Montgomery County hunting
Hunting Near Dayton
City within Montgomery County. 4 public hunting properties inside 10 miles, the closest 3.9 miles out.
Photo: Logan Rickert (CC BY 2.0)
Dayton hunting, the short version
Big-city size and county-seat status put Dayton on this list; the Division of Wildlife counts Montgomery County in District 5, Southwest Ohio. Dayton is home to some 136,346 people (Census, 2024) spread over 55.8 square miles. Inside 10 miles there are 2 state wildlife areas, 1 military property and 1 state park, about 2,378 public acres in all; the closest is Stillwater Wildlife Area, 3.9 miles out. ODNR sets deer limits county by county, and Montgomery County gets 3 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.
Dayton to the nearest wildlife areas and forests
Each mile figure measures from Dayton to the closest boundary, not the parking lot, so allow for the drive. Out to 25 miles, hunters from Dayton can reach 6 state wildlife areas, 3 state parks and 1 military property. No tract within 25 miles of Dayton tops Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for size, 5,169 acres. Waterfowl show up on 4 of the 7 species lists near Dayton, deer on 5. The status column repeats the ODNR parcel layer; restricted ground has posted zones, methods or dates. Tagged rows have conflicting ODNR sources on whether or where hunting is allowed.
| Area and miles | Kind | Acres | Status | Game | Controlled |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stillwater Wildlife Area · 3.9 mi | Wildlife area | 5 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Wright-Patterson Air Force Base · 4.1 mi check with ODNR | Military land | 5,169 | – | Ohio seasons | – |
| Sycamore State Park · 7.0 mi | State park | 2,384 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | – |
| Beaver Creek Wildlife Area · 10 mi | Wildlife area | 373 | Restricted | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Spring Valley Wildlife Area · 16 mi | Wildlife area | 842 | Open | deer, squirrel + | 3 lotteries |
| John Bryan State Park · 17 mi check with ODNR | State park | 752 | Check rules | Ohio seasons | – |
| Caesar Creek Wildlife Area · 17 mi | Wildlife area | 3,100 | Open | deer, turkey + | 3 lotteries |
| Caesar Creek State Park · 19 mi | State park | 3,741 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | 4 lotteries |
| Rush Run Wildlife Area · 25 mi | Wildlife area | 1,165 | Open | furbearer trapping, dove + | 2 lotteries |
| Woodland Trails Wildlife Area · 25 mi | Wildlife area | 718 | Restricted | deer, furbearer trapping + | 7 lotteries |
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.
Up close: hunting ground by Dayton
Sycamore State Park, 7.0 mi
An oasis of wooded splendor in the midst of expansive farmland. Game listed: deer, turkey, squirrel, waterfowl, raccoon, coyote.
Beaver Creek Wildlife Area, 10 mi
Beaver Creek Wildlife Area is a 373-acre state wildlife area located 7 miles northwest of Xenia. Game listed: furbearer trapping. The 2026 lottery list names this property 1 time.
Spring Valley Wildlife Area, 16 mi
This 842-acre wildlife area is situated in the gently rolling agricultural region of southwest Ohio just east of the Little Miami River, eight miles south of Xenia and four miles north of Waynesville. Game listed: deer, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, quail, waterfowl. The 2026 lottery list names this property 3 times. Look for 4 managed dove fields. ODNR lists mobility-impaired vehicle access.
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.
Harvest in Montgomery County, the county around Dayton
Deer checked in Montgomery County: 980 for 2025-26, 861 for 2022-23. So far in 2026-27: 261 deer, reported through November 3, 2026. Method split for Montgomery County, 2025-26: gun 246, crossbow 459, longbow 162, muzzleloader 36. Montgomery County gave up 43 spring gobblers and bearded birds in 2026.
| Hunt year | Total | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery | Gun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 861 | 326 | 535 | 584 | – |
| 2023-24 | 843 | 398 | 445 | 574 | – |
| 2024-25 | 884 | 374 | 510 | 583 | 301 |
| 2025-26 | 980 | 434 | 546 | 641 | 339 |
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.
County rules behind Dayton
The Montgomery County deer group for 2026-27 reads three-deer, inside the statewide cap of 6 deer with 1 antlered. CWD area rules skip Montgomery County: it is not in the DSA. Montgomery County hunts waterfowl on the Zone C calendar. For turkeys near Dayton, the spring South zone applies and the county is not on the fall list. In addition, bobwhite quail are open on private land and river otter trapping is in Otter Zone B around Dayton. Paperwork for a deer hunt here: a hunting license ($19.00 resident, $180.96 nonresident) plus a deer permit ($31.20 resident either-sex). In the youth gun, gun, bonus gun and muzzleloader weeks every hunter except waterfowlers wears a hunter orange vest, coat, jacket or coveralls. Game check for deer closes at noon on the day after the kill.
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.
