Fernwood State Forest: hunting and access
Fernwood State Forest is 3,025 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Jefferson County, next to New Alexandria, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 3,691 deer in Jefferson 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 mapMetro parks, county and city landLand trusts and other open landFernwood State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,025 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Jefferson County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | forest |
| Managed by | the Division of Forestry |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land |
| Nearest towns | New Alexandria (next to it), Bloomingdale (2 mi) and Wintersville (3 mi) |
What are the rules on Fernwood 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 Fernwood State Forest?
Fernwood State Forest lies in Jefferson County. Hunters checked 3,691 deer in Jefferson County in 2025-26, against 3,601 in 2024-25.
| County | Fernwood State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 3,025 | 3,691 | 3,601 | 3,065 |
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 Fernwood State Forest?
Nearest towns: New Alexandria (next to it), Bloomingdale (2 miles), Wintersville (3 miles) and Steubenville (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 22, OH 7, OH 151, OH 152 and OH 43.
What other public land is near Fernwood State Forest?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Jefferson Lake State Park: 960 acres, 8.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Fernwood State Forest
Counting Fernwood State Forest itself, 4,675 of the 50,078 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 3,025 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,644 |
| Other state land | 5 |
| Metro parks, county and city land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Fernwood State Forest?
In Jefferson County, next to New Alexandria.
Can you hunt on Fernwood State Forest?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Fernwood State Forest?
4,675 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Fernwood State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Jefferson Lake State Park (8.1 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, Fernwood 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.