Monroe Lake Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Monroe Lake Wildlife Area is 1,341 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Monroe County, next to Miltonsburg, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 2,195 deer in Monroe 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 landMonroe Lake Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,341 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Deer harvest unit | Monroe County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | wildlife area |
| Managed by | the Division of Wildlife |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land |
| Nearest towns | Miltonsburg (next to it), Jerusalem (next to it) and Wilson (3 mi) |
What are the rules on Monroe Lake 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 Monroe Lake Wildlife Area?
Monroe Lake Wildlife Area lies in Monroe County. Hunters checked 2,195 deer in Monroe County in 2025-26, against 3,224 in 2024-25.
| County | Monroe Lake Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 1,341 | 2,195 | 3,224 | 2,878 |
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 Monroe Lake Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Miltonsburg (next to it), Jerusalem (next to it), Wilson (3 miles) and Woodsfield (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OH 26, OH 145, OH 800, OH 78 and OH 379.
What other public land is near Monroe Lake Wildlife Area?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Barnesville Slope Creek Reservoir #3 Wildlife Area: 735 acres, 4.7 miles away
- Barnesville Reservoir #1 Wildlife Area: 102 acres, 8.7 miles away
- Senecaville Lake Hunt Area: 7,674 acres, 9.2 miles away
- Barnesville Reservoir #2 Wildlife Area: 51 acres, 9.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Monroe Lake Wildlife Area
Counting Monroe Lake Wildlife Area itself, 1,432 of the 35,160 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (4.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 1,341 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 89 |
| Other state land | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Monroe Lake Wildlife Area?
In Monroe County, next to Miltonsburg.
Can you hunt on Monroe Lake Wildlife Area?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Monroe Lake Wildlife Area?
1,432 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Monroe Lake Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Barnesville Slope Creek Reservoir #3 Wildlife Area (4.7 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, Monroe Lake 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.