Ohio · Squirrel · 2026–27 Edition
Ohio Squirrel Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Squirrel season | Statewide | Sep 1 – Jan 31 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 6 — red, gray, black and fox squirrel combined |
|---|---|
| Possession | 6 in the field while hunting or returning from hunting — no larger take-home total found |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 1, 2026) 06:29 — 20:02
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily during the open season — stated explicitly for squirrel in Ohio Administrative Code Rule 1501:31-15-15. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Ohio sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Squirrel hunters in Ohio need an Ohio hunting license.
Where to hunt public land in Ohio — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does squirrel season start in Ohio?
The 2026–27 opener is September 1, 2026. See the table above for the full window.
When does squirrel season end in Ohio?
The 2026–27 closing date is January 31, 2027.
Is there a difference between fox and gray squirrel rules in Ohio?
See the bag limit table above — most states run one combined limit across both species, but this is worth confirming against Ohio Division of Wildlife before you hunt.
How many squirrels can you shoot in Ohio per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 6 — red, gray, black and fox squirrel combined. Possession — 6 in the field while hunting or returning from hunting — no larger take-home total found. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting squirrel in Ohio?
On opening day (September 1, 2026) legal light runs 06:29 to 20:02. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset daily during the open season — stated explicitly for squirrel in Ohio Administrative Code Rule 1501:31-15-15. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Ohio sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt squirrels on my own land in Ohio without a license?
Ohio residents who own land — plus their parents, children, and grandchildren under 18 — may hunt it without a hunting license; the same applies to tenants and their children. Deer and turkey still need their own permit.
Verified · Ohio Division of Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Ohio Administrative Code Rule 1501:31-15-15, the state's own codified squirrel-season rule; codes.ohio.gov refused a direct automated fetch, so the rule text was read via a proxy fetch of the same official URL and corroborated by ODNR's 2026-27 season PDF (dam.assets.ohio.gov) and an eRegulations mirror. The possession limit (6 — the same as the daily bag, capped 'in the field while hunting or returning from hunting') is an unusually strict rule compared with most states in this batch and is worth a second look before publishing further, though it comes directly from the code text.