How it hunts
Crop edges, shelterbelts, and small private woods.
Public access. Mostly private ground with scattered metroparks, stream corridors, or small WMAs.
504 sq mi of land (Census)
Till PlainsDiamond in the rough
Fairfield County
Big agriculture with isolated woodlots, ditch lines, and creek timber.
Sit forecast
Checking the forecast…
51/100
TrophyBook Opportunity Score · v1
Tied #41 of 88 Ohio counties
Ranks the county on harvest and record-book numbers. Not the odds of taking a buck.
- Total harvest2,351 deer · beats 55% of other counties22.0 / 40
- Harvest trend+5% · beats 22% of other counties5.5 / 25
- Harvest per sq mi4.7 per sq mi · beats 48% of other counties9.6 / 20
- Book-buck odds4.0 per 1,000 deer · beats 92% of other counties13.8 / 15
2025-26 harvest · record book 2019–2023 · How it works
Harvest176#48 of 88 · +17.3% vs last year
So far in 2026-27
Bucks74#47 of 88 · 42% of harvest
102 antlerless · +16% vs last year
Harvest per sq mi0.35#52 of 88
Not a population count
Book-buck odds4.0#8 of 88 · 1.9× Ohio
Per 1,000 deer · 46 entries, 2019–23
Harvest trend+5%#66 of 88
Last 3 seasons vs the 3 before
Harvest by season
Through Oct 13, 2026 · 150 at this point last season
Book bucks
432 Buckeye Big Buck Club entries · 341 typical · 91 non-typical · latest 2024 · #13 of 88
| Score | Hunter | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 287 5/8 | Daniel Coffman | 2015 |
| 231 5/8 | Scott A Esker | 2008 |
| 217 7/8 | Josh Matheny | 2003 |
| 210 1/8 | Kevin Rinehart | 2019 |
| 208 3/8 | James Stephenson | 2017 |
Taken with: Modern Shotgun 173 · Long Bow 129 · Crossbow 82 · Muzzleloader 32
All 432 entries →Buck board: no Fairfield deer posted for 2026-27 yet. Post the first
History
Fairfield County was established in 1800; early settlers named it for the fair fields of the Hocking Valley. Lancaster is the county seat.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA