ODNR Opens Applications for Spring 2026 Turkey Hunts, Cold Creek Trout Lottery

Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Area in neighboring Wayne County is one of six controlled-access sites where Holmes County hunters can compete for a spring wild turkey permit this season, with the application window closing Tuesday, March 31.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife opened applications for both the special spring 2026 wild turkey hunts and the Cold Creek trout-fishing lottery. The deadline applies to both programs. Apply online through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System or the HuntFish OH mobile app. Phone applications are accepted at 1-866-703-1928, though that route adds a $5.50 service fee on top of the $3 non-refundable application fee charged for every submission. Mail-in applications are not accepted under any circumstances.

All required licenses and permits must be in hand before submitting an application. Successful applicants from both programs are chosen through a random, computer-based lottery.

The turkey hunt lottery covers six wildlife areas across the state: Eagle Creek in Brown County, Killbuck Marsh in Wayne County, Killdeer Plains in Wyandot County, Lake La Su An in Williams County, Mosquito Creek in Trumbull County, and Woodland Trails in Preble County. Spring youth wild turkey hunts, mentor-style hunts, and general applicant hunts are all available at those locations. Specific dates vary by site and permit length; full site-by-site schedules are posted on the Controlled Hunting Access Lotteries page at wildohio.gov.

The Cold Creek lottery opens access to a half-mile section of Cold Creek at Castalia State Fish Hatchery in Erie County, which ODNR calls "one of Ohio's most productive and unique waterways." Lottery winners can fish that stretch on select dates between May 1 and November 30, 2026. Details on specific fishing dates are available on the Controlled Fishing Access Lottery page at wildohio.gov.

With eight days left before the March 31 cutoff, hunters and anglers who have not yet applied can still submit through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System, the HuntFish OH app, or by phone.