Dean State Forest: hunting and access
Dean State Forest is 2,801 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Lawrence County, 8 miles from Hanging Rock, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 1,682 deer in Lawrence 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 mapNational forestMetro parks, county and city landLand trusts and other open landDean State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,801 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lawrence County |
| Deer harvest unit | Lawrence County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | forest |
| Managed by | the Division of Forestry |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land |
| Nearest towns | Hanging Rock (8 mi), South Webster (9 mi) and Ironton (9 mi) |
What are the rules on Dean State 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 Dean State Forest?
Dean State Forest lies in Lawrence County. Hunters checked 1,682 deer in Lawrence County in 2025-26, against 1,955 in 2024-25.
| County | Dean State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 2,801 | 1,682 | 1,955 | 1,738 |
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 Dean State Forest?
Nearest towns: Hanging Rock (8 miles), South Webster (9 miles), Ironton (9 miles) and Franklin Furnace (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OH 93, OH 522, OH 650 and OH 373.
What other public land is near Dean State Forest?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Symmes Township Wildlife Area: 122 acres, 5.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Dean State Forest
Counting Dean State Forest itself, 25,794 of the 39,229 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (65.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National forest | 22,993 |
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 2,801 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Dean State Forest?
In Lawrence County, 8 miles from Hanging Rock.
Can you hunt on Dean State Forest?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Dean State Forest?
25,794 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Dean State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Symmes Township Wildlife Area (5.8 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, Dean State 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.