Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Thinking about moving to Ohio, what part has some of the best hunting?

From what i been reading they havnt found a single case of CWD outside of that deer farm in Holmes county yet so hopefully that dont get out into the wild! the one promising thing about the one in Holmes county is the seller wants to lease the 45 acres in fields off of the buyer and plant them yearly with corn and soybeans, so i would have free food and maybe a little income off of it plus it has producing gas wells on it. i get along fine with the amish so that part dont bother me much except for i know they like to pile up the deer meat in gun season and that could hurt me if they were to close. i was reading about killinbuck outfitters out near killbuck and it seems like they have killed some real tropheys out of that area to. i know this isnt the place to ask this but what do you guys think about the fishing out in that area (within an hour drive or so)? what would you guys charge someone to rent 45 acres of good flat tillable fields?
 
My property borders WNF on 2 sides and I have had 0 issues with trespassing. I don't even have posted signs yet. One issue with having a neighbor that allows no hunting is you may not be able to retrieve a deer. Eventually that will happen.

Every property is different and changes over time. This includes deer population and neighbors. Find a property that you like and go for it.



this is about how im starting to think is if i find a nice piece of land with a nice house and decent neighbors anywhere in central to eastern ohio i can eventually produce some giants on it and if it dont ill just have to move again in 8 years or so haha.
 

CritterGitterToo

Junior Member
375
58
Central Ohio
Land that's within a half mile of public land but has good genetics can be a safe haven for mature bucks to go to escape the pressure so I wouldn't quite rule those areas out...

That's a great point especially in ag rich areas. I live in central Ohio and hunt Alum Creek State Park a lot. It's all narrow strips of land adjacent to the lake. When hunting pressures escalates the mature deer slip off into the safe haven of surrounding private land. For 1 year I had permission to hunt a 48 acre woods a half mile from the park. That was my best bow season ever in 23 years of hunting.
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,735
274
North Carolina
That's a great point especially in ag rich areas. I live in central Ohio and hunt Alum Creek State Park a lot. It's all narrow strips of land adjacent to the lake. When hunting pressures escalates the mature deer slip off into the safe haven of surrounding private land. For 1 year I had permission to hunt a 48 acre woods a half mile from the park. That was my best bow season ever in 23 years of hunting.

Have a buddy who has a coworker who has property close too Berlin Wildlife area, he doesn't see much throughout the year and till season kicks in and then gets lots of good deer traveling thru his place.... Scores on some pretty good deer over the years, he said he doesn't worry about sightings anymore as he knows they will be there....


 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Public fishing around Amish is a waste of time. They don't give a shit and rape the water worse then the land. They don't understand limits, at all. The Amish lifestyle doesn't fit in well with many other practices.
 
what do you guys think about Guysville, Athens county? i found a nice place thats about 170 acres and it is right along the hocking river and all wooded. i dont know that area a whole lot but i have heard good things about athens. give me all the goods and bads you know about the area and the deer genes, also how would this land compare to the land in licking, which is also mostly wooded. i know you guys cant tell me exactly what to expect but all the great opinions have really been helping me narrow this down some. how about even comparison in the school zones and the drugs? i know that it is everywhere but its terrible here in southwestern PA and id like to get my kids into a better school zone. Thanks for all your help guys!!!!
 

Fluteman

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,094
146
Southeast Ohio
what do you guys think about Guysville, Athens county? i found a nice place thats about 170 acres and it is right along the hocking river and all wooded. i dont know that area a whole lot but i have heard good things about athens. give me all the goods and bads you know about the area and the deer genes, also how would this land compare to the land in licking, which is also mostly wooded. i know you guys cant tell me exactly what to expect but all the great opinions have really been helping me narrow this down some. how about even comparison in the school zones and the drugs? i know that it is everywhere but its terrible here in southwestern PA and id like to get my kids into a better school zone. Thanks for all your help guys!!!!

You'd be in pretty good shape hunting wise. There's some good deer hunting across 329, and having river bottom only helps, IMO.

School district isn't the greatest (Federal Hocking), but not the worst either. Drugs are in the area, but I wouldn't say they are terrible.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
You'd be in pretty good shape hunting wise. There's some good deer hunting across 329, and having river bottom only helps, IMO.

School district isn't the greatest (Federal Hocking), but not the worst either. Drugs are in the area, but I wouldn't say they are terrible.
This.
 
thanks guys if my last counter offer on the licking county place dont go through then i am going to go check out athens county. so you guys are pretty much saying you would rather hunt athens than licking county areas? im going to do a little research on the schools to and see what i can find. im trying to do this thing right the first time and be happy with where i end up and plan on staying for good thats y i ask so many dumb questions haha.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
You'd be in pretty good shape hunting wise. There's some good deer hunting across 329, and having river bottom only helps, IMO.

School district isn't the greatest (Federal Hocking), but not the worst either. Drugs are in the area, but I wouldn't say they are terrible.
What Flutie said. That river bottom will be a major travel route for bucks during the rut, that alone would have me going to check it out.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,720
248
Ohio
thanks guys if my last counter offer on the licking county place dont go through then i am going to go check out athens county. so you guys are pretty much saying you would rather hunt athens than licking county areas? im going to do a little research on the schools to and see what i can find. im trying to do this thing right the first time and be happy with where i end up and plan on staying for good thats y i ask so many dumb questions haha.
I am in flat country. Athens or Licking both sound nice. I doubt you would be disappointed in potential opportunities in those areas. Either location should have good potential. Like anything, depends on specific property, neighbors, etc.
 

bigten05

*Supporting Member*
3,675
151
knox county ohio
I also know where there's 100 acres in coshocton a few miles from Woodbury public land. It was just logged all wooded has oil and gas on the property not sure what she's wanting since she logged it but I can ask.
 
i just realized that there is an interstate in between the property and the hocking river in the athens land, it goes right through the property. i know the deer would still travel it but i dont know if id want to sit in my stand all day listening to vehicles flying down the highway.
 

Buckmaster

Senior Member
14,362
191
Portage
First I've read this post.

If I had to hit my reset button and had endless funds....my purchase would be in Licking Co.

There are some very nice deer in that county and its not too far from city life too....thus you will pay those higher prices and taxes.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
i just realized that there is an interstate in between the property and the hocking river in the athens land, it goes right through the property. i know the deer would still travel it but i dont know if id want to sit in my stand all day listening to vehicles flying down the highway.
That's a big turn off