Shawnee

[Mountaineer]

Fellas,

I'm thinking about hunting the Shawnee state forest for the early muzzleloader season. I've never stepped foot on it. Is there anyone here that knows the area?

 

[Milo]

dont you have to draw for that place mountaineer? i have a friend who has hunted it quite a but with limited success at times.

 

[Archertl]

Ive mostly hunted coyotes and trapped there but there are plenty of deer in the southern haft of the forest. I would recommend scouting and going deep in to the park. Because the ssf is about as rough as terain gets in ohio most people stick to the trails. If you get far out there is little hunting pressure as public land goes.

 

[tuffshot]

Pretty tuff country down there. Hope your is good shape.
Especially if you get to drag one out.

 

[Mountaineer]

Dont know about the Draw? Do i have to draw to hunt there?...Im in decent shape...Im pretty used to long drags...I dont actually drag them.. I use all my upper body strength. I face the buck while i drag..Rope with a stick..and pull towards me ..take 2 steps back and pull towards me..I can do that for hours and not increase my heart rate much. On flip side, if i were to grab the antlers and start dragging my heart rate would hit 200 in in a matter of seconds. The way i doit..i can drag all day.

Anyhows...The terrain seems very similar to what im used to..I have some areas picked out from the aerial map. What i look for is edge..The more edge the better..The more habitat changes the better..I look for a checker board situation of habitat..wheather it be open hards to clearcut..etc etc.

That early muzz for bucks is tempting...I may doit.

Here's my 2010 buck...it was about a 2 mile drag..I really didnt break much of a sweat..I basically just jerk em the whole way out of the woods.

 

[Mountaineer]

..What i really hate about the Ohio woods is them dam little sticky burrs that stick to my wool..I mean ill get 1000's of em on me...Takes a week to pick em out of my wool.

Please God..Dont let there be them little sticky burrs in the Shawnee.

 

[JD Boyd]

..What i really hate about the Ohio woods is them dam little sticky burrs that stick to my wool..I mean ill get 1000's of em on me...Takes a week to pick em out of my wool.

Please God..Dont let there be them little sticky burrs in the Shawnee.

That is usually all I do while in the tree stand...lol

 

[Mike]

Early Muzzleloader Deer Hunt

Hunters are not required to apply for a special permit to participate in this season. Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license and Deer Permit or an Antlerless Deer Permit to participate in the early muzzleloader deer season (October 17-22, 2011; Wildcat Hollow, Shawnee State Forest, and Salt Fork Wildlife Area only). Persons hunting on these 3 designated areas are required to wear hunter orange except for waterfowl hunters. Bag limit is 1 deer of either sex and deer harvested during this season count towards the hunter’s zone bag limit.

Deer taken during these hunts must be checked at the respective wildlife area headquarters: Salt Fork Wildlife Area Office (Salt Fork Wildlife Area) and Wolf Creek Wildlife Area Office (Wildcat Hollow). Hunters must check deer at the Boland’s Mini Mart (check station 7315) when hunting at Shawnee State Forest during the early muzzleloader season.

Allowable hunting equipment includes longbow, crossbow (draw weight limitations same as Archery Season), muzzleloading rifle .38 caliber or larger, or muzzleloading shotgun of 10-gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel. If a hunter kills an antlered deer on a controlled hunt, he or she may not kill another antlered deer during the same license year in Ohio.

 

[hickslawns]

Early Muzzleloader Deer Hunt

Hunters are not required to apply for a special permit to participate in this season. Hunters are required to have a valid hunting license and Deer Permit or an Antlerless Deer Permit to participate in the early muzzleloader deer season (October 17-22, 2011; Wildcat Hollow, Shawnee State Forest, and Salt Fork Wildlife Area only). Persons hunting on these 3 designated areas are required to wear hunter orange except for waterfowl hunters. There will be no Mountaineers allowed in this area during the early muzzle loader season. Ohio will not be able to handle anymore stories. Bag limit is 1 deer of either sex and deer harvested during this season count towards the hunter’s zone bag limit.

Deer taken during these hunts must be checked at the respective wildlife area headquarters: Salt Fork Wildlife Area Office (Salt Fork Wildlife Area) and Wolf Creek Wildlife Area Office (Wildcat Hollow). Hunters must check deer at the Boland’s Mini Mart (check station 7315) when hunting at Shawnee State Forest during the early muzzleloader season.

Allowable hunting equipment includes longbow, crossbow (draw weight limitations same as Archery Season), muzzleloading rifle .38 caliber or larger, or muzzleloading shotgun of 10-gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel. If a hunter kills an antlered deer on a controlled hunt, he or she may not kill another antlered deer during the same license year in Ohio.

