Ohio regulations 2026–27
Copied from the ODNR 2026–27 Fishing Regulations (statewide table) and the 2026–27 Ohio Hunting & Trapping Regulations season summary. Every hunting date is cross-checked against the species chapters of the same official digest. Every table links to the official source. If anything here disagrees with the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife, the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife is right.
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Statewide daily limits & minimum sizes
Applies to public waters without site-specific rules. Lake Erie and its tributaries, the Ohio River and site-specific waters differ — check the ODNR booklet.
| Species | Daily bag | Min length | Max length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (under 35 inches) | No limit | None | — |
| Blue & Flathead Catfish (35 inches or larger) | 1 of each (statewide) | 35 inches | — |
| Channel Catfish (under 28 inches) | No limit | None | — |
| Channel Catfish (28 inches or larger) | 1 (statewide) | 28 inches | — |
| Largemouth, Smallmouth, & Spotted Bass | 5 (singly or in combination) | 12 inches | — |
| Muskellunge | 1 | None | — |
| Striped, Hybrid-Striped, & White Bass | 30 (singly or in combination) | No more than 4 over 15 inches | — |
| Trout | 5 (singly or in combination) | None | — |
| Walleye, Sauger, & Saugeye | 6 (singly or in combination) | None | — |
| Yellow Perch | 30 | None | — |
ODNR 2026–27 Fishing Regulations (PDF) 2026–27 (Mar 1, 2026 - Feb 28, 2027) · official source ↗ · checked Oct 17, 2026
Hunting season dates 2026–27
Deer4 seasons+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Statewide | Sept. 26, 2026 - Feb. 7, 2027 |
| Youth Gun | Statewide | Nov. 21, 2026 - Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Gun | Statewide | Nov. 30, 2026 - Dec. 6, 2026; Dec. 19, 2026 - Dec. 20, 2026 |
| Muzzleloader | Statewide | Jan. 2, 2027 - Jan. 5, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Deer (Disease Surveillance Area)2 seasons+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| DSA Archery | Statewide | Sept. 12, 2026 - Feb. 7, 2027 |
| DSA Early Gun | Statewide | Oct. 10, 2026 - Oct. 12, 2026 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Turkey1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Turkey (select counties) | Select counties/areas | Oct. 1, 2026 - Oct. 25, 2026 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
American Crow1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| American Crow | Statewide | June 5, 2026 - March 7, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Squirrel1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Squirrel (red, gray, and fox) | Statewide | Sept. 1, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Cottontail Rabbit1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cottontail Rabbit | Statewide | Nov. 6, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Ring-necked Pheasant1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Statewide | Nov. 6, 2026 - Jan. 10, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Chukar1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Chukar | Statewide | Nov. 6, 2026 - Jan. 10, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Bobwhite Quail1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Bobwhite Quail (select counties and wildlife areas) | Select counties/areas | Nov. 6, 2026 - Nov. 29, 2026 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Furbearers (hunting)1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fox (red and gray), Raccoon, Skunk, Opossum, and Weasel | Statewide | Nov. 10, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
Youth Small Game1 season+
| Season | Zone / area | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Small Game | Statewide | Oct. 24, 2026 - Oct. 25, 2026; Oct. 31, 2026 - Nov. 1, 2026 |
County bag limits, permits and disease surveillance area rules apply — check the ODNR regulations. Spring turkey 2027 dates are not announced yet.
ODNR 2026–27 Hunting & Trapping Regulations (PDF) 2026–27 · official source ↗ · checked Oct 17, 2026
Licenses
We don't sell licenses. Use the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife's official pages: