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Anybody ever hunted shawnee state forest ? Looking to go down there early November this year? Was there any big deer killed there last year ? Let's see some pics of deer killed from there and some info on the place?
Shawnee State forest hunting
- Thread starter Hogmister13
- Start date
Big_Holla
Senior Member
Welcome to the forum Hogmister13! I have no experience or know anyone who has hunted Shawnee. Maybe tell us a little about yourself!
Strother23
Member
Welcome to TOO. I am sure there were some big ones killed in most areas of the state. In regards to where to set up for the best spot? Kinda doubt people are going to give a random person their honey holes. We are a welcoming and friendly bunch, but the best I could offer is to check out topography maps. Get on Google Earth. ODNR has lots of good info on their public land. We even have a section on TOO with some public land info.
A friend of the family has a cabin and farm ajoining Shawnee. The only area flat I ever seen was were the cabin was built. Hollows so damn steep you have to walk around them. I'm sure there are some decent area but that's my limited view.
Welcome to TOO and good luck.
Welcome to TOO and good luck.
Archertl
Senior Member
SSF gets hunted very little in the early season and late archery season. The reason being is that it is about the roughest country you will find in the state. Most all the locals hunt areas that require less walking and work. There are lots of big bucks in there. Particularly about 4 miles in on the blue trail. It gets hit hard in gun season but that is about it. I did a lot of hunting there while i was in collage. i would hike in the night before and sleep the in the woods. then hunt the morning and go to my afternoon and evening classes. Id do that three times a week and never see anyone during archery season. About 3 to 5 miles in on the yellow trail is a good area too. Worse case hunt the shoulders of the countless valleys. You are bound to catch deer running the ridges trying to avoid being skylighted ontop of the ridge. With a little scouting and woodsmenship you can easily figure out where the funnels and pinch points are based off the deer trails.
Lots of coyotes squirrel and turkeys out in the SSF as well. If you dont mind hunting hard and and going long distances on foot the SSF is a pretty vacant public land paradise most of the year.
Lots of coyotes squirrel and turkeys out in the SSF as well. If you dont mind hunting hard and and going long distances on foot the SSF is a pretty vacant public land paradise most of the year.
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Thanks guys, happy to join.. Im a good ol ky boy that's hunted rough rugged country all my life... I shot a nice 150 inch 13 point opening weekend of ky bow season this year and I'm looking forward to hunt the ohio woods.. I post a pic soon as I figure out how to lol.. Anyway, I'm not lookin for anybody to give me there good spots but I just wanna know the potential of harvesting a mature buck 140 or bigger on the place... Have y'all got any pics of big deer killed off the land in the past two years ?
Joel
Senior Member
I've thought about hunting there but never have. I live in Central Ohio and it's a couple hour drive. No idea what kind of hunting access/pressure there is down there but it is a nice area. We had our vacation there the last 2 years in a row in the summer time.
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Huckleberry Finn
Senior Member
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Can I ask why you'd peel the velvet off of a buck? (other than to sell to the Baltimore Ravens?)
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He was already Shedding it and most of it was coming off.. It would have been hard for the taxidermist to preserve it and after a few years it would prob look like crap..
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Archertl
Senior Member
Yes. you can get a pretty decent free trail and topo map from the ssf headquarters off ohio state route 125. There is also a free archery range past Roosevelt lake on sr 125 on the south side of the road.
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Okay thanks, I plan on gettin as far as I can off the beaten path as possible.. i plan on quartering the deer out where he lays and pack him out in bags due to hunting by myself, but Im not gonna shoot anything under 140 .. I also plan on filming myself as well..Im sure the rut up there isnt much different from the Ky Rut as far as timing goes.. We had a trickle rut last year which made it difficult.. Im looking toward coming from Nov. 3 through Nov. 8 so hoping to catch the seeking and chasing fase bc they are calling for an early rut this year...
Archertl
Senior Member
Its still illegal to quarter out deer in ohio before it is checked in bud.
http://www.theohiooutdoors.com/showthread.php?8851-Can-you-quarter-a-deer-amp-pack-it-out
http://www.theohiooutdoors.com/showthread.php?8851-Can-you-quarter-a-deer-amp-pack-it-out
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Is there an actual Check in station at SSF? In Ky you can just check the deer in over the phone before quartering it out.. That was my plan if I kill one, I was gonna check it in over phone, get my confrimation number, quarter the deer, pack it out..