Northeast Ohio hunting
Hunting Near Cuyahoga Falls
City in Summit County, wildlife district 3. The closest open public land is Portage Path Conservation Area, 11 miles out.
Photo: Reina Findley (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Cuyahoga Falls as a hunting base
Cuyahoga Falls is one of the Ohio cities of 25,000 or more people, inside Summit County and ODNR District 3. Population, per the 2024 Census estimate: 50,979 for Cuyahoga Falls. There is no wildlife area, state forest or public hunting area within 10 miles of Cuyahoga Falls. The first one out is Portage Path Conservation Area, 11 miles out. Deer hunters based in Cuyahoga Falls work under the Summit County bag limit of 4 for 2026-27.
Town point, population and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; wildlife district from the ODNR County Contacts layer; public land rings from ODNR and PAD-US boundaries (GIS acres); deer limit from the 2026-27 deer bag limit map. Checked November 6, 2026.
What Summit County rules mean for Cuyahoga Falls
Bag rules near Cuyahoga Falls start with the county class, four-deer, then the Ohio cap of 6 deer and 1 antlered. Hunters near Cuyahoga Falls are outside the Disease Surveillance Area and its extra deer rules. Waterfowl: all of Summit County is in Zone B under the new three-zone layout. Spring turkey uses the South zone rows (2026 dates until ODNR publishes 2027), and fall turkey is open in Summit County. Further, river otter trapping is in Otter Zone B. Hunters from out of state buy the $180.96 nonresident license before any hunt near Cuyahoga Falls; the resident version is $19.00. Hunter orange becomes mandatory in the youth gun, regular gun, bonus gun and muzzleloader seasons for nearly everyone afield. Every deer goes through game check by noon the following day.
Deer limits from the 2026-27 deer bag limit map and regulations; DSA from OAC 1501:31-19-03; CWD detections from ODNR; waterfowl zones from the 2026-27 regulations; turkey zones from the turkey rules. Checked November 6, 2026.
Public tracts ranked by distance from Cuyahoga Falls
Rows are sorted by distance from Cuyahoga Falls to the edge of each property, the way places.json measured them. Within 25 miles of Cuyahoga Falls: 6 state wildlife areas, 4 state parks, 2 public access areas, 1 controlled hunt area, 1 public hunting area and 1 military property. No tract within 25 miles of Cuyahoga Falls tops Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center for size, 21,884 acres. Species lists exist for 11 of these tracts: deer appears on 5, waterfowl on 6, pheasant on 3. Restricted in the status column means ODNR limits hunting there in some way; the property page gives the detail. A check-with-ODNR tag means the agency’s own sources disagree about hunting on that property.
| Place and distance | Land type | Acres | Open? | Quarry | Drawings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portage Path Conservation Area · 11 mi | Wildlife area | 90 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Tinkers Creek State Park · 11 mi check with ODNR | State park | 397 | Check rules | woodcock, waterfowl + | – |
| Portage Lakes State Park · 11 mi | State park | 411 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | 1 lottery |
| Mogadore Reservoir · 15 mi | Public access area | 1,380 | Restricted | waterfowl | 1 lottery |
| Wingfoot Lake Wildlife Area · 16 mi | Wildlife area | 614 | Restricted | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Nimisila Reservoir · 17 mi check with ODNR | Controlled hunt area | – | – | waterfowl | 5 lotteries |
| Quail Hollow State Park · 18 mi check with ODNR | State park | 701 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | – |
| West Branch Wildlife Area · 18 mi | Wildlife area | 2,913 | Restricted | dove, pheasant | – |
| Marsh Wetlands State Nature Preserve · 19 mi | Wildlife area | 152 | Restricted | Ohio seasons | – |
| West Branch State Park · 22 mi | State park | 5,379 | Restricted | deer, waterfowl + | 4 lotteries |
| Auburn Marsh Wildlife Area · 22 mi | Wildlife area | 466 | Restricted | Ohio seasons | – |
| Ladue Hunting Area · 23 mi | Public hunting area | 8,427 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | 4 lotteries |
| Walborn Reservoir Public Access · 24 mi | Public access area | 1,848 | Restricted | Ohio seasons | – |
| Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center · 25 mi | Military land | 21,884 | – | deer | 2 lotteries |
| Camp Belden Wildlife Area · 25 mi | Wildlife area | 610 | Restricted | pheasant | – |
Distances and acres from places.json and lands.json (ODNR_LANDS and hunting-status layers, PAD-US 4.1, USFS layers; GIS measures, not surveyed acreage); status from the ODNR hunting-status layer; lotteries from the 2026 controlled hunting access lists. Checked November 6, 2026.
