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Hunting public land

hoyt.bowhunter.1

Junior Member
7
0
Hi guys I'm from PA and I'm looking to take the drive out to scout some state land in Ohio just looking for some advice on different state land to go and look at. Holding for some help. I'm not looking to come out there and kill a 150+ I'm just looking to get away on my first out of state hunting trip by myself. Thanks
 

hoyt.bowhunter.1

Junior Member
7
0
I'm from central PA not farm from Penn state I'm looking at Central or south central Ohio nos but will travel anywhere I just want to have a good first out of state hunt
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Your in for some work, buddy. You along with everyone else east, south, and southeast of Ohio that wants to come here and hunt. I don't have any advice on public land, because I don't hunt it much. But what I can tell you from what I've heard other people say is be prepared to walk, alot, and far from other hunters. Which means that you'll probably have to scout, put boots on the ground, do some legwork. Nobody gives handouts anymore, you gotta work harder than the next 500 guys that'll be hunting the public land.
 

CritterGitterToo

Junior Member
375
58
Central Ohio
I'd start with Woodbury Wildlife Area in Coshocton County. It's a really big area in East Central Ohio. You might avoid some of the crowd if you hunt early rather than the peak of the rut. Just might help.
 

Bigcountry40

Member
4,555
127
first off welcome to TOO, I have hunted state land in several different states and had pretty good success (I always killed deer) but my advantage was I was living in these other states/areas where as you are travel 4+ hours. In your avatar your girlfriend appears young so I am going to assume that your in your 20's as well. Thing about being in your 20's is typically you have limited vacation to hunt and your broke as a fuggin joke, but you have the sex drive of billy goat 3 peckers in heat and the energy/strength to do incredibly dumb shit . Both money and vacation time is important because you'll need time to go down and scout several different areas before you hunt, scout while hunting will result in several wasted hunts because your learning on the go, but can be successful with dumb luck.Also be prepared to waste about 500 bucks in gas because on state land roads you can't pull off and park in pussy ass hybrid honda civics. If you do decide to scout over the summer and you find a nice spot, be prepared to have the spot being hunted by a local hunter that has been hunting there for 10 years and will give you the finger as you ruin his hunt when you walk directly beneath his stand and look up at him like you can't believe he is there. Also hunting by yourself and drivng all that way blows ass. Basically you can expect your first several years to be a complete waste of time (trying to kill something) and credit it to a learning experience. Personally I would stay in College Station area find me a nice little piece of land to hunt and kill a PA deer, but that just me ( I understand the want to explore and hunt new terrain). Good Luck, I hope you find this info useful
 
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antiqucycle

Junior Member
506
36
East Ohio
Expect to see 15 passenger vans pulling trailers parked in every parking lot on public land. You will note 14 bearded guys with similar plain clothing get out of each one. They have killed every deer on land they own so they resort to attacking public land. Some of this sect might be from Intercourse, Pennsylvania.
 

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
I'm from central PA not farm from Penn state I'm looking at Central or south central Ohio nos but will travel anywhere I just want to have a good first out of state hunt

I grew up in Hollidaysburg and went to Penn State Main.

As far as public goes... I hunted it for 5yrs while I was still in PA and we had some pretty good success and not all that much pressure either, ironically enough to find less pressure we had luck losing the crowds at smaller parcels of public land.
 
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Bigcountry40

Member
4,555
127
I did something similar to what your planning when I lived in South Carolina for hog hunting. I was traveling 2 hours to kill a public land hog and having no success (seen some), finally I paid $250 for a weekend hunt sealed the deal, saved myself lots of time and gas money in the long and still felt just as accomplished personally, but I do understand the desire/goal and seriously wish you the best. Right now is Ohio deer hunting is extremely popular for nonresidents and ironically our deer herd is not doing that great and this Ohio myth is greatly exaggerated. Woodbury and some of these other decent public land spots are becoming very crowded during the rut like others have mentioned. There are patches of small excellent public land hunting that are not very well labeled or listed. But they can't hold many hunters as well it, truly is a crapshoot probably for the next 10 years or so (not like the mid 2000's)
 
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Come down to ga and hunt the redlands wma.....there were only 3500 hunters to check in opening day of gun season this year. Gun in ga is a high powered rifle. Nothing I would rather do than be in an over crowded area knowing every drunk redneck in there is gonna start barking with a 30 06 every time the bushes move.