How it hunts
Crop edges, shelterbelts, and small private woods.
Public access. Mostly private ground with scattered metroparks, stream corridors, or small WMAs.
598 sq mi of land (Census)
Till PlainsDiamond in the rough
Darke County
Big agriculture with isolated woodlots, ditch lines, and creek timber.
Sit forecast
Checking the forecast…
46/100
TrophyBook Opportunity Score · v1
Tied #49 of 88 Ohio counties
Ranks the county on harvest and record-book numbers. Not the odds of taking a buck.
- Total harvest1,356 deer · beats 25% of other counties10.0 / 40
- Harvest trend+32% · beats 89% of other counties22.3 / 25
- Harvest per sq mi2.3 per sq mi · beats 8% of other counties1.6 / 20
- Book-buck odds3.3 per 1,000 deer · beats 80% of other counties12.0 / 15
2025-26 harvest · record book 2019–2023 · How it works
Harvest99#74 of 88 · -16.8% vs last year
So far in 2026-27
Bucks24#79 of 88 · 24% of harvest
75 antlerless · -14% vs last year
Harvest per sq mi0.17#80 of 88
Not a population count
Book-buck odds3.3#16 of 88 · 1.5× Ohio
Per 1,000 deer · 18 entries, 2019–23
Harvest trend+32%#11 of 88
Last 3 seasons vs the 3 before
Harvest by season
Through Oct 13, 2026 · 119 at this point last season
Book bucks
141 Buckeye Big Buck Club entries · 118 typical · 23 non-typical · latest 2024 · #67 of 88
| Score | Hunter | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 212 5/8 | Logan Hess | 2024 |
| 208 5/8 | Gary Douglas | 2015 |
| 196 2/8 | Austin Bruner | 2019 |
| 195 0/8 | Bob Spitler | 1995 |
| 192 6/8 | Carol Christian | 2005 |
Taken with: Modern Shotgun 58 · Long Bow 37 · Crossbow 26 · Muzzleloader 11
All 141 entries →Buck board: no Darke deer posted for 2026-27 yet. Post the first
History
Darke County was formed in 1809 and named for Revolutionary War officer William Darke. Greenville, the seat, was the site of the 1795 Treaty of Greenville.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA