Central Ohio hunting
Hunting Near Dublin
City located in Franklin County. Public hunting ground starts 10 miles away, at Alum Creek State Park.
Photo: Paul Hurtado (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Sizing up Dublin for a season afield
With more than 25,000 residents, Dublin is a large Franklin County city in the Central Ohio district, which covers the flat farm country and river corridors around Columbus, from the Darby and Big Walnut creeks to Delaware, Deer Creek and Alum Creek reservoirs. 49,456 people call Dublin home, according to the 2024 Census estimates. Hunting from Dublin means a drive: nothing public lies within 10 miles, and Alum Creek State Park (10 miles out) is the closest. The 2026-27 county limit around Dublin is 4 deer, set by ODNR for Franklin County.
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.
How far Dublin sits from public ground
Distances are straight-line miles from the Dublin town point to the nearest edge of each property; road miles run longer. The 25-mile ring around Dublin takes in 4 state wildlife areas, 3 state parks and 1 public access area. For elbow room, Delaware Wildlife Area offers the most ground nearby: 4,670 acres on the record. Read across the game column and 4 of 5 listed tracts name deer, 2 name doves and 0 name turkeys. Where a row says restricted, part of the ground or some methods are off limits; the area map shows which.
| Land, miles out | Category | Acreage | Layer status | Game listed | Lotteries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alum Creek State Park · 10 mi | State park | 4,630 | Restricted | deer, squirrel + | 2 lotteries |
| Delaware Wildlife Area · 18 mi | Wildlife area | 4,670 | Open | pheasant, waterfowl + | 1 lottery |
| Delaware State Park · 18 mi | State park | 1,686 | Restricted | deer, squirrel + | 2 lotteries |
| Madison Lake Access Wildlife Area · 20 mi | Public access area | 1 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Madison Lake State Park · 20 mi | State park | 76 | Restricted | deer, squirrel + | 1 lottery |
| Madison County Wildlife Area 2 · 20 mi | Wildlife area | 77 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Madison County Wildlife Area 1 · 21 mi | Wildlife area | 81 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Mackey Ford Wildlife Area · 24 mi | Wildlife area | 200 | Open | deer, squirrel + | – |
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.
Dublin deer limit and zones
Deer: Franklin County is listed as four-deer for 2026-27; across Ohio one hunter may take 6 deer in all, only 1 of them antlered. Franklin County sits outside Disease Surveillance Area 2021-01. Duck and goose dates for Dublin follow Zone C. Turkey: Franklin County is in the spring South zone; fall turkey hunting is allowed there. Worth knowing in Franklin County: river otter trapping is in Otter Zone B. Residents pay $19.00 for a license and $31.20 per either-sex deer permit in 2026-27. Camouflage orange counts the same as solid orange for the gun-week garment rule. Report a deer through game check by noon the day after it is taken.
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 nearest ground to Dublin, property by property
Alum Creek State Park, 10 mi
Located near Ohio's capital city, Alum Creek State Park is a popular boating and camping destination. Open to: deer, squirrel, rabbit, waterfowl, upland game birds, furbearer trapping. 2 of the 2026 controlled hunts are held on this property.
Delaware Wildlife Area, 18 mi
The 4,670-acre wildlife area is situated in central Ohio eight miles north of Delaware, 10 miles south of Marion, and between U.S. Routes 42 and 23. Open to: pheasant, waterfowl, furbearer trapping, dove. 1 of the 2026 controlled hunts are held on this property. 3 dove fields on the ODNR list. Vehicle access for mobility-impaired hunters is listed.
Delaware State Park, 18 mi
NOTICE (9/22/26): Area C of the campground (sites 101-157) will be closed beginning October 4, 2026, for a construction project. Open to: deer, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, waterfowl, fox. 2 of the 2026 controlled hunts are held on this property.
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.
The Franklin County season grid for Dublin
For Dublin the table lists 51 seasons for 2026-27: deer, turkey, small game, upland birds, waterfowl, doves, woodcock and furbearers.
| Quarry | Season type | Where | Begins | Ends | Open 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 | |
| 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 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.
Dublin area harvest by season
709 deer were checked in Franklin County during 2025-26, compared with 818 four seasons earlier. The in-season report through November 3, 2026 shows 164 so far. Archery tackle matters here: 287 crossbow and 182 longbow deer in 2025-26, next to 164 from the gun season. In spring 2026, 12 turkeys were checked in the county.
| Season | All deer | Antlered | Does and fawns | Archery | Firearms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 818 | 376 | 442 | 573 | – |
| 2023-24 | 794 | 355 | 439 | 534 | – |
| 2024-25 | 638 | 257 | 381 | 413 | 225 |
| 2025-26 | 709 | 325 | 384 | 480 | 229 |
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.
Dublin ODNR contacts
ODNR Wildlife District 1: Central Ohio sits roughly 10 miles from Dublin, closer than any other ODNR wildlife office. From the middle of Franklin County, the nearest wildlife area headquarters is Deer Creek Wildlife Area headquarters, about 26 miles. For law questions or a violation in Franklin County, the county wildlife officer on file is Brad Kiger.
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.
Dates on the hunting calendar near Dublin
Thirty crow-flight miles hold 8 dates ahead as of November 5, 2026.
| Scheduled | What | Miles | Where held | Link | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 6, 2026 | ODNR Hunter Education Class (Ashley) · hunter education class, Ashley | 21 | Ashley, Delaware County | Register | Source |
| Nov 19, 2026 | ODNR Hunter Education Class (Waldo) · hunter education class, Waldo | 24 | Register | Source | |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Logan County Longbeards NWTF Fundraiser · NWTF banquet, West Mansfield | 29 | West Mansfield, Logan County | Event details | Source |
| Jan 16, 2027 | RMEF Central Ohio Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet, Orient | 21 | Orient, Pickaway County | Tickets | Source |
| Jan 29, 2027 | Buckeye Conservation Chapter NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Pickerington | 26 | Pickerington, Fairfield County | Event details | Source |
| Mar 19–21, 2027 | Open Season Sportsman's Expo Ohio 2027 · sportsman’s expo, Columbus | 12 | Columbus, Franklin County | Ticket page | Source |
| Mar 20, 2027 | RMEF Two Rivers Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet, Delaware | 13 | Delaware, Delaware County | Tickets | Source |
| Apr 11, 2027 | Buckeye Toms Banquet · NWTF banquet, Marengo | 27 | Marengo, Morrow County | Tickets | Source |
Earlier dates and winners
| Day | Event | Grounds | Who won | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25, 2026 | Morrow Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, Cardington | Cardington, Morrow County | CH'PR'Uchtman One Eyed Darlin HTX BLU | Source |
| Jul 25, 2026 | Morrow Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, Cardington | Cardington, Morrow County | 'PR'B&w's Dr. Pheelgood TW | Source |
| Jul 11, 2026 | Morrow Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, Cardington | Cardington, Morrow County | GRNITECH(4)'PR'Ticking Time Bomb TW | Source |
| Jul 11, 2026 | Morrow Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, Cardington | Cardington, Morrow County | NITECH CH'PR'Baer Creek Wild Lady BLU | Source |
| Jul 10, 2026 | Morrow Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, Cardington | Cardington, Morrow County | 'PR'Country Grammar TW | Source |
| Jul 10, 2026 | Morrow Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, Cardington | Cardington, Morrow County | CH'PR'Uchtman One Eyed Darlin HTX BLU | Source |
Shops, processors and taxidermists near Dublin
Services near Dublin within 25 miles: 0 guide or preserves, 50 shops, 8 taxidermists.
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.
Dublin hunters: clubs and public ranges close by
Nearest to Dublin is Attaboyz Archery (4 miles), with two more after it.
With the shooting range permit for adults ($5.00 a day), Dublin shooters can use Delaware Wildlife Area Shooting Range, 23 miles away. Open
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 6, 2026.
Shooting hours for Dublin
Around Dublin, deer light opens 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; rabbit and pheasant hunters keep strict sunrise to sunset.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer window | Ducks and squirrels | Sunrise birds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:23 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:25 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:27 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:07 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:34 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:45 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:45 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:51 a.m. | 5:10 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:55 a.m. | 5:17 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 5:17 p.m. | 7:55 a.m. to 5:17 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.
Straight answers on hunting near Dublin
What lottery hunts are within 25 miles of Dublin?
6 drawn hunts on 4 properties within 25 miles. Deer taken on them do not count toward the county limit.
How many gun and outdoor shops are around Dublin?
50 gun, archery or outdoor listings inside 25 miles.
From Dublin, how many miles is it to the closest public hunting tract?
Alum Creek State Park (state park) sits 10 miles out. The 10-mile circle around Dublin is empty; 8 tracts fall inside 25.
Does ODNR publish a deer count for Dublin itself?
Not for towns. The county figure is the closest: 709 deer in Franklin County for 2025-26.
Do chronic wasting disease rules bind hunters near Dublin?
Only the statewide carcass and game check rules; the extra DSA rules stop short of Franklin County.
What deer permits do I need near Dublin?
A hunting license plus an either-sex deer permit ($31.20 for residents) or a deer management permit ($15.00, antlerless only). Franklin County allows 4 deer.
What were the spring gobbler dates for Dublin hunters?
April 25 to May 24, 2026 in the South zone. Treat them as last year’s dates; 2027 was not out when checked.
Is the Dublin area split by a waterfowl zone line?
No. All of Franklin County sits in Zone C.
Which wildlife officer patrols Franklin County?
ODNR lists Brad Kiger for Franklin County, phone (614) 902-4212.
How many hunting seasons are open in Franklin County today?
14 season rows on November 6, 2026 (Deer, Squirrels, Cottontail, Pheasant and Chukar).
Is legal light at Dublin the same as in Columbus?
Not to the minute. The times on this page are worked out for the Dublin town point with the NOAA solar formula; on November 6, 2026 sunrise there was 7:07 a.m.
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.
Setting up the Dublin trip
From Dublin, the next stops are the Franklin County guide and the land pages.
Other photos on this page: Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0); James St. John (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).