Ohio hunters may soon have more public lands. Signed by Governor Mike DeWine senate bill 450 On June 15, Ohio’s capital budget for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 was approved. The nearly $4 billion capital improvement bill funds schools, public infrastructure, parks, trails, state facilities and other long-term projects across the state.
Within that larger budget is a $25 million line item for state forest land conservation under the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The Sportsman’s Alliance said the money will help ODNR acquire state wildlife and forestry lands for hunters and trappers. The group also said the state could use that funding to take advantage of federal matching dollars through programs like the Wildlife Restoration Fund and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
If those matching funds come through, Ohio could have $50 million available for new public lands.
where can the land be
The bill does not name the specific parcel. It just creates funding.
Sportsman Alliance said The expected acquisitions are likely to be concentrated in southern and southeastern Ohio, where new parcels may border existing wildlife and forestry lands.
No land deal has been announced yet. Initial estimates put the total potential acquisition at about 25,000 acres, depending on land prices, willing sellers, federal matching funds and what ODNR ultimately wants to purchase.
Why do hunters care?
Ohio has public hunting access, but it is still a heavily private land state. Leases, permits, and fragmented parcels shape where hunters can realistically go.
Adding land to existing public holdings could make those areas more useful and easier to manage. It can also give hunters more room for deer, turkey, small game and trapping opportunities.
Most Ohio state forests allow hunting and fishing in season under Wildlife Division regulations. ODNR can turn the additional funding into real access for Ohio hunters by adding new properties to the state forest or wildlife area system and opening them under general rules.
what happens next
Ohio has approved the funding, but ODNR still has work to do before adding any new lands. odnr Sellers will need to be identified, secure any available federal matching funds, close the purchase, and decide how each property will be managed. Until that happens, this is future access, there are no new public hunting areas that hunters can mark on the map today.
If the plan is successful, Ohio hunters could gain thousands of new acres of public access in a state where that land is always in demand.
