DMU Licking, Ohio
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey
- Group
- Central Ohio
- Area
- N/A
- Public land
- N/A
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 5,754
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for White-tailed Deer so far. Wild Turkey also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedLicking County sits in Central Ohio's farmland and urban fringe belt, consistently ranking among the state's top 10 counties for total deer harvest — 5,770 deer checked in 2025-26, placing 7th statewide. The county is dominated by row-crop agriculture (corn, soybeans) interspersed with woodlot edges, creek drainages, and expanding suburban development around Newark and Granville. Trophy buck potential is elite: Licking appears on every short list of Ohio's top big-buck producers alongside Coshocton, Muskingum, and Franklin counties. Nearly all productive hunting is on private land — meaningful walk-in public acreage inside the county is essentially absent, with Brush Creek Wildlife Area (~783 acres, two tracts) being the primary ODNR parcel. Dillon Wildlife Area (~4,000 acres) straddles the Licking/Muskingum county line along the Licking River and SR-146 and is the closest substantial public ground, though it draws heavy pressure during gun season. Hunting pressure on accessible public parcels is high; private-land hunters enjoy comparatively less competition. Licking is a 3-deer county under Ohio's DMU framework, allowing up to three deer per license year with no more than one antlered.
Predominantly flat to gently rolling Central Ohio farmland — corn and soybean fields dominate with scattered woodlots, fencerows, and creek/river drainages (Licking River, South Fork Licking). Urban and suburban fringe around Newark (county seat) and Granville creates edge habitat but also restricts hunting access near developed areas. Soils are fertile glaciated till; cover is thinner and more fragmented than southeast Ohio hill country.
Moderate to high on available public parcels — Dillon Wildlife Area is described as 'loaded up with hunters during gun season.' Private land in the county receives relatively less pressure given the fragmented access situation. The county's high-profile reputation as a trophy producer attracts out-of-county hunters seeking private access, increasing competition for leases. Urban fringe parcels near Newark/Granville contain unhuntable sanctuary deer that skew perceived population density.
3-deer county (DMU classification). Hunters may harvest up to 3 deer per license year with no more than 1 antlered. Additional antlerless harvest is available via Deer Management Permits (DMPs) valid on both private and public hunting areas. On public hunting areas, the antlerless bag limit is 2 deer. DMPs for private land are valid through Dec. 21 (gun season close). County archery harvest through first 7 weeks of 2024-25: ~1,216 deer (7th statewide for archery). Youth gun 2025: 215 deer (8th statewide). Full-season 2024 gun week total: 1,860 deer.
White-tailed deer (primary), wild turkey (secondary). 2024-25 season dates: Archery Sep 28 2024 – Feb 2 2025; Youth Gun Nov 23-24 2024; Gun Dec 2-8 and Dec 21-22 2024; Muzzleloader Jan 4-7 2025. 2025-26 dates: Archery Sep 27 2025 – Feb 1 2026; Youth Gun Nov 22-23 2025; Gun Dec 1-7 and Dec 20-21 2025; Muzzleloader Jan 3-6 2026. Legal hunting hours: 30 min before sunrise to 30 min after sunset. Muzzleloader specs: .38 cal or larger, scopes and sabots permitted. Turkey season follows standard Ohio spring/fall dates.
Licking County is one of Ohio's premier trophy whitetail destinations — regularly in the top 10 for both total harvest volume and Boone & Crockett entries. The agricultural matrix of corn and soybean fields provides exceptional summer nutrition and late-season food sources that grow deer to outsized antler potential. Archery hunting along river and creek drainages during the October lull and November rut offers the best opportunity for mature bucks on any accessible land. Private-land access is the controlling variable: hunters with farm connections or lease arrangements can experience world-class whitetail hunting in an otherwise ordinary-looking Central Ohio landscape.
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about DMU Licking— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about DMU Licking.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: ODNR official county-based deer management units. Community info last updated 16d ago.