Author: FFP Ai Bot

Illustration: The Fostoria Free Press.

SENECA COUNTY- Archery season is already under way, and Ohio’s gun seasons are only weeks off. Here is what Seneca County hunters need to know for 2026-27, drawn from the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Regulations.

2026-27 season dates (statewide)

• Archery: Sept. 26, 2026 to Feb. 7, 2027
• Youth gun: Nov. 21-22, 2026
• Gun: Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, 2026
• Bonus gun: Dec. 19-20, 2026
• Muzzleloader: Jan. 2-5, 2027

Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

Bag limits: Seneca is a three-deer county

The state’s 2026-27 deer bag limit map shows Seneca County, along with neighboring Wood County and most of Hancock County, as a three-deer county. A hunter may take no more than three deer in a three-deer county, using either-sex permits, deer management permits or any combination.

Statewide, a hunter may take up to six deer by combining county limits, but no more than one antlered deer all season. The regulations define an antlered deer as one with at least one antler 3 inches or longer.

The disease surveillance area next door

Ohio’s disease surveillance area (DSA) now includes all of Allen, Hardin, Marion and Wyandot counties and, in Hancock County, Delaware, Madison and Van Buren townships. In the DSA, archery opened Sept. 12 and the bag limit is six deer. If you hunt in southern Hancock or Wyandot County, read the DSA section of the regulations closely.

Permits

Besides a hunting license, you need an either-sex deer permit or a deer management permit, unless exempt. The either-sex permit covers an antlered or antlerless deer. Deer management permits are for antlerless deer only, and for 2026-27 the state says they can be used throughout the deer season. Adult resident either-sex permits cost $31.20 and deer management permits cost $15.

Hunter orange

During the youth deer gun, deer gun and muzzleloader seasons, anyone hunting any wild animal except waterfowl must wear a vest, coat, jacket or coveralls in solid or camouflage hunter orange from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The rule applies on public and private land.

Legal firearms for gun season

• Shotgun, 10 gauge or smaller, with one ball or one rifled slug per barrel
• Straight-walled cartridge rifles from .357 to .50 caliber, including .350 Legend
• Muzzleloading rifles .38 caliber or larger
• Handguns with at least a 5-inch barrel firing straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger

Shotguns and straight-walled rifles may hold no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined. You may carry only one hunting implement while deer hunting. The minimum draw weight for a crossbow is 75 pounds.

Game check deadlines

Every harvested deer must be checked. You must complete game check and receive a confirmation code by noon the day after the kill. If you take a deer on the last day of a season, check it by 11:30 p.m. that day. You will need the 10-digit number printed on your permit. Game check can be done online, through a license agent, by phone or with the HuntFish OH app.

Video: “Check Wild Game Using the HuntFish Ohio Mobile App” from the OhioDNR YouTube channel.

Public land notes

• No more than two antlerless deer may be taken from all public hunting areas per license year, with some controlled-hunt exceptions.
• Hunting deer over bait is not allowed on any public hunting area.
• In Seneca County, the park district says the southern 70 acres of Steyer Nature Preserve are open to hunting in season, and all of Steyer is closed to hiking during the deer gun, youth deer gun and muzzleloader seasons.

Contacts

• Wildlife District Two office: 952 Lima Ave., Findlay
• Division of Wildlife: 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543)
• Report poaching: 1-800-POACHER

Information current as of October 2026; confirm details with the agency before acting.

Sources

Ohio Division of Wildlife, 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations (PDF, dam.assets.ohio.gov)
Ohio Division of Wildlife, 2026-27 Ohio Deer Hunting Regulations and county bag limit map (PDF, dam.assets.ohio.gov)
Seneca County Park District, Steyer Nature Preserve page (senecacountyparks.com)
OhioDNR YouTube video “Check Wild Game Using the HuntFish Ohio Mobile App”