Cuyahoga Falls nearest properties in detail
Tinkers Creek State Park, 11 mi
The 355-acre Tinkers Creek Area is managed by Summit Metro Parks as part of Liberty Park . A variety of habitats, including swamp and wetlands, make Tinkers Creek a wonderful place for viewing wildlife. Game here: woodcock, waterfowl, snipe, rail, furbearer trapping.
Portage Lakes State Park, 11 mi
(11/03/26): Nimisila Reservoir is being temporarily lowered while engineers conduct studies to evaluate the long-term safety and stability of the reservoir's dams. Game here: deer, turkey, rabbit, pheasant, woodcock, waterfowl. Some hunting here goes by lottery: 1 drawn hunt for 2026.
Mogadore Reservoir, 15 mi
Mogadore Public Hunting Area totals 2,479 acres and is located in southwest Portage County. Game here: waterfowl. Some hunting here goes by lottery: 1 drawn hunt for 2026.
Descriptions, species, dove fields and access from each property’s ODNR page and the ODNR property details layer, or the agency page linked on the land page (lands.json); lotteries from the 2026 controlled hunting lists. Checked November 6, 2026.
Deer and turkey numbers around Cuyahoga Falls
In 2025-26 the game check system logged 1,922 deer from Summit County. Through November 3, 2026, 2026-27 hunters had checked 721 deer in Summit County. Gun hunters checked 268 deer in Summit County during 2025-26, against 1,182 for crossbow hunters. The 2026 spring turkey count for Summit County was 65.
| Season | Deer total | Antlered bucks | Antlerless deer | Archery | Gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 1,889 | 798 | 1,091 | 1,634 | – |
| 2023-24 | 1,745 | 758 | 987 | 1,500 | – |
| 2024-25 | 1,823 | 712 | 1,111 | 1,527 | 296 |
| 2025-26 | 1,922 | 769 | 1,153 | 1,616 | 306 |
Final weekly deer harvest reports: 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26; 2026-27 to date from the in-season report; spring turkey from the 2026 spring turkey results; 2025-26 by method from the 2025-26 deer summary. County totals, not town figures. Checked November 6, 2026.
Cuyahoga Falls hunting seasons, 2026-27
Spring turkey rows still show the 2026 dates: ODNR had not published the 2027 spring dates when these pages were checked.
| Species | Hunt | Area | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | Archery | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Deer | Youth gun | Statewide | Nov 21, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Deer | Gun | Statewide | Nov 30, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Deer | Bonus gun | Statewide | Dec 19, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | |
| Deer | Muzzleloader | Statewide | Jan 2, 2027 | Jan 5, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Fall counties | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Squirrels | Regular | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Chukar | Youth small game weekend | Statewide | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Chukar | Regular | Statewide | Nov 6, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Mourning dove | Dove | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Canada goose | Early Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl | Statewide | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 1) | Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone B | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone B | Nov 21, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Woodcock | Statewide | Oct 16, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 25, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Snipe | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Rails | Rail | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinule | Gallinule | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Crow | Crow (Fri-Sun) | Statewide | Jun 5, 2026 | Mar 7, 2027 | |
| Groundhog | No closed season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Hunting (no closed season) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Trapping (no closed season) | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Hunting | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Skunk | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Mink | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Trapping | Statewide | Nov 10, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| River otter | Trapping | Otter Zone B | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Beaver | Trapping | Statewide | Dec 26, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 |
From the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and the 2026-27 hunting seasons list (ODNR Division of Wildlife), checked November 6, 2026.
Cuyahoga Falls sporting goods and deer care
Inside 25 miles of Cuyahoga Falls: 2 deer or meat processors, 14 taxidermists, 72 gear stores.
