Fairfield County, District 1
Hunting Near Lancaster
City in Fairfield County. About 205 acres of public hunting land lie within 10 miles.
Photo: WorldIslandInfo.com (CC BY 2.0)
Lancaster through a hunter’s eyes
Lancaster is both the seat of Fairfield County and a city of 25,000-plus, part of ODNR District 1, the Central Ohio district that takes in the flat farm country and river corridors around Columbus, from the Darby and Big Walnut creeks to Delaware, Deer Creek and Alum Creek reservoirs. Roughly 41,671 people lived in Lancaster in 2024, per the Census estimate. The 10-mile circle around Lancaster holds 2 state wildlife areas and 2 public hunting areas; GIS measures the public land there at 205 acres. Fairfield County carries a 3-deer bag limit in 2026-27, which covers the ground around Lancaster.
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Lancaster
Wildlife areas and forests near Lancaster
The list runs nearest first, measured to each boundary from Lancaster; gates, parking lots and refuge closures change the real trip. Lancaster has 11 state wildlife areas, 6 public hunting areas, 4 state parks, 3 state forests, 1 conservation area, 1 hatchery property, 1 Wayne ranger district, 1 national forest and 1 public access area within 25 miles. The biggest tract in that ring is Wayne National Forest, at about 244,351 acres. Deer lead the game lists (7 of 14 tracts), with turkey on 4 and waterfowl on 5. Open and Restricted come straight from the ODNR parcel layer; a restricted property still allows hunting under posted limits.
| Property, miles | Type | Acres | Hunting status | Species | Controlled hunts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfield Dam Wildlife Area · 3.3 mi | Wildlife area | 46 | Restricted | Ohio seasons | – |
| Colfax Lake Public Hunting Area · 4.6 mi | Public hunting area | 73 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Rock Mill Lake Wildlife Area · 5.0 mi | Wildlife area | 89 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas · 10 mi | Public hunting area | 78 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Rush Creek Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas · 10 mi | Public hunting area | 1,015 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Hocking State Forest · 11 mi | State forest | 9,815 | Restricted | turkey, furbearer trapping | – |
| Hocking Hills State Park · 12 mi | State park | 2,356 | Restricted | deer, raccoon + | – |
| Buckeye Lake State Park · 13 mi | State park | 176 | Restricted | waterfowl, furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Lake Logan State Park · 14 mi | State park | 318 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | 1 lottery |
| Flagdale Lake Public Hunting Area · 14 mi | Public hunting area | 132 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Hanby Wildlife Area · 14 mi | Wildlife area | 20 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Twin Churches Lake Public Hunting Area · 14 mi | Public hunting area | 72 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| A W Marion State Park · 15 mi | Conservation area | 310 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | 2 lotteries |
| Hebron Fish Hatchery · 16 mi | Fish hatchery | 155 | Restricted | deer, waterfowl + | 5 lotteries |
| Athens Ranger District (Wayne NF) · 16 mi | Ranger district | 137,168 | – | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Wayne National Forest · 16 mi | National forest | 244,351 | – | Ohio seasons | 2 lotteries |
| Clouse Lake Wildlife Area · 16 mi | Wildlife area | 96 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Pickaway County Wildlife Area 3 · 17 mi | Wildlife area | 68 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
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.
Which Ohio zone rules cover Lancaster
For deer near Lancaster, ODNR’s county class is three-deer. Only 1 antlered deer is allowed statewide. No part of Fairfield County is in the Disease Surveillance Area. ODNR places Fairfield County in waterfowl Zone C. Fairfield County sits in the spring turkey South zone, and it is open in the fall. Also in Fairfield County: river otter trapping is in Otter Zone B. Nonresidents coming to Lancaster pay $180.96 for the yearly license; residents pay $19.00. During the deer gun and muzzleloader seasons, small game and coyote hunters wear orange too; only waterfowl hunters are exempt. Check deer in by noon the day after harvest, by app, phone or online.
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.
Three tracts worth scouting from Lancaster
Rock Mill Lake Wildlife Area, 5.0 mi
Species on the list: furbearer trapping. 1 controlled hunt lottery for 2026 use this ground.
Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas, 10 mi
View this area in the Interactive Ohio Lake Fishing Map Species on the list: furbearer trapping. 1 controlled hunt lottery for 2026 use this ground.
Rush Creek Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas, 10 mi
View this area in the Interactive Ohio Lake Fishing Map Species on the list: furbearer trapping. 1 controlled hunt lottery for 2026 use this ground.
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.
Lancaster season calendar for 2026-27
Deer gun, youth gun, bonus gun and muzzleloader dates are the same in all 88 counties; the Lancaster deer limit is what differs.
| Species | Window | Coverage | From | Until | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Fairfield County deer harvest near Lancaster
Fairfield County hunters checked 2,351 deer in 2025-26, against 2,223 in 2022-23. For 2026-27, 478 had been checked in the county through November 3, 2026. Crossbows took 704 deer in Fairfield County in 2025-26, the regular gun week 890 and longbows 357. For turkeys, the 2026 spring season in Fairfield County ended with 49 checked.
| Year | Deer | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery total | Gun total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 2,223 | 917 | 1,306 | 1,106 | – |
| 2023-24 | 2,059 | 912 | 1,147 | 1,061 | – |
| 2024-25 | 2,403 | 1,022 | 1,381 | 1,101 | 1,302 |
| 2025-26 | 2,351 | 1,009 | 1,342 | 1,087 | 1,264 |
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.
