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Ohio deer hunting help

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Azhunter37

Junior Member
25
0
Tucson, AZ
Hello everyone I'm in need of some help. I am headed out to Ohio to visit the mother in law the first week in December and wanted to spend some time hunting if possible, I will be in Ravenna in NE Ohio. I am an avid archery huger in Arizona I am used to spot and stalking mule deer and coues whitetail. Where I'm from if you don't have pins out to 80 or in some cases farther you are being very optimistic. I would love to find a place to hunt, I am a realistic hunter and am not looking for giants, a management type buck or doe would get this ol boy excited. If you have any advice please feel free to offer it. I would be willing to help someone out here out west if interested also. Thanks guys I hope to get so e feedback soon so I can start planning.
Skeeter
 
hickslawns

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
40,168
288
Ohio
Welcome to the site. Best I can suggest is scroll thru the forum. There is a section with public land areas. Good info on each area. Most have maps and such as well if I remember right. Good luck.
 
teej89

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
look at shenango, I think it's within an hourish drive from ya.

That's the first week of gun season so I'd probably leave the bow at home and pack the muzzy lol shenanago used to get hit pretty hard when I hunted it.
 
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Azhunter37

Junior Member
25
0
Tucson, AZ
Thanks for the tips I'm actually gonna be there the 7-14 of dec i I think the week after gun season. Do you recommend ground hunting? Ay tips or ideas to help close the gap on my inexperience hunting in your part of the country?
 
bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,283
288
Appalachia
You're really coming at the worst time to hunt Ohio IMO. The week following the invasion of the orange army can be some tough hunting. Lots of public land in that area, so you can check that out in our forum for that. Also look at our DNR's website for information on places to hunt. You may be able to knock on some doors while you are up here, you never know.

Good luck on your trip and welcome to the site.
 
Hoytmania

Hoytmania

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
11,515
181
Gods Country
Does your mother in law by chance now someone with some land that they might let you on? Try tapping her network. She might have a lady that she is friends with from church or the bingo club that would be married to a farmer and help a guy out. Just some thoughts.

Either way I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy your time hunting.
 
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Azhunter37

Junior Member
25
0
Tucson, AZ
Thank you for all the help, yeah I figure the week after gun season will be tough for all the pressure they get. Being from AZ is an entirely different world so I am clueless to how much pressure they actually get. I will be close to West Branch state park and figured I would give it a shot there. Does anyone know if there are any specific regulations for West Branch? Where would be a good start to hunt in there?
 
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Azhunter37

Junior Member
25
0
Tucson, AZ
She is going to see what she can find out with the people she knows. She herself or her husband are not hunters and have no interest in it but she is going to do some asking. Does anyone know in that part of the state what size the average bucks are? I am curious, I do not want to get out there and shoot the first thing I see and waste a tag. Here in AZ we have Coues Whitetail and a decent one is 80" if you find a 100" Coues you are extremely lucky. So to me an 80" whitetail is a shooter, however I do not know what the ethical standards are in that area? I want to respect the way things are in your part of the country, I don't want to be "one of those guys" I am extremely respectful of the game and the love of the sport. Thanks again for all the help guys!
 
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Azhunter37

Junior Member
25
0
Tucson, AZ
just an FYI of interested I would be willing to help with some desert mule deer hunting. Here is my buck from the rut here in January this year
003.jpg
 
teej89

teej89

Senior Member
2,288
48
NE PA
Azhunter37 said:
She is going to see what she can find out with the people she knows. She herself or her husband are not hunters and have no interest in it but she is going to do some asking. Does anyone know in that part of the state what size the average bucks are? I am curious, I do not want to get out there and shoot the first thing I see and waste a tag. Here in AZ we have Coues Whitetail and a decent one is 80" if you find a 100" Coues you are extremely lucky. So to me an 80" whitetail is a shooter, however I do not know what the ethical standards are in that area? I want to respect the way things are in your part of the country, I don't want to be "one of those guys" I am extremely respectful of the game and the love of the sport. Thanks again for all the help guys!
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about that, take what you can find. Like bowhunter said it's a hard time after gun season and it's normally take what you can get lol The does will still be moving for sure but the bucks will lay low.

Also you're going to need an either sex tag for your buck or doe, they have anterless deer tags but they go out december 1st and don't come back in. I'm fairly certain you can't use them after december 1st. Some one chime in if I'm wrong here.
 
Schu72

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
Check out La Du as well. As mentioned already, that is a tough week to hunt. Public land in the Northeast part of the state gets hammered. Most of the tracts are “smaller” and easily accessible. I am no help with accessing private land, but if you end up heading to West Branch I can give you a few pointers.
 
bowhunter1023

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
49,283
288
Appalachia
First off, you are dropping a pretty penny on tags for just a week of hunting, so shoot what makes you happy. If it's an 80" 7 point, so be it. However the second largest whitetail (328"+) in B&C records came from Ravenna in 1940. The genetics are still great today and killing a P&Y (125+) buck is very achievable given the right conditions.

You can purchase tags and licenses here: http://ohiodnr.com/wildlife/dow/regulations/hunting_licenses.aspx and those will run you $149. License is $125 and either sex tag is $24.

Here is a list of state parks close to Akron and Cleveland, which in turn puts you close to them while in Ravenna. Note: Not all allow hunting. Akron Area State Parks and Cleveland Area State Parks.

There are no special regs for West Branch and it is not a bad place to start. However if it were me, I'd check in to the Wildlife Areas in that part of the state also. Northeast Ohio Wildlife Areas. Berlin Lake is a bit of a drive, but I know some guys who have encountered some big deer there.
 
Hortontoter

Hortontoter

Senior Member
5,500
157
Live in Portage County - Hunt in Carroll County
Here is a little known tip you may find to your liking. There is a small public hunting area (Auburn Marsh WA 462 acres) in Geauga county about 20 miles north of Ravenna. Gun hunting for deer is not allowed on this Wildlife Area. Bowhunting only for deer. Deer tend to flock to this sanctuary the week of gun season. Should be good the week after gun season for archery. Lots of thick swampy terrain here. This would be my first choice.

HUNTING
The best upland hunting is in the small openings and brushy areas. Good waterfowl hunting is available in the beaver marshes and in the edge vegetation around the marsh. Shotguns using shot are the only firearms that may be discharged on the area. Target shooting is prohibited. The use of rifled slugs for deer hunting is also prohibited. Deer may be hunted with archery equipment only.


Check out more on the ODNR website. Hope this helps a bit. Other close by public areas are West Branch (Michael J Kerwin Reservoir), Berlin, Shenango, Hamden Orchard, Mosquito, Dorset, Grand River, New Lyme, Orwell, Wingfoot Lake (archery only) and LaDue.
 
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