Outdoors · Firelands region

What opens next: Ohio’s fall calendar for ducks, doves, turkey and small game

Duck season opens Oct. 17 statewide, with different splits in each of Ohio’s three waterfowl zones.

By Firelands Current staff · September 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Deer aren’t the only thing in season. Here are the next dates on Ohio’s 2026–27 hunting calendar, from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Birds

Fall turkey: Opens Oct. 1 in 70 counties. Check ODNR’s list to see whether your county is included.
Mourning dove: Open through Nov. 8, then Dec. 12 to Jan. 1. The daily limit is 15.
Woodcock: Oct. 16 to Nov. 29, with a limit of 3 a day.
Youth, active military and veteran waterfowl days: Oct. 3–4.

Ducks

Regular duck season opens Oct. 17 in all three of Ohio’s zones. After that the zones split:

Zone A: Oct. 17–Nov. 1 and Nov. 14–Dec. 27
Zone B: Oct. 17–25 and Nov. 21–Jan. 10, 2027
Zone C: Oct. 17–25 and Dec. 12–Jan. 31, 2027

The daily limit is six ducks, with caps by species, including no more than four mallards, only two of which may be hens. Scaup count toward the six, with a one-bird limit for the first 15 days.

Ohio redrew its waterfowl zones this year, so confirm which one you hunt in using ODNR’s zone map before you go.

Small game

Squirrel: Sept. 1 to Jan. 31, six a day
Rabbit: Nov. 6 to Feb. 28, four a day
Pheasant (roosters only): Nov. 6 to Jan. 10, two a day
Fox, raccoon and other furbearers: Nov. 10 to Jan. 31

The official season chart is the final word on dates and limits.