue ruffed grouse?
The ODNR 2022-23 small game questionnaire estimated 3,516 ruffed grouse hunters and a harvest of 195 birds statewide, the latest estimate found.
Are grouse open to falconry in Ohio?
The falconry row covers grouse, but with a limit: Extended falconry season September 1-March 10; extended falconry season September 1-March 10 for cottontail rabbit, squirrels, pheasant and chukar, grouse and bobwhite quail (grouse and quail still limited by area rules); falconers may also take migratory game birds, furbearers and crows in their open seasons; Dates computed from the rule for the 2026-27 season.
What is the daily limit for ruffed grouse in Ohio?
1 per hunter per controlled-hunt permit; the regulations add: controlled hunts only; 1 grouse per hunter per permit.
When does grouse season open in Ohio?
There are no dated rows for ruffed grouse; the season is limited to controlled hunts with a permit.
Where can I hunt ruffed grouse on public land in Ohio?
38 public places in this guide list ruffed grouse or a matching game group, mostly 19 wildlife areas, 11 state parks and 6 state forests; the largest are Shawnee State Forest, Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area and Zaleski State Forest. Private land for ruffed grouse needs written permission; enrolled L/HAP farms take an online check-in.
What license do I need to hunt ruffed grouse in Ohio?
For ruffed grouse you need a hunting license. Prices for ruffed grouse: Resident license $19.00; Nonresident license $180.96; Youth license $10.00; Resident senior license $10.00; Controlled hunt lottery application $3.
Does Ohio restrict grouse hunting on Sundays?
Sunday is an ordinary hunting day for ruffed grouse: no statewide Sunday hunting restriction appears in the 2026-27 digest or the OAC 1501:31 and ORC 1533 sections read.
When must Ohio grouse hunters wear orange?
Ruffed grouse hunters wear it only when they hunt during the deer gun weeks: hunting any wild animal (except waterfowl) from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset during the youth deer gun, deer gun (including bonus gun and DSA early gun) and deer muzzleloader seasons requires a visible vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange, statewide on public and private land.
Other photos on this page: GlacierNPS (Public domain); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).