Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area is 435 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Defiance County, 3 miles from Brunersburg, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 1,887 deer in Defiance 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 mapOther state landMetro parks, county and city landOxbow Lake Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 435 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Defiance County |
| Deer harvest unit | Defiance County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | wildlife area |
| Managed by | the Division of Wildlife |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land and agreement |
| Nearest towns | Brunersburg (3 mi), Ney (4 mi) and Defiance (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Oxbow 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 Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area?
Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area lies in Defiance County. Hunters checked 1,887 deer in Defiance County in 2025-26, against 1,468 in 2024-25.
| County | Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defiance County | 435 | 1,887 | 1,468 | 2,298 |
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 Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Brunersburg (3 miles), Ney (4 miles), Defiance (5 miles) and Sherwood (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OH 15, US 24, OH 18, OH 66 and OH 424.
What other public land is near Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area?
Public land within 3 miles of Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area
Counting Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area itself, 488 of the 25,497 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 435 |
| Other state land | 53 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area?
In Defiance County, 3 miles from Brunersburg.
Can you hunt on Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area?
488 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
Get a Ohio hunt plan when they open
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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, Oxbow 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.