Ohio Division of Wildlife

What Ohio Division of Wildlife does

The Ohio Division of Wildlife is a state government agency within the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, responsible for conserving and managing Ohio's fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. Established in 1873 and headquartered at 2045 Morse Road in Columbus, the Division serves Ohio residents and non-resident visitors through hunting and fishing licenses, game-specific permits, stamps, shooting range permits, boat registrations, and controlled-hunt lotteries. Customers include resident hunters and anglers, non-resident tourists, youth hunters under 17, senior citizens eligible for discounted or free licenses, and Ohio landowners exercising license exemptions on their own property. The Division also operates the Turn in a Poacher (TIP) program, publishes Wild Ohio Magazine, sells the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, and runs education and outreach programs across the state's 88 counties.

The Division's core technology is the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System (OWLS), an online recreational licensing website developed and maintained under contract by Sovereign Sportsman Solutions, complemented by the HuntFish OH mobile application for license purchases, HIP surveys, game check, and digital license display. Distribution is multi-channel, spanning the OWLS portal, mobile app, authorized retail license vendors throughout Ohio, a call center (1-800-WILDLIFE), the TIP hotline (1-800-POACHER), and in-person ODNR offices. Camping reservations are handled through reserveohio.com, and ten Ohio State Park resort lodges form an ancillary hospitality portfolio.

The revenue model combines transactional license and permit fees with multi-year and lifetime subscription tiers, voluntary donations (TIP program), boat registration fees, and federal aid allocated through the Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson Acts from hunting and fishing equipment excise taxes. Pricing is publicly disclosed and tiered by residency, age, and duration (e.g., resident annual hunting license at $19.00, lifetime at $449.28; youth annual at $10.00; free lifetime for seniors born on or before December 31, 1937). The Division does not disclose standalone revenue figures, operating instead as a budgeted unit under ODNR state appropriations.

Name

Ohio Division of Wildlife

Legal name

Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Wildlife

Website

https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Ohio Division of Wildlife is a 1873-founded state agency within the Ohio Department of Natural Resources that manages fish and wildlife resources statewide, issuing hunting, fishing, and boating licenses, permits, and stamps to Ohio residents and non-residents through the OWLS portal, HuntFish OH app, retail vendors, and call center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

Administration of Conservation Programs (92412), Hunting and Trapping (11421), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife, Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation Administration (BPAIAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Wildlife Health & Conservation Disease Management (HLAMAJAM), Wildlife Viewing Hides, Observation Towers & Birding Sites (Managed Access) (THAAAFAE)

Keywords

• Wildlife management services
• Hunting licenses
• Fishing licenses
• Conservation programs
• State park recreation

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Hunting Licenses and Permits: Sale of various hunting licenses including resident/nonresident annual licenses, youth licenses, senior licenses, apprentice licenses, and multi-year/lifetime options. Additional revenue from game-specific permits for deer, turkey, waterfowl, and furbearers.
2. Fishing Licenses: Sale of fishing licenses to residents and non-residents, supporting fish management programs.
3. Boating Registrations and Permits: Boat registration fees and watercraft-related permits administered by the Division.
4. Stamps and Endorsements: Sale of Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamps, Federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamps (Duck Stamps), and other endorsements required for specific hunting activities.
5. Shooting Range Permits: Annual and daily permits for access to Class A, B, and C shooting ranges operated by the Division of Wildlife.
6. TIP Donations: Turn In a Poacher (TIP) program receives donations to support wildlife law enforcement and conservation efforts.
7. Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration: Federal funds received through the Pittman-Robertson Act and Dingell-Johnson Act, which provide excise tax revenue from hunting and fishing equipment sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ohio Division of Wildlife conserves and manages Ohio's fish and wildlife resources and their habitats. It sells hunting and fishing licenses, permits, and stamps through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System (OWLS) online portal and the HuntFish OH mobile app. The agency also operates wildlife law enforcement, state park lodges, camping reservations, and conservation programs including the Turn in a Poacher (TIP) reporting program.

