How it hunts
Woodlots, wetlands, and remnant beach-ridge timber.
Public access. Magee Marsh / Ottawa NWR — famous for waterfowl; deer on the farm edges.
255 sq mi of land (Census)
Lake Plains
Ottawa County
Flat farm and marsh country, plus suburban woods on the lake counties.
Sit forecast
Checking the forecast…
35/100
TrophyBook Opportunity Score · v1
#69 of 88 Ohio counties
Ranks the county on harvest and record-book numbers. Not the odds of taking a buck.
- Total harvest851 deer · beats 6% of other counties2.4 / 40
- Harvest trend+33% · beats 90% of other counties22.5 / 25
- Harvest per sq mi3.3 per sq mi · beats 29% of other counties5.8 / 20
- Book-buck odds1.8 per 1,000 deer · beats 31% of other counties4.7 / 15
2025-26 harvest · record book 2019–2023 · How it works
Harvest86#76 of 88 · +38.7% vs last year
So far in 2026-27
Bucks30#73 of 88 · 35% of harvest
56 antlerless · +25% vs last year
Harvest per sq mi0.34#58 of 88
Not a population count
Book-buck odds1.8#56 of 88 · 0.8× Ohio
Per 1,000 deer · 5 entries, 2019–23 · small sample
Harvest trend+33%#10 of 88
Last 3 seasons vs the 3 before
Harvest by season
Through Oct 13, 2026 · 62 at this point last season
Book bucks
55 Buckeye Big Buck Club entries · 47 typical · 8 non-typical · latest 2023 · #86 of 88
| Score | Hunter | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 199 6/8 | Terry Pierce | 2016 |
| 190 3/8 | Dave L Kaylor | 1980 |
| 185 7/8 | Dean E Anderson | 2004 |
| 183 0/8 | Dave L Kaylor | 2009 |
| 183 0/8 | Jeff Gentry | 1997 |
Taken with: Crossbow 20 · Modern Shotgun 16 · Long Bow 10 · Muzzleloader 5
All 55 entries →Buck board: no Ottawa deer posted for 2026-27 yet. Post the first
History
Famous for Magee Marsh birding; deer live on the farm edges of the lake marshes.
Ottawa County was established in 1840 and named for the Ottawa people. Port Clinton is the seat on Lake Erie, with marshes and island ferries.
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