Permits to participate in controlled hunts will be awarded by lottery for 2025-2026 season

JULY 29 MEDIA RELEASE__The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Natural Areas and Preserves is holding special deer hunts at state nature preserves and state scenic river lands across Ohio during the 2025-2026 hunting season. These locations were identified as areas where high deer populations pose a threat to native plant communities.
 
The division is offering archery hunts in 22 counties this year. Three state nature preserves will permit gun and muzzleloader hunts. Permits for all special hunts will be awarded through a lottery system.

Lawerence Woods State Nature Preserve (archery) will host a meeting on Saturday, Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. at preserve parking area located at 13278 County Road 190, Kenton, OH 43226.
 
To participate, hunters must attend a mandatory meeting for each preserve they’d like to hunt. After each meeting, hunters will have an opportunity to purchase a $5 ticket (cash-only) to be entered into the preserve’s special hunt drawing. Hunters who wish to apply for hunts at multiple sites will have to attend multiple meetings and purchase additional tickets. Entry forms will not be accepted by mail.
 
After the drawing, successful entrants will be asked to remain for a mandatory pre-hunt meeting. Other special hunt requirements include:

Hunters must possess a valid 2025-2026 hunting license to purchase tickets.

Some of this year’s hunts will require an adult hunting license for eligibility, visit www.ohiodnr.gov for eligibility requirements.

Names will be randomly drawn and those selected will be assigned a specific time to hunt. For archery hunts, an orientation will be conducted immediately following the drawing.

Hunters will be permitted to hunt with a partner; the partner is not required to attend the drawing or orientation.

Hunters interested in the Lake Katharine gun, muzzleloader, and archery hunts will have to purchase separate lottery tickets for each event.

Some of the hunts this year will be antlerless deer only, while others will allow the taking of antlered deer but only after harvesting an antlerless deer first. Harvesting the does first helps manage the deer population. Other special regulations will be addressed at the orientation meetings following the drawings. 
 
All the preserves listed below will be offering special archery hunts. Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve (Jackson County) will offer archery, gun, and muzzleloader hunts, and Boch Hollow (Hocking County) and Stage’s Pond (Pickaway County) will both offer special gun hunts. 
 
For more details related to available hunting dates at each site and local contact information, visit ohiodnr.gov. 
 
ADAMS COUNTY
Chaparral State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at the preserve office located at 209 Hawk Hill Road, West Union, OH 45693.
 
Davis Memorial State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve office located at 209 Hawk Hill Road, West Union, OH 45693.
 
Johnson Ridge State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve office located at 209 Hawk Hill Road, West Union, OH 45693.
 
Shoemaker State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve office located at 209 Hawk Hill Road, West Union, OH 45693.
 
Whipple State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve office located at 209 Hawk Hill Road, West Union, OH 45693.
 
BUTLER and PREBLE COUNTIES
Hueston Woods State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 9 a.m. at Hueston Woods State Park Lodge located at 6301 Park Office Road, College Corner, OH 45003.
 
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Davey Woods State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6 at noon at the preserve parking area located at 7661 Lonesome Road, St. Paris, OH 43072.
 
CLARK COUNTY
Gallagher Fen State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3 p.m. at the preserve parking area located at 4709 Old Columbus Road, Springfield, OH 45504.
 
CLINTON COUNTY
Culberson Woods State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug 9 at noon at Caesar Creek State Nature Preserve office located at 4080 Corwin Road, Oregonia, OH 45054.
 
COLUMBIANA COUNTY
Sheepskin Hollow State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held on Sunday, Aug. 17 at 2:30 p.m. at Middleton Twp. Fish and Game located at 50501 Richardson Ave., Negley, OH 44441.
 
DARKE COUNTY
Abshire-Graves Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 14 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Stillwater Prairie Preserve maintenance barn located at 9750 State Route 185, Covington, OH 45318.
 
FULTON COUNTY
Goll Woods State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday Aug. 23 at 9 a.m. at the preserve office located at 26093 County Road F, Archbold, OH 43502.     
 
GREENE COUNTY
Roxanna Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held Thursday, Aug. 7 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Spring Valley Wildlife Area Shooting Range located at 3570 Houston Road, Waynesville, OH 45068.
 
HARDIN COUNTY
Lawerence Woods State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 1 p.m. at preserve parking area located at 13278 County Road 190, Kenton, OH 43226.
 
HIGHLAND COUNTY
Miller Sanctuary State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at Chaparral Prairie State Nature Preserve office located at 209 Hawk Hill Road, West Union, OH 45693.
 
HOCKING COUNTY
Boch Hollow State Nature Preserve (gun). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 16 at 11:30 a.m. at the preserve office located at 7211 Bremen Road, Logan, OH 43138.
 
HURON COUNTY
Augusta-Anne Olsen State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m. at the preserve office located at 4934 W. River Road, Wakeman, OH 44889.        
 
JACKSON COUNTY
Lake Katharine State Nature Preserve (archery, gun, muzzleloader). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug.16 at 10 a.m. at the preserve office located at 1703 Lake Katharine Road, Jackson, OH 45640.
 
MADISON COUNTY
Anges Andreae and Little Darby Forrest preserves (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Pastime Park in the Youth Agriculture Building located at 370 N. Chillicothe St., Plain City, OH 43064.
 
MIAMI COUNTY
Cool-Davis Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 14 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Stillwater Prairie Preserve maintenance barn located at 9750 State Route 185, Covington, OH 45318.
 
PICKAWAY COUNTY
Stage’s Pond State Nature Preserve (gun). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug 16. at 9 a.m. at the preserve office located at 4792 Hagerty Road, Ashville, OH 43103.
 
PORTAGE COUNTY
Eagle Creek State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at the preserve office located at 11027 Hopkins Road, Garrettsville, OH 44231.
 
SENECA COUNTY
Collier State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at 4 p.m. at preserve parking area located at 1655 W. Township Road 38, Tiffin, OH 44883.
 
SHELBY COUNTY
Gross Woods State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Sept. 6 at 9.a.m. at Gross Woods State Nature Preserve parking lot located at 19575 Botkins Road, Jackson Center, OH 45334.
 
UNION COUNTY
Milford Center Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Pastime Park in the Youth Agriculture Building located at 370 N. Chillicothe St., Plain City, OH 43064.
 
Terra Nova Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 21 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Pastime Park in the Youth Agriculture Building located at 370 N. Chillicothe St., Plain City, OH 43064.
 
WARREN COUNTY
Caesar Creek Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 7 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Spring Valley Wildlife Area Shooting Range located at 3570 Houston Road, Waynesville, OH 45068.
 
Caesar Creek Gorge State Nature Preserve (archery). The meeting will be held Saturday, Aug. 9 at 2 p.m. at the preserve office located at 4080 Corwin Road, Oregonia, OH 45054.
 
Deerfield Gorge Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 7 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Spring Valley Wildlife Area Shooting Range located at 357 Houston Road, Waynesville, OH 45068.
 
Halls Creek Scenic River Lands (archery). The meeting will be held on Thursday, Aug. 7 (ticket sales at 5:30 p.m., meeting follows 6:20 p.m. drawing) at Spring Valley Wildlife Area Shooting Range located at 3570 Houston Road, Waynesville, OH 45068.