Better check those rules closely. I think there are some restrictions this year. Pretty harsh it sounds.:smiley_crocodile:

 

[Gern186]

Dont know about the Draw? Do i have to draw to hunt there?...Im in decent shape...Im pretty used to long drags...I dont actually drag them.. I use all my upper body strength. I face the buck while i drag..Rope with a stick..and pull towards me ..take 2 steps back and pull towards me..I can do that for hours and not increase my heart rate much. On flip side, if i were to grab the antlers and start dragging my heart rate would hit 200 in in a matter of seconds. The way i doit..i can drag all day.

Anyhows...The terrain seems very similar to what im used to..I have some areas picked out from the aerial map. What i look for is edge..The more edge the better..The more habitat changes the better..I look for a checker board situation of habitat..wheather it be open hards to clearcut..etc etc.

That early muzz for bucks is tempting...I may doit.

Here's my 2010 buck...it was about a 2 mile drag..I really didnt break much of a sweat..I basically just jerk em the whole way out of the woods.

One time I shot a deer that little and just put him in my squirrel vest and carried him out on my back.........



rotflmao

I have always wanted to hunt the shawnee forest, but never made it there. I have heard there are deer there that die of old age and that's what makes it sound so good. I think you will do just fine there because of your mountain hunting experience.

 

[rgecko23]

One time I shot a deer that little and just put him in my squirrel vest and carried him out on my back.........QUOTE]


HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Mountaineer]

I know Gern..i know...hahahahah...Actually..he was little..He didnt weigh 135lbs dressed.....He was in poor health..His spine was ridged out like an old dog..It was kinda nasty..My wife could definetly tell the difference in taste with this buck compared to one i killed in PA last year.

There's no fields for miles around..He had plenty of acorns and browse...I guess he was just run down from the rut..When i caught up to him..it was around 10am..However..as i was following him he was pawing the ground every so often for acorns..My question is..why was he on his feet at 10am. It must been because of his poor health compiled with the cold temps and snow....Who knows.:smiley_coffee:

 

[Gern186]

I know Gern..i know...hahahahah...Actually..he was little..He didnt weigh 135lbs dressed.....He was in poor health..His spine was ridged out like an old dog..It was kinda nasty..My wife could definetly tell the difference in taste with this buck compared to one i killed in PA last year.

There's no fields for miles around..He had plenty of acorns and browse...I guess he was just run down from the rut..When i caught up to him..it was around 10am..However..as i was following him he was pawing the ground every so often for acorns..My question is..why was he on his feet at 10am. It must been because of his poor health compiled with the cold temps and snow....Who knows.:smiley_coffee:

Cold temps. Deer have to eat often when the temperature is below 20 degrees.

 

[Mountaineer]

How does one put a video on here?..I have a video right after i got em.


Hicks ..:smiley_crocodile:

 

[RedCloud]

How does one put a video on here?..I have a video right after i got em.

Upload the video to youtube and then post it up on here

 

[hickslawns]

How does one put a video on here?..I have a video right after i got em.


Hicks ..:smiley_crocodile:

I was wondering if you were going to catch it or not.:smiley_clap:

For what it is worth, I have a huge smile on my face right now. I am sorry. Ornery til the day I die buddy.rotflmao

 

[Mountaineer]

Hicks,,

Dont let the Big woods intimidate ya..Its the type hunting ive dealt with all my life. There are No gauruntees in the world of hunting..However..There are consistencies that i clue in on...
Here's what I do...I first narrow down my scouting area by EDGE habitat.(Look on aerials) One of the consistencies ive learned is ..Where there is EDGE.. There are Whitetails..It seems they live their world according to EDGES. An EDGE could be anything: Habitat changes..Bench dropoffs..Creeks..etc etc. Now..when i find my area I want to scout..I look for whats in the MINORITY in that particular area..If the area is predominatly thick and nasty(majority) and the open woods is in the Minority..Thats where i try to spend my TIME. I try to clue in on the HABITAT thats in the MINORITY. Now..How do i actaully pick a spot..Well..In the Big woods,..Its best to stay on top or the first bench off the top..Go low and your asking for trouble. I prefer the first bench off the top of the ridge. I also prefer hunting where the hollows Bowl up..or the Head of the Hollows..Above you..should be a saddle.

So..Look for these things for Big Woods hunting:

1. EDGE habitat.
2. First bench from the top
3. Bowls and saddles( Big bucks cruise those benchs below the tops and the Bowls seem to be a funnel or a conjunction area.)
4. TIME

 

[jagermeister]

I agree with you 100% about the benches, Mntnr. Just about every bench I've come across in So Ohio had a hell of a deer trail on it. Find a few good land features that converge with a bench, and you've found a prime time spot.

 

[Gern186]

Mountaineer,

There is more woods in that picture than in my entire county.

I do plan on hunting some big woods this year in hill country and like hearing your suggestions.

 

[Mountaineer]

Jbrown..
Im right with ya.

Gern..

Thats awesome..Let me know when your gonna hit the woods. Im intrested in what ya see.