Dillon Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Dillon Wildlife Area is 4,480 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Muskingum and Licking counties, next to Nashport, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 6,283 deer in Muskingum 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 mapFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesOther state landMetro parks, county and city landLand trusts and other open landDillon Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,480 acres in 26 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Muskingum County and Licking County |
| Deer harvest unit | Muskingum County, Licking County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | wildlife area |
| Managed by | the Division of Wildlife |
| Held by ODNR as | lease and owned land |
| Nearest towns | Nashport (next to it), Marne (next to it) and Hanover (next to it) |
What are the rules on Dillon 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 Dillon Wildlife Area?
Dillon Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters checked 6,283 deer in Muskingum County in 2025-26, against 6,269 in 2024-25.
| County | Dillon Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskingum County | 3,733 | 6,283 | 6,269 | 5,789 |
| Licking County | 747 | 5,770 | 5,754 | 5,429 |
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 Dillon Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Nashport (next to it), Marne (next to it), Hanover (next to it) and Zanesville (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OH 16, I-70, OH 146, OH 60 and OH 79.
What other public land is near Dillon Wildlife Area?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Dillon State Park: 2,904 acres, next to it
- Powelson Wildlife Area: 2,775 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Tri-Valley Wildlife Area: 16,885 acres, 4.7 miles away
- Zanesville Nursery: 197 acres, 5.2 miles away
- West Blue Rock State Forest: 675 acres, 7.9 miles away
- Meiners Wildlife Area: 36 acres, 8.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Dillon Wildlife Area
Counting Dillon Wildlife Area itself, 17,874 of the 98,785 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (18.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 9,357 |
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 7,827 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 493 |
| Metro parks, county and city land | 192 |
| Other state land | 5 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Dillon Wildlife Area?
In Muskingum and Licking counties, next to Nashport.
Can you hunt on Dillon Wildlife Area?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Dillon Wildlife Area?
17,874 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Dillon Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Dillon 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, Dillon 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.