Brush Creek Forest: hunting and access
Brush Creek Forest is 13,018 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Scioto, Adams and Pike counties, next to Rarden, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 2,576 deer in Scioto County in 2025-26.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: ODNR's ODNR area open to hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: Division of Wildlife harvest reports, 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Land on ODNR's hunting mapOther state landMetro parks, county and city landLand trusts and other open landBrush Creek ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 13,018 acres in 21 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Scioto County, Adams County and Pike County |
| Deer harvest unit | Scioto County, Adams County, Pike County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | forest |
| Managed by | the Division of Forestry |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land |
| Nearest towns | Rarden (next to it), Otway (3 mi) and Sinking Spring (3 mi) |
What are the rules on Brush Creek Forest?
ODNR's land layer lists the area as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons and rules.
ODNR's hunting map for the area shows the boundaries, parking and any no-hunting zones.
Deer bag limits in Ohio are set by county; the Division's 2026-27 season list points to the bag limit map.
How many deer are taken around Brush Creek Forest?
Brush Creek Forest lies in 3 counties. Hunters checked 2,576 deer in Scioto County in 2025-26, against 2,512 in 2024-25.
| County | Brush Creek Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scioto County | 8,275 | 2,576 | 2,512 | 2,195 |
| Adams County | 4,706 | 3,895 | 3,637 | 3,100 |
| Pike County | 37 | 2,156 | 2,193 | 1,778 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the hunting area alone: the Division of Wildlife's 2025-26, 2024-25 and 2023-24 final deer harvest reports and Publication 5304 (2021-22).
How do you get to Brush Creek Forest?
Nearest towns: Rarden (next to it), Otway (3 miles), Sinking Spring (3 miles) and McDermott (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OH 32, OH 73, US 23, OH 348 and OH 104.
What other public land is near Brush Creek Forest?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Pike State Forest: 13,716 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Tranquility Wildlife Area: 4,553 acres, 6.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Brush Creek Forest
Counting Brush Creek Forest itself, 15,670 of the 143,138 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (10.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 14,758 |
| Other state land | 893 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 19 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Brush Creek Forest?
In Scioto, Adams and Pike counties, next to Rarden.
Can you hunt on Brush Creek Forest?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Brush Creek Forest?
15,670 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Brush Creek Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Pike State Forest (0.9 miles).
Get a Ohio hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Ohio are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Ohio included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: ODNR, Brush Creek Forest; ODNR lands hunting status.
- Boundary and acres: ODNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and ODNR's land boundaries with hunting status.
- Deer harvest: the Division of Wildlife's 2025-26, 2024-25 and 2023-24 final deer harvest reports and Publication 5304 (2021-22).
FilledTag is not part of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. Check ODNR's rules and posted signs before you go.