Wildlife officer and district office for Lancaster
30 miles separate Lancaster from ODNR Division of Wildlife Headquarters, its nearest ODNR wildlife office. Deer Creek Wildlife Area headquarters in Mt. Sterling is the nearest wildlife area office to central Fairfield County. Enforcement in Fairfield County falls to wildlife officer Jade Heizer.
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.
Banquets, classes and hunts within reach of Lancaster
Read November 5, 2026: 5 dates ahead within about 30 miles, namely DU dinner, NWTF banquet, RMEF banquet and sportsman’s expo.
| Starts | Event | Mi | Site | Go | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Fairfield County Dinner · DU dinner, Lancaster | 0 | Lancaster, Fairfield County | Tickets | Source |
| Jan 16, 2027 | RMEF Central Ohio Chapter Banquet · RMEF banquet, Orient | 30 | Orient, Pickaway County | Tickets | Source |
| Jan 29, 2027 | Buckeye Conservation Chapter NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Pickerington | 14 | Pickerington, Fairfield County | Event details | Source |
| Mar 19–21, 2027 | Open Season Sportsman's Expo Ohio 2027 · sportsman’s expo, Columbus | 27 | Columbus, Franklin County | Ticket page | Source |
| Mar 29, 2027 | Perry County Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, New Lexington | 21 | New Lexington, Perry County | Tickets | Source |
Recently held
| Date run | Event | Where held | Result | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2026 | Perry Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, New Lexington | New Lexington, Perry County | NITECH GRCH'PR'Hillbilly's Junkyard Blue Pig BLU | Source |
| Jun 27, 2026 | Perry Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, New Lexington | New Lexington, Perry County | 'PR'Brush Creek Ruby TW | Source |
| Jun 26, 2026 | Perry Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, New Lexington | New Lexington, Perry County | NITECH'PR'Millercreek Zena TW | Source |
| Jun 26, 2026 | Perry Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, New Lexington | New Lexington, Perry County | NITECH'PR'Millercreek Zena TW | Source |
Where to buy shells and drop off a deer near Lancaster
The 25-mile count around Lancaster: 21 sporting goods listings, 11 for taxidermy, 3 for processing and 2 for guides and preserves.
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.
Lancaster: three ranges within a short drive
Airport Gun Club is the closest range to central Lancaster, 7 miles away.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 6, 2026.
Legal light in Lancaster
ODNR prints no sunrise table and points hunters to its app, the NOAA calculator and the Naval Observatory; the times for Lancaster below are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for its own location.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer light | Marsh light | Field light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:20 a.m. | 7:23 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:23 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:25 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:04 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:31 a.m. | 5:08 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:38 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:42 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:42 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:48 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:51 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 5:16 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. to 5:16 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.
Lancaster hunting questions
Under the new A, B and C layout, where does Lancaster land for waterfowl?
Fairfield County goes with Zone C.
Which spring turkey zone holds Lancaster?
The South zone. Until ODNR posts 2027 dates, the 2026 window (April 25 to May 24, 2026) is the guide.
What game is in season around Lancaster at the moment?
As of November 6, 2026, 14 season rows covered Fairfield County, among them Deer, Squirrels, Cottontail, Pheasant and Chukar. Coming up: Red fox (Hunting) opens November 10.
How far is Lancaster from an ODNR wildlife office?
30 miles, to ODNR Division of Wildlife Headquarters.
At what minute does legal deer light begin at Lancaster?
Thirty minutes ahead of sunrise. Sunrise at Lancaster on November 6, 2026 was 7:04 a.m., so deer light opened at 6:34 a.m.
Where would a Lancaster hunter take a buck to be mounted?
11 taxidermists sit within 25 miles of Lancaster; the services band names the closest.
Which properties near Lancaster have drawn hunts?
Rock Mill Lake Wildlife Area, Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas, Rush Creek Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas and Buckeye Lake State Park and 7 more.
What did Fairfield County produce in deer last season?
2,351 checked deer in 2025-26, of which 1,009 carried antlers.
What is the first public tract a hunter reaches leaving Lancaster?
Greenfield Dam Wildlife Area, a wildlife area, 3.3 miles out; the distance table on this page carries every tract out to 25 miles.
Is Fairfield County a two, three or four deer county?
ODNR lists Fairfield County as three-deer for 2026-27.
How far is Lancaster from the CWD zone?
Fairfield County is not in it; the DSA is centred on Allen, Hardin, Marion and Wyandot in west-central Ohio.
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.
Before you leave Lancaster
Check the property map and posted rules before any trip out of Lancaster; restricted parcels change by method and date.
Other photos on this page: Ibagli (Public domain); Aryeh Alex (CC BY 2.0); Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain); James St. John (CC BY 2.0).