What to Do Each Month
Ohio's outdoor calendar — top activities, seasonal highlights, and what's in season month by month.
Jan
January
Winter wildlife and ice fishing
Ice FishingBirdingWinter Hiking
- -Ice fishing at Mosquito Lake
- -Eagle watching at Lake Erie
- -Cross-country skiing at CVNP
- -Indoor climbing
Feb
February
Late winter steelhead and early signs of spring
Steelhead FishingWinter HikingBirding
- -Steelhead fishing (NE Ohio)
- -Owl prowl hikes
- -Winter hiking at Hocking Hills
- -Cabin weekend getaway
Mar
March
Walleye run and the return of spring
Walleye FishingBirdingHiking
- -Maumee River walleye run
- -Hinckley buzzard return (Mar 15)
- -Early wildflower hikes
- -Maple sugaring events
Apr
April
Wildflowers, mushrooms, and turkey season
HikingTurkey HuntingFishing
- -Wildflower hikes at Hocking Hills
- -Morel mushroom hunting
- -Spring turkey hunting
- -Crappie fishing
May
May
Peak birding migration and bass season opens
BirdingBass FishingPaddling
- -Biggest Week in Birding (Magee Marsh)
- -Bass fishing season opens May 1
- -Paddling season begins
- -Mountain biking
Jun
June
Summer fishing, camping, and fireflies
FishingCampingPaddling
- -Catfish season peaks
- -Firefly viewing at Hocking Hills
- -Family camping weekends
- -Paddling the Little Miami
Jul
July
Lake Erie walleye and summer adventures
Walleye FishingSwimmingBiking
- -Lake Erie walleye trolling
- -Swimming at Headlands Beach
- -Biking the Towpath Trail
- -Summer festivals and events
Aug
August
Late summer fishing and early hunting prep
FishingPaddlingWildlife Viewing
- -Night saugeye fishing
- -Monarch butterfly viewing
- -Scout dove fields for September
- -Kayaking and tubing
Sep
September
Archery deer and squirrel season open
Deer HuntingHikingBirding
- -Archery deer season opens
- -Squirrel hunting
- -Fall hiking begins
- -Hawk migration watching
Oct
October
Peak fall foliage and steelhead return
HikingSteelhead FishingHunting
- -Fall foliage at Mohican/Hocking Hills
- -Steelhead fishing (NE Ohio)
- -Pre-rut deer hunting
- -Fall camping
Nov
November
Deer gun season and waterfowl migration
Deer HuntingWaterfowlFishing
- -Ohio deer gun season
- -Waterfowl hunting
- -Late fall musky fishing
- -Duck hunting at Lake Erie marshes
Dec
December
Late season hunting and holiday outdoors
HuntingSteelhead FishingBirding
- -Late archery deer season
- -Peak steelhead fishing
- -Christmas bird count
- -Winter cabin getaway