Willow Grove State Forest: hunting and access
Willow Grove State Forest is 350 acres on ODNR's hunting map in Belmont County, next to Neffs, listed by ODNR as open to hunting. Hunters checked 3,725 deer in Belmont 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 landWillow Grove State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 350 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Belmont County |
| Deer harvest unit | Belmont County |
| Hunting (ODNR) | Open |
| Kind (ODNR) | forest |
| Managed by | the Division of Forestry |
| Held by ODNR as | owned land |
| Nearest towns | Neffs (next to it), Blaine (next to it) and Lansing (2 mi) |
What are the rules on Willow Grove State Forest?
ODNR's land layer lists the area as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons and rules.
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 Willow Grove State Forest?
Willow Grove State Forest lies in Belmont County. Hunters checked 3,725 deer in Belmont County in 2025-26, against 4,023 in 2024-25.
| County | Willow Grove State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont County | 350 | 3,725 | 4,023 | 3,607 |
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 Willow Grove State Forest?
Nearest towns: Neffs (next to it), Blaine (next to it), Lansing (2 miles) and Glencoe (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-70, OH 149, I-470, US 40 and OH 147.
What other public land is near Willow Grove State Forest?
ODNR areas open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Barkcamp State Park: 1,139 acres, 8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Willow Grove State Forest
Counting Willow Grove State Forest itself, 409 of the 28,464 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (1.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Land on ODNR's hunting map | 350 |
| Metro parks, county and city land | 59 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Willow Grove State Forest?
In Belmont County, next to Neffs.
Can you hunt on Willow Grove State Forest?
Yes. ODNR's layer lists it as open to hunting under Ohio's statewide seasons.
How much public land is around Willow Grove State Forest?
409 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Willow Grove State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and ODNR's land boundaries. The closest other ODNR area open to hunting is Barkcamp State Park (8 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 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.