Central Ohio town
Hunting Near Newark
City located in Licking County. 2,294 public acres and 2 properties inside 10 miles.
Photo: James St. John (CC BY 2.0)
Sizing up Newark for a season afield
Newark holds the Licking County government offices and ranks among the state’s bigger cities; wildlife work here is run from the Columbus district office. 51,424 people call Newark home, according to the 2024 Census estimates. Within 10 miles: 1 state wildlife area and 1 state park. The nearest of them, Dillon Wildlife Area, is 5.4 miles out. The 2026-27 county limit around Newark is 3 deer, set by ODNR for Licking 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 Newark sits from public ground
Distances are straight-line miles from the Newark town point to the nearest edge of each property; road miles run longer. The 25-mile ring around Newark takes in 8 state wildlife areas, 4 public hunting areas, 2 state parks, 1 hatchery property and 1 state forest. For elbow room, Woodbury Wildlife Area offers the most ground nearby: 19,252 acres on the record. Read across the game column and 4 of 11 listed tracts name deer, 4 name doves and 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dillon Wildlife Area · 5.4 mi | Wildlife area | 3,612 | Open | deer, squirrel + | 1 lottery |
| Buckeye Lake State Park · 9.0 mi | State park | 176 | Restricted | waterfowl, furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Hebron Fish Hatchery · 10 mi | Fish hatchery | 155 | Restricted | deer, waterfowl + | 5 lotteries |
| Hanby Wildlife Area · 13 mi | Wildlife area | 20 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Dillon State Park · 16 mi | State park | 2,285 | Restricted | deer, turkey + | 2 lotteries |
| Oakthorpe Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas · 18 mi | Public hunting area | 78 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Rush Creek Lake Public Hunting and Fishing Areas · 19 mi | Public hunting area | 1,015 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Powelson Wildlife Area · 20 mi | Wildlife area | 2,729 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Clouse Lake Wildlife Area · 22 mi | Wildlife area | 96 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Perry State Forest · 22 mi | State forest | 4,706 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Tri-Valley Wildlife Area · 23 mi | Wildlife area | 16,200 | Open | deer, turkey + | 1 lottery |
| Colfax Lake Public Hunting Area · 23 mi | Public hunting area | 73 | Open | Ohio seasons | – |
| Greenfield Dam Wildlife Area · 23 mi | Wildlife area | 46 | Restricted | Ohio seasons | – |
| Mohawk Lake Hunt Area · 24 mi | Public hunting area | 3,667 | Open | furbearer trapping | 1 lottery |
| Woodbury Wildlife Area · 24 mi | Wildlife area | 19,252 | Open | furbearer trapping, dove | 1 lottery |
| Munro Basin Wildlife Area · 25 mi | Wildlife area | 23 | 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.
The nearest ground to Newark, property by property
Dillon Wildlife Area, 5.4 mi
The center of Dillon Wildlife Area lies 10 miles northwest of Zanesville and 15 miles east of Newark along State Route 146. Open to: deer, squirrel, rabbit, ruffed grouse, woodcock, waterfowl. 1 of the 2026 controlled hunts are held on this property. 2 dove fields on the ODNR list.
Buckeye Lake State Park, 9.0 mi
Ohio's oldest state park remains a beloved day-use destination. Open to: waterfowl, furbearer trapping. 1 of the 2026 controlled hunts are held on this property.
Hebron Fish Hatchery, 10 mi
Hebron State Fish Hatchery is located in southern Licking County, north of Buckeye Lake. Open to: deer, waterfowl, dove. 5 of the 2026 controlled hunts are held on this property. 1 dove field on the ODNR list.
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.
Newark area harvest by season
5,770 deer were checked in Licking County during 2025-26, compared with 5,467 four seasons earlier. The in-season report through November 3, 2026 shows 1,337 so far. Archery tackle matters here: 1,976 crossbow and 770 longbow deer in 2025-26, next to 2,043 from the gun season. In spring 2026, 246 turkeys were checked in the county.
| Season | All deer | Antlered | Does and fawns | Archery | Firearms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 5,467 | 2,259 | 3,208 | 2,719 | – |
| 2023-24 | 5,429 | 2,418 | 3,011 | 2,885 | – |
| 2024-25 | 5,754 | 2,421 | 3,333 | 2,841 | 2,913 |
| 2025-26 | 5,770 | 2,515 | 3,255 | 2,789 | 2,981 |
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.
Newark deer limit and zones
Deer: Licking County is listed as three-deer for 2026-27; across Ohio one hunter may take 6 deer in all, only 1 of them antlered. Licking County sits outside Disease Surveillance Area 2021-01. Duck and goose dates for Newark follow Zone C. Turkey: Licking County is in the spring South zone; fall turkey hunting is allowed there. Worth knowing in Licking 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.
Newark ODNR contacts
ODNR Woodbury Wildlife Area headquarters sits roughly 26 miles from Newark, closer than any other ODNR wildlife office. From the middle of Licking County, the nearest wildlife area headquarters is Woodbury Wildlife Area headquarters, about 28 miles. For law questions or a violation in Licking County, the county wildlife officer on file is Antoinette Jolliff.
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.
The Licking County season grid for Newark
Spring turkey rows still show the 2026 dates: ODNR had not published the 2027 spring dates when these pages were checked.
| 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.
Chapter nights, classes and hunts near Newark
Thirty crow-flight miles hold 5 dates ahead as of November 5, 2026.
| When | Title | Miles | Location | Register or details | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 14, 2026 | Fairfield County Dinner · DU dinner, Lancaster | 26 | Lancaster, Fairfield County | Tickets | Source |
| Jan 29, 2027 | Buckeye Conservation Chapter NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Pickerington | 22 | Pickerington, Fairfield County | Event details | Source |
| Feb 8, 2027 | Y-Bridge Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, Zanesville | 23 | Zanesville, Muskingum County | Tickets | Source |
| Feb 27, 2027 | Knox County DU Annual Banquet · DU dinner, Howard | 24 | Howard, Knox County | Tickets | Source |
| Mar 29, 2027 | Perry County Longbeards NWTF Banquet · NWTF banquet, New Lexington | 27 | New Lexington, Perry County | Tickets | Source |
Earlier dates and winners
| Day | Event | Grounds | Who won | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2026 | Knox Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 2) · UKC nite hunt, Gambier | Gambier, Knox County | 'PR'Catman Dax TW | Source |
| Jul 17, 2026 | Knox Co CHA UKC Nite Hunt (Hunt 1) · UKC nite hunt, Gambier | Gambier, Knox County | CH NITECH'PR'Bear Creek Peggy Sue BLU | Source |
| 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 |
| Apr 21, 2025 | NGSPA of Ohio Championships 2025 · bird dog championship, Dresden | Dresden, Muskingum County | Macke's Jim Bob | Source |
Newark: closest lines for a slug-gun zero
Buckeye Shooting Center tops the Newark list at 4 miles.
Straight-line miles from the town centre; ranges checked November 6, 2026.
Shops, processors and taxidermists near Newark
Services near Newark within 25 miles: 6 guide or preserves, 24 shops, 10 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.
Newark hours on key season dates
Around Newark, 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 | 7:20 a.m. | 7:22 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 1, 2026 | Fall turkey | 7:25 a.m. | 7:14 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:44 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Rabbit and pheasant | 7:04 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Deer gun week | 7:31 a.m. | 5:06 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:36 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Dec 12, 2026 | Second duck split | 7:42 a.m. | 5:05 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. | 7:42 a.m. to 5:05 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:48 a.m. | 5:07 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:37 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. |
| Jan 2, 2027 | Muzzleloader | 7:52 a.m. | 5:14 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:44 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:14 p.m. | 7:52 a.m. to 5:14 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 Newark
Where do the Licking County deer figures come from?
ODNR’s final weekly harvest reports, county by county; 2025-26 closed at 5,770 for Licking County.
What lottery hunts are within 25 miles of Newark?
16 drawn hunts on 11 properties within 25 miles. Deer taken on them do not count toward the county limit.
What deer permits do I need near Newark?
A hunting license plus an either-sex deer permit ($31.20 for residents) or a deer management permit ($15.00, antlerless only). Licking County allows 3 deer.
From Newark, how many miles is it to the closest public hunting tract?
Dillon Wildlife Area (wildlife area) sits 5.4 miles out. Count 2 tracts inside 10 miles and 16 inside 25.
Is the Newark area split by a waterfowl zone line?
No. All of Licking County sits in Zone C.
Do chronic wasting disease rules bind hunters near Newark?
Only the statewide carcass and game check rules; the extra DSA rules stop short of Licking County.
How many hunting seasons are open in Licking County today?
14 season rows on November 6, 2026 (Deer, Squirrels, Cottontail, Pheasant and Chukar).
What were the spring gobbler dates for Newark hunters?
April 25 to May 24, 2026 in the South zone. Treat them as last year’s dates; 2027 was not out when checked.
Do waterfowl hours at Newark end sooner than deer hours?
Yes: ducks and geese stop at sunset, 5:23 p.m. at Newark on November 6, 2026, while deer hunters get another half hour.
Who takes a poaching report near Newark?
The county wildlife officer, Antoinette Jolliff ((614) 902-4214), or the Turn In a Poacher number in the regulations.
Can I get a deer butchered close to Newark?
4 deer or meat processors appear within 25 miles of Newark; call ahead in the gun week.
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 Newark trip
From Newark, the next stops are the Licking County guide and the land pages.
Other photos on this page: Scott Bauer, USDA NRCS (Public domain); OhioOakTree (CC BY-SA 4.0); Art Anderson (CC BY-SA 3.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).