Delaware Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Delaware Wildlife Area is 5,784 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Delaware, Marion and Morrow counties, next to Waldo, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 1,877 deer in Delaware 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 forestFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesMetro parks, county and city landLand trusts and other open landDelaware Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,784 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Delaware County, Marion County and Morrow County |
| Deer harvest unit | Delaware County, Marion County, Morrow County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | wildlife area |
| Managed by | the Division of Wildlife |
| Held by ODNR as | lease and owned land |
| Nearest towns | Waldo (next to it), Ashley (2 mi) and Radnor (4 mi) |
What are the rules on Delaware Wildlife Area?
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 Delaware Wildlife Area?
Delaware Wildlife Area lies in 3 counties. Hunters checked 1,877 deer in Delaware County in 2025-26, against 1,818 in 2024-25.
| County | Delaware Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County | 3,893 | 1,877 | 1,818 | 1,712 |
| Marion County | 1,428 | 1,384 | 1,289 | 1,060 |
| Morrow County | 463 | 2,767 | 2,446 | 2,176 |
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 Delaware Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Waldo (next to it), Ashley (2 miles), Radnor (4 miles) and Kilbourne (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 23, OH 229, OH 37, OH 47 and OH 423.
What other public land is near Delaware Wildlife Area?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Delaware State Park: 2,003 acres, next to it
- Alum Creek State Park: 8,352 acres, 4.3 miles away
- Big Island Wildlife Area: 7,185 acres, 7.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Delaware Wildlife Area
Counting Delaware Wildlife Area itself, 10,249 of the 70,349 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (14.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 7,787 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 1,829 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 257 |
| Metro parks, county and city land | 195 |
| National forest | 181 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Delaware Wildlife Area?
In Delaware, Marion and Morrow counties, next to Waldo.
Can you hunt on Delaware Wildlife Area?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Delaware Wildlife Area?
10,249 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Delaware Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Delaware State Park (next to it).
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, Delaware Wildlife Area; 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.