EARLY QUESTIONS ABOUT SOUTHERN OHIO HUNTING

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:15 pm

My hunting buddie and I decided to skip a KANSAS bow hunt this year, insted we want to try S.OHIO. I used to live in Lakewood out side Cleaveland when I was young ,. We have done some research about a new section of elect power land that has opend up ?? Again only being 9 to 11 hrs away we most likely will be spending at least 3 weeks split up there . Any help or direction as were to look for good areas or tips would be most welcome. Thanks GREYWOLF

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:24 pm

Since I do most of my hunting on private land I can't give you a lot of information about public areas. Here's a link to some maps:
http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/Hunting ... ildare.htm

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:29 am

thanks wabi , some great maps and info. how hard is it to get permission to hunt private farms and land? We were planing several trips this spring to look over some areas and check about private land, is there land leases there.or such thanks

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:47 pm

Greywolf,
So far leasing has not caught on. With archery equipment it might not be too hard to get permission for some private lands. I know a few farmers that will give permission if a person acts responsible and sincere in their request. One big problem in my area is that most landowners have fairly small properties. The land I usually hunt is only around 70 acres, but I have at least verbally cleared it with most surrounding landowners to trespass if I'm tracking wounded game. Many of them would give written permission to hunt if I ask, but it's a small community and I usually just tell them I'm not going to be hunting their property, but want to be sure I have no problems if I need to track a wounded deer on their land. Actually it's only happened that I needed to a couple of times, and they probably never knew I was there.

GaryL · Post by **GaryL** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:32 pm

Greywolf,
Southeren Ohio has a Ohio Power Camping, hunting and fishing land around the Parkersburg W.Va line. You would have to do some good scouting but it is good hunting. I can get more information if you should want it.

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:57 pm

That would be great Gary Thanks I am realy looking forward to this season, Thanks GREYWOLF

Bucko · Post by **Bucko** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 6:26 pm

South Ohio is vastly different in terrain from the flat Area below Lake Area.The Ohio Power Land is most likely old strip fields,which we also have here in my area.They were most likely stripped in the 1960's -early 70's.Natural funnels such as narrow woods are a big plus for the traveling rutting bucks.If you have to hunt a hill[small mountain] look for a place to start out from the top as they are steep and rugged.

I get up on a high point and glass the last hour of daylight and watch where the deer come out to feed into the fields then concentrate on a follow-up on foot.Very few fields have clover but are used for hay which has it's final cutting in Oct. and brings out the deer to browse.

Old homesteads most always have a few apple trees which the deer hit in the eve. and are October hotspots.The local game warden also has the name of property owners who have crop damage permits and will direct you with contact info there.I have a co-worker who gets 5 permits a year and lets a hunter from Pa. archery hunt his property every year.

I prefer evening hunts till Halloween then I get morning activity from the pre-rut.Scent control is vital due to pressure hunting and you'll find all types of trees for climbing and ladder stands alike.

The fall squirrel season makes an excellent scouting and practice hunting season where you'll be going!Good luck

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 1:07 am

Thanks Bucko That is some very important info, I know time and field research , and knocking on doors with a good positive atitude and true sportsmans ideals will get us into some prime areas on private land . I have always helped out land owners at harvest time or when a few extra hands are needed . This has always secured a hunting area where I get day to day reports on game activity. Land owners and earth farmers are not only our best friends , they feed the people !! I have been a fan of FARM AID CONCERTS since WILLIE started the tour in the early 80's . Sportsman and farmers are all bound to the earth GREYWOLF

Bucko · Post by **Bucko** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 4:43 pm

Ohio Wildlife officers strictly enforce the hunting with written permission regulation.There is a print out form on the ODNR website and in the hunting regulation book given out at time of license purchase.

Esox · Post by **Esox** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:43 pm

Hey Greywolf, I hunted the Athens area last year for a couple of days the last week in October and it was good, but we left as the rut was building. Everyone agreed that the absolute best is the 1st week in November. I was a week early. We saw lots on bucks in the woods and driving back to the cabin after dark and some real snorters, but things just weren't right. I'm going to be there to the hunt at the peak this year. I hope to catch it when the bucks are going crazy....FYI - There's a lot of National Park and State Park lands that are open and all have good hunting on them... Private property is available too... It's one hot state for big bucks......

DrDan · Post by **DrDan** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:55 pm

Greywolf,
I would consider the Wayne National Forest - I have friends that have taken record bucks out of that area year after year. Wayne National goes on for 100's of miles and hunting is allowed except in certain areas. A good guy to call and talk about it would be Dan Miller at Horizontal Archery (The USA Rep for Excalibur). He lives right next to Wayne National and I know those guys hunt it all the time. His phone number is 740-483-2312 and here is link for Wayne National http://www.1800hocking.com/wayne_national_forest

I put hunting into the search box and got all kinds of stuff. I have friends who live right in the forest so I often coyote hunt right out of their land. You can go back in 20 miles from a road and never see anyone. "Big Forest" "Big Bucks" If you decide to come down I'd like to meet you and can probably fix you up with a place to stay that's close to the forest.

DrDan

DrDan · Post by **DrDan** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 10:04 pm

And here's American Electric Power strip mines which were reclaimed and have 7300 acres of deer hunting land. Just have to get a permit which is easy to get. http://www.aep.com/environmental/recrea ... erhunt.htm

If you don't see any deer you can always fill a cooler with bass fishing.

Check these two public lands out - this is all you need for deer hunting.

DrDan

GREYWOLF · Post by **GREYWOLF** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:02 am

Thanks guys some very helpfull info. there , That is a lot of land to hunt thanks Craig