The Division of Wildlife desk for Dayton
Need a Division of Wildlife desk near Dayton? ODNR Wildlife District 5: Southwest Ohio is 15 miles off. The wildlife area headquarters nearest the middle of Montgomery County is Spring Valley Wildlife Area headquarters in Waynesville. The county contacts layer names Trent Weaver as Montgomery County’s wildlife officer.
Xenia district office
1076 Old Springfield Pike
Xenia 45385
District manager is Todd Haines
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.
Dayton dates by species
For Dayton the table lists 53 seasons for 2026-27: deer, turkey, small game, upland birds, waterfowl, doves, woodcock and furbearers.
| Animal | Kind of hunt | Covers | Start | Finish | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Youth small game weekend | Quail counties | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Youth small game weekend | Quail counties | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Regular | Quail counties | Nov 6, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| 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 C | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Ducks (split 2) | Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 1) | Zone C | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Geese and brant | Geese (split 2) | Zone C | 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.
Dates on the hunting calendar near Dayton
Inside roughly 30 straight-line miles: 4 dates ahead (DU dinner, RMEF banquet, hunter education class and trapper education class), soonest first. First up is ODNR Hunter Education Class (Xenia) on November 6.
| Scheduled | What | Distance | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2026 | ODNR Hunter Education Class (Xenia) · hunter education class, Xenia | 15 | Xenia, Greene County | Register | Source |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Springfield DU Dinner Banquet · DU dinner, Springfield | 24 | Springfield, Clark County | Tickets | Source |
| Nov 7, 2026 | ODNR Trapper Education Class (Camden) · trapper education class, Camden | 26 | Camden, Preble County | Register | Source |
| Jan 30, 2027 | RMEF Honey Creek Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet, Springfield | 24 | Springfield, Clark County | Tickets | Source |
Past listings
| Date run | Event | Where held | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 2026 | Clark Co CHC UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, Medway | Medway, Clark County | GRNITECH'PR'Hillbilly Rooster TW | Source |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Clark Co CHC UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, Medway | Medway, Clark County | CH GRNITECH(5)'PR'Phillips Hardtime Scooter ENG | Source |
Dayton: three ranges within a short drive
Nearest to Dayton is SimTrainer Indoor Range and Firearms Training Center (4 miles), with two more after it.
The public range nearest Dayton on the ODNR list is Wildlife District 5 Office Shooting Range, about 15 miles away. More
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 6, 2026.
Dayton hunting services
Within 25 miles of Dayton the listings include 67 gun or outdoor stores, 7 taxidermists, 3 deer or meat processors and 2 guide or preserve listings.
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.
Legal light in Dayton
Furbearers have no hour limit in Ohio, but in the deer gun and muzzleloader weeks coyote hunting near Dayton keeps to deer hours.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Deer | Waterfowl | Small game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:27 a.m. | 7:29 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:59 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:10 a.m. | 5:31 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 6:01 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:31 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:38 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:48 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:54 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:54 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:58 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:22 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.
Common Dayton hunting questions answered
Which duck splits apply in Montgomery County?
The Zone C rows in the season table on this page, both splits.
How do turkey zones work around Dayton?
Spring splits Ohio into a South zone and a Northeast zone, and Montgomery County is in the South zone. Fall hunting is closed here.
What opens next for hunters near Dayton?
Red fox (Hunting) opens November 10. Meanwhile 15 rows stood open on November 6, 2026.
Which wildlife officer patrols Montgomery County?
ODNR lists Trent Weaver for Montgomery County, phone (937) 545-6768.
Is legal light at Dayton the same as in Columbus?
Not to the minute. The times on this page are worked out for the Dayton town point with the NOAA solar formula; on November 6, 2026 sunrise there was 7:10 a.m.
How many gun and outdoor shops are around Dayton?
67 gun, archery or outdoor listings inside 25 miles.
Are there controlled hunts near Dayton?
6 properties within 25 miles of Dayton hold 20 2026 controlled hunts, starting with Beaver Creek Wildlife Area.
Does ODNR publish a deer count for Dayton itself?
Not for towns. The county figure is the closest: 980 deer in Montgomery County for 2025-26.
Which wildlife area, forest or hunting area is closest to Dayton?
The nearest mapped tract is Stillwater Wildlife Area, a wildlife area, 3.9 miles out from the middle of town.
What is my deer limit if I hunt the Dayton area?
Montgomery County has a county limit of 3 deer; ODNR lists its class as three-deer for 2026-27. Statewide the ceiling is 6 deer, 1 antlered.
Is Montgomery County part of Disease Surveillance Area 2021-01?
No. Its counties are Allen, Hardin, Marion and Wyandot in full, plus townships in Crawford, Delaware, Hancock, Morrow and Union.
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.
Keep planning from Dayton
Hunting out of Dayton? Keep the county limit handy and confirm dates in the regulations.
Other photos on this page: Logan Rickert (CC BY 2.0); Logan Rickert (CC BY 2.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0).