Listings from Yellow Pages, store locators, Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry and the ODNR office list (services.json); not every listing was checked as open, so call first. Checked November 6, 2026.
ODNR contacts nearest Cuyahoga Falls
From Cuyahoga Falls, ODNR Wildlife District 3: Northeast Ohio is the closest Division of Wildlife office (12 miles). Closest wildlife area headquarters to the Summit County centre: Berlin Lake Wildlife Area headquarters, phone (330) 654-2392. ODNR assigns Daniel Shroyer as the Summit County wildlife officer.
District offices from the ODNR wildlife contacts page and Districts layer; county wildlife officers from the ODNR County Contacts layer; nearest offices measured from the town point (services.json); ranger district offices from the USFS office layer (places.json). Checked November 6, 2026.
Cuyahoga Falls shooters: the three nearest ranges
Hampton Hills Metro Park – Archery Range tops the Cuyahoga Falls list at 1 mile.
Wingfoot Wildlife Area Shooting Range is the nearest ODNR-listed range, about 14 miles out. See it
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 6, 2026.
Chapter nights, classes and hunts near Cuyahoga Falls
About 30 miles out from Cuyahoga Falls there are 2 dates ahead.
| When | Title | Away | Location | Register or details | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 | ODNR Hunter Education Class (Ravenna) · hunter education class, Ravenna | 16 | Ravenna, Portage County | Register | Source |
| Mar 15, 2027 | Sippo Valley Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Massillon | 28 | Massillon, Stark County | Tickets | Source |
Cuyahoga Falls hours on key season dates
The sun comes up roughly a quarter hour later in Defiance than in Marietta, so use the times worked out for Cuyahoga Falls rather than a Columbus table.
| Day | Marker | Sun up | Sun down | Deer hours | Duck hours | Upland hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:16 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:21 a.m. | 7:10 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 7:10 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:02 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 6:32 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:21 a.m. | 5:04 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 6:51 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:04 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:31 a.m. | 4:59 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:48 a.m. | 5:00 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:52 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:52 a.m. to 5:08 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.
Quick answers for the Cuyahoga Falls area
How many antlerless deer may I take near Cuyahoga Falls?
The county class is four-deer; on public hunting areas a hunter may take at most 2 antlerless deer per license year, with listed exceptions.
May deer be baited on private ground around Cuyahoga Falls?
On private land here, yes: baiting deer is legal outside the DSA. On any public hunting area it stays illegal.
Do Cuyahoga Falls goose hunters use Zone A, B or C dates?
Zone B dates for the whole county.
Does Summit County get a fall turkey hunt?
It does: October 1 to October 25, 2026, shotguns only per the data.
How do I tell which seasons are live near Cuyahoga Falls?
Look at the last column of the season table: it compares each row with the date you open the page. On November 6, 2026 the count was 14.
Who takes a poaching report near Cuyahoga Falls?
The county wildlife officer, Daniel Shroyer ((330) 245-3042), or the Turn In a Poacher number in the regulations.
Do waterfowl hours at Cuyahoga Falls end sooner than deer hours?
Yes: ducks and geese stop at sunset, 5:18 p.m. at Cuyahoga Falls on November 6, 2026, while deer hunters get another half hour.
Can I get a deer butchered close to Cuyahoga Falls?
2 deer or meat processors appear within 25 miles of Cuyahoga Falls; call ahead in the gun week.
Do any areas near Cuyahoga Falls need a lottery permit?
7 of the 15 properties within 25 miles host 2026 lottery hunts; the land table counts them per property.
Where do the Summit County deer figures come from?
ODNR’s final weekly harvest reports, county by county; 2025-26 closed at 1,922 for Summit County.
How many public tracts lie within 25 miles of Cuyahoga Falls?
15 of them, the first being Portage Path Conservation Area at 11 mi.
Answers from places.json, lands.json, regs.json, harvest.json and services.json, the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and the 2026-27 hunting seasons list. Checked November 6, 2026.
Next steps out of Cuyahoga Falls
More planning for Cuyahoga Falls: county rules, deer limits and the statewide land map.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Art Anderson (CC BY-SA 3.0); Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).