Delaware Wildlife Area & Rifle Range

Spend a Day at the Delaware Wildlife Area

The 4,670-acre Delaware Wildlife Area is situated eight miles north of Delaware, Ohio just off U.S. Route 23. With topography ranging from flat to gently rolling hills, the area is home to mixed grasses, briers, prairie grasses, clover, small shrubs, second-growth hardwoods, and advanced succession brush.

Visitors may see Whitetail Deer, Cottontail rabbits, Ring-Necked pheasant, mourning doves, squirrels, woodchucks, raccoons, muskrats, minks, and opossums as well as Canadian geese, wood ducks, and mallards. The abundance of wildlife makes this public area a great place for all types of hunting.

The wildlife area is also adjacent to the 1330-acre Delaware Lake, which is fed by the Olentangy and Whetstone rivers. It is one of the premier crappie hot spots in the state and is home to many species of gamefish including bluegill, largemouth and smallmouth bass, catfish, and saugeye. In the spring its tributaries are teeming with spawning fish. There are also a large number of ponds on the wildlife area that are accessible for pan fishing.

Hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, and wildlife enthusiasts will all find the wildlife area full of great opportunities. Click here for more information on the Delaware Wildlife Area

Enjoy Some Time at the Delaware Rifle and Archery Range

If you’re looking for a great place to safely target shoot your firearms or let some arrows fly at a bullseye then the Delaware Rifle and Archery Range is a great place to start. This public facility is supervised, handicap accessible, and has three rifle and pistol ranges with covered shooting positions and benches. There is also a five-position shotgun range with throwers provided.

The Archery range consists of a static range with a platform and targets located at 10-50 yards and a 14-position walk-through course with targets in wooded and open field locations.

The best feature of the range is that It's located just 1.6 miles from our store so you can quickly transport your newly purchased firearms or bows for some target practice. Click here for more information on the Delaware Shooting and Archery Range

Outdoors At The Delaware State Park

The Delaware State Park and campground is a spectacular place for your next outdoor adventure. The park is comprised of dense woodlands, expansive meadows, and a beautiful 1,300-acre reservoir.

Activities at the park include hunting, fishing, camping, picnicking, swimming, boating, biking, hiking, wildlife watching, and much more. The park also has a great disc golf course, a dog park, a playground, ball courts, a handicap-accessible stocked fishing pond, and many marked trails.

Boaters will find everything they need for a great day on the lake including a marina, boat launch ramps for both power and paddle craft, and seasonal docks while nature lovers can spend time in the woods hiking, or bird and animal watching. During the winter months, the park trails are open to cross-country skiing and there is a dedicated sledding hill.

In addition, the Delaware State Park encompasses a large family campground surrounded by mature trees and offers primitive camping as well as 200 sites with electricity. There are also many secluded picnic and gathering areas. Click here for more information on the Delaware State Park