How it hunts
Crop edges, shelterbelts, and small private woods.
Public access. Mostly private ground with scattered metroparks, stream corridors, or small WMAs.
410 sq mi of land (Census)
Till PlainsDiamond in the rough
Van Wert County
Big agriculture with isolated woodlots, ditch lines, and creek timber.
Sit forecast
Checking the forecast…
44/100
TrophyBook Opportunity Score · v1
Tied #54 of 88 Ohio counties
Ranks the county on harvest and record-book numbers. Not the odds of taking a buck.
- Total harvest968 deer · beats 10% of other counties4.0 / 40
- Harvest trend+40% · beats 94% of other counties23.5 / 25
- Harvest per sq mi2.4 per sq mi · beats 11% of other counties2.2 / 20
- Book-buck odds4.2 per 1,000 deer · beats 95% of other counties14.3 / 15
2025-26 harvest · record book 2019–2023 · How it works
Harvest55#86 of 88 · -6.8% vs last year
So far in 2026-27
Bucks24#81 of 88 · 44% of harvest
31 antlerless · +26% vs last year
Harvest per sq mi0.13#85 of 88
Not a population count
Book-buck odds4.2#4 of 88 · 2× Ohio
Per 1,000 deer · 18 entries, 2019–23
Harvest trend+40%#6 of 88
Last 3 seasons vs the 3 before
Harvest by season
Through Oct 13, 2026 · 59 at this point last season
Book bucks
55 Buckeye Big Buck Club entries · 48 typical · 7 non-typical · latest 2025 · #85 of 88
| Score | Hunter | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 202 4/8 | Jim Bettinger | 2003 |
| 198 6/8 | Joshua Gibson | 2016 |
| 180 6/8 | Landon Frieden | 2022 |
| 180 2/8 | Carey L Hamrick | 1986 |
| 175 2/8 | Tony Wright | 2020 |
Taken with: Modern Shotgun 16 · Crossbow 15 · Long Bow 11 · Muzzleloader 8
All 55 entries →Buck board: no Van Wert deer posted for 2026-27 yet. Post the first
History
Van Wert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,931. Its county seat is Van Wert. The county was created on February 12, 1820, and later organized on March 18, 1837. It is named for Isaac Van Wart, one of the captors of John André in the American Revolutionary War.
Wikipedia · CC BY-SA