Product overview

The Ohio Division of Wildlife operates a portfolio of interconnected outdoor recreation and licensing services centered on hunting, fishing, and state park experiences. The core offerings include the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System (OWLS) for purchasing hunting and fishing licenses online, the HuntFish OH mobile app for license management on the go, and the reserveohio.com camping reservation system. Complementary services include ten Ohio State Park resort lodges, the Turn in a Poacher (TIP) wildlife violation reporting program, Wild Ohio Magazine, and the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp. The Division also oversees education programs, wildlife management, and outdoor recreation facilities including golf courses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hunting Licenses and Permits Hunting licenses and permits issued by the Ohio Division of Wildlife to residents, non-residents, youth, seniors, and apprentice hunters. Includes annual, multi-year, and lifetime options, plus deer, turkey, waterfowl, and furbearer permits.
• Fishing Licenses Fishing licenses and permits for Ohio residents and non-residents, supporting fish management and recreational fishing programs.
• Ohio Wildlife Licensing System (OWLS) Online recreational licensing platform that enables customers to purchase hunting and fishing licenses, permits, and stamps; complete Harvest Information Program (HIP) surveys; enroll in automatic renewal; and apply for controlled-hunt lotteries.
• HuntFish OH Mobile App Mobile application that connects users to OWLS to purchase licenses, complete HIP surveys, display licenses and permits, and perform game check from a mobile device.
• Ohio State Parks Camping Reservations Online reservation system (reserveohio.com) and call center service for booking campsites, cabins, and day-use facilities at Ohio State Parks.
• Ohio State Park Resort Lodges Ten resort lodges operated across Ohio State Parks (Burr Oak, Deer Creek, Hocking Hills, Hueston Woods, Maumee Bay, Mohican, Punderson Manor, Salt Fork, Shawnee, and Geneva-on-the-Lake) offering rooms, cabins, conference facilities, dining, and recreation.
• Punderson State Park Golf Course 18-hole public golf course at Punderson State Park with par 72 layout of more than 6,800 yards, pro shop, and snack bar.
• Turn In a Poacher (TIP) Program Wildlife violation reporting program that lets the public submit poaching and wildlife crime tips through a hotline or online form, with donations supporting wildlife law enforcement.
• Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp $15 collectible stamp whose proceeds support wildlife habitat restoration, land acquisition, endangered species protection, and conservation education.
• Wild Ohio Magazine Wild Ohio Magazine, a Division publication covering wildlife, outdoor recreation, and conservation topics, available by subscription through the Wild Ohio Store.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamps sold since 1982, generating more than $10 million for wetland conservation, land acquisition, and waterfowl preservation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sovereign Sportsman SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationVendor contracted to develop and maintain the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System (OWLS) website and HuntFish OH mobile application. Developed under contract to provide recreational licensing services for hunting and fishing licenses, permits, and stamps.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Federal agency providing Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson funding to Ohio Division of Wildlife. Comparable in wildlife conservation mission and the upstream counterpart that channels federal aid to state agencies.
• Sovereign Sportsman Solutions: Vendor that built and maintains the OWLS licensing platform and HuntFish OH mobile app for Ohio Division of Wildlife. Comparable as the technology infrastructure provider, not as a competitor.
• Ducks Unlimited: Non-profit conservation organization benefiting from Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp proceeds and a major player in wetland and waterfowl conservation. Related ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• California Department of Fish and Wildlife: California's state agency responsible for fish and wildlife management, licensing, and conservation. Closely analogous mandate to Ohio Division of Wildlife, operating in a much larger and more ecologically diverse state.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Florida's state-level fish and wildlife agency issuing hunting and fishing licenses and managing conservation programs. Highly comparable in function to Ohio Division of Wildlife.
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: New York's state agency managing fish, wildlife, and environmental programs including hunting and fishing licensing. Comparable functional mandate to Ohio Division of Wildlife, with broader environmental scope.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: State government agency administering hunting, fishing, and wildlife management for Texas. Directly comparable as a state wildlife agency with licensing, conservation, and enforcement authority, though Texas is far larger in scope.

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania Game Commission: Pennsylvania's state wildlife regulatory agency managing hunting, trapping, and wildlife conservation. Direct peer to Ohio Division of Wildlife with similar Midwestern hunting/fishing mandate and license-driven revenue model.
• Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Michigan's state natural resources agency with a Division of Wildlife handling hunting and fishing licensing, enforcement, and conservation. Highly comparable regional peer to Ohio.
• Indiana Department of Natural Resources - Division of Fish and Wildlife: Indiana's state wildlife division administering hunting, fishing, and wildlife management. Direct peer operating in an adjacent Midwestern state with similar ecological and demographic profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ohiodnr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/theohiodnr
• Facebookfacebook.com/ohiodnr
• Instagraminstagram.com/ohiodnr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-division-of-wildlife

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ohio Division of Wildlife