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BM3Miller

Junior Member
1
0
Hey everyone, I just moved to Ohio, I live in West Lake, I am 22 years old, my wife and I grew up in Florida but love the state of Ohio so far. Not sure if I am ready for the winter though. I am active duty in the United States Coast Guard out of Cleveland. I love to be outdoors and love to hunt but being so new to the area I don't really have a clue where to start? If you have the time could you please list some public hunting areas near me or hunting clubs? Some friends I have met at work have told me to talk to some farmers near me but I don't really know where to start with that either. I shoot a Hoyt bow and hope to get a white tail this year. Any help would be great.
Thank you
God Bless
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Welcome to TOO!!! Jump in anytime!

It will prolly be a far drive for you but either AEP or the Wayne National Forrest would be great places to hunt. They are rather large so I highly recommend a GPS so you can go deep to avoid other hunters but not get lost.
Another place that's closer would be Woodbury state park up by Coshocton. The members further north might have info on places closer to you! Good luck this season!
 
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hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
I am 3-4hrs away from you so no help on public ground in the area. Good luck to you though and welcome to the forum.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Welcome, thanks for your service. How far will they let you travel before you have to use leave? When I was stationed in AK they didn't really care unless you were on call, but when I was stationed in Idaho they were real asshats about being out of range. I live in SW Ohio now but grew up about 2 hours west of Cleveland, so I might be able to help a little.
 

Bigcountry40

Member
4,554
127
Not trying to be a Donnie downer but you are in a very competitive area with a lot of people looking for hunting permission. If I were you, I would ask the local golf courses and maybe some suburban properties. Try to find a doctor with a few wooded acres and maybe throw em couple hundys. This worked for me when I was in college in Kent, Stow is very similar to West Lake in a lot of ways.
 

Cardinalbuck

Junior Member
71
24
NE Ohio
Thank you for your service. How far can you travel to hunt? I can give you a lead on a club but it's a few hours from Westlake on the far eastern edge of the state.
 
Not trying to be a Donnie downer but you are in a very competitive area with a lot of people looking for hunting permission. If I were you, I would ask the local golf courses and maybe some suburban properties. Try to find a doctor with a few wooded acres and maybe throw em couple hundys. This worked for me when I was in college in Kent, Stow is very similar to West Lake in a lot of ways.

Did you ever find any good properties using this method? I live up by Kent and wouldn't mind doing similar to what you stated but if you had any leads on places you use to tend I would be very interested.

Also welcome to the new member I have heard decent things about La Dau from a few friends I have up that way. I have been told that West Branch is not worth the bother but just north there is the Ravenna Army Arsenal that owns a very large tract of property which I have been told by quite a few people is great hunting. You might want to look into that being that you are a fellow service member (that would be my suggestion).

As far as asking goes good luck as what I have come across is most people either want money, have a very stingy attitude, or want their property to themselves (which is understandable).
 

Bigcountry40

Member
4,554
127
Did you ever find any good properties using this method? I live up by Kent and wouldn't mind doing similar to what you stated but if you had any leads on places you use to tend I would be very interested.

Also welcome to the new member I have heard decent things about La Dau from a few friends I have up that way. I have been told that West Branch is not worth the bother but just north there is the Ravenna Army Arsenal that owns a very large tract of property which I have been told by quite a few people is great hunting. You might want to look into that being that you are a fellow service member (that would be my suggestion).

As far as asking goes good luck as what I have come across is most people either want money, have a very stingy attitude, or want their property to themselves (which is understandable).

Yeah it worked for me, problem is that in Stow they have city ordinance in which you have to own so many continuous acres to hunt or use a bow, which in Stow is nearly impossible, I got permission from a few land owner for about 2 acres of woodline that had a creek running through it (I actually think some of the land was actually owned by the city and it was land lock property), so I was breaking the law the entire time and technically trespassing. I killed 4 deer in 2 year there lol all flop tops. You need to find multiple land owners that are sick of the deer and are willing to allow you to enter their land. I know avon and avon lake is now allowing bow hunting within city limits. West Lake is not far from there. I would think Tallmadge you could find someone with some wooden areas, the key is landowner needs to be someone you know pretty well or someone a family member, close friend knows pretty well, this is so you can gain the trust of the surrounding suburban land owners.
 
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Yeah it worked for me, problem is that in Stow they have city ordinance in which you have to own so many continuous acres to hunt or use a bow, which in Stow is nearly impossible, I got permission from a few land owner for about 2 acres of woodline that had a creek running through it (I actually think some of the land was actually owned by the city and it was land lock property), so I was breaking the law the entire time and technically trespassing. I killed 4 deer in 2 year there lol all flop tops. You need to find multiple land owners that are sick of the deer and are willing to allow you to enter their land. I know avon and avon lake is now allowing bow hunting within city limits. West Lake is not far from there. I would think Tallmadge you could find someone with some wooden areas, the key is landowner needs to be someone you know pretty well or someone a family member, close friend knows pretty well, this is so you can gain the trust of the surrounding suburban land owners.

I am more on the south western side of Kent I actually just relocated to Wadsworth area. I would probably be more apt to head towards mogadore/Tallmadge area before heading up towards Stow