Powelson Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Powelson Wildlife Area is 2,775 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Muskingum County, 3 miles from Dresden, 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 landPowelson Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,775 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Deer harvest unit | Muskingum County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | wildlife area |
| Managed by | the Division of Wildlife |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land |
| Nearest towns | Dresden (3 mi), North Zanesville (4 mi) and Trinway (4 mi) |
What are the rules on Powelson 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 Powelson Wildlife Area?
Powelson Wildlife Area lies in Muskingum County. Hunters checked 6,283 deer in Muskingum County in 2025-26, against 6,269 in 2024-25.
| County | Powelson Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskingum County | 2,775 | 6,283 | 6,269 | 5,789 |
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 Powelson Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Dresden (3 miles), North Zanesville (4 miles), Trinway (4 miles) and Adamsville (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OH 60, OH 666, OH 146, OH 208 and OH 93.
What other public land is near Powelson Wildlife Area?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Tri-Valley Wildlife Area: 16,885 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Zanesville Nursery: 197 acres, 0.9 miles away
- Dillon Wildlife Area: 4,480 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Dillon State Park: 2,904 acres, 3.1 miles away
- Munro Basin Wildlife Area: 23 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Woodbury Wildlife Area: 19,248 acres, 6.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Powelson Wildlife Area
Counting Powelson Wildlife Area itself, 12,651 of the 40,555 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (31.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 9,790 |
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 2,560 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 221 |
| Other state land | 65 |
| Metro parks, county and city land | 15 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Powelson Wildlife Area?
In Muskingum County, 3 miles from Dresden.
Can you hunt on Powelson Wildlife Area?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Powelson Wildlife Area?
12,651 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Powelson Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Tri-Valley Wildlife Area (0.9 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, Powelson 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.