Ohio hunters may soon have more public ground. Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 450 on June 15, approving Ohio’s capital budget for fiscal years 2027 and 2028. The nearly $4 billion capital improvements bill funds schools, public infrastructure, parks, trails, state facilities, and other long-term projects across the state.
Inside that larger budget is a $25 million line item for State Forest Land Conservation under the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance said the money will help the ODNR acquire state wildlife and forestry lands for hunters and trappers. The group also said the state can use that funding to leverage 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 land.
Where the Land Could Be
The bill doesn’t name specific parcels. It just creates the funding.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance said the expected acquisitions are likely to focus on southern and southeastern Ohio, where new parcels could border existing wildlife and forestry lands.
No land deals have been announced yet. Early estimates put the potential acquisition total around 25,000 acres, depending on land prices, willing sellers, federal matching funds, and what the ODNR ultimately chooses to buy.
Why Hunters Care
Ohio has public hunting access, but it’s still a heavily private-land state. Leases, permissions, and fragmented parcels shape where hunters can realistically go.
Adding land near existing public holdings could make those areas more useful and easier to manage. It could also give hunters more room for deer, turkey, small game, and trapping opportunities.
Most Ohio state forests allow hunting and fishing in season under the Division of Wildlife regulations. The ODNR could 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 normal rules.
What Happens Next
Ohio approved the funding, but the ODNR still has work to do before it adds any new land. The ODNR will need to identify sellers, secure any available federal matching funds, close purchases, and decide how each property will be managed. Until that happens, this is future access, not a new public hunting area hunters can mark on a map today.
If the plan comes together, Ohio hunters could see thousands of new acres of public access in a state where that ground is always in demand.
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