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200 acres Ohio your pick

OO2

Well-Known Member
2,566
111
In the Uplands
I don’t have much experience with Hunting all over the state but I’d like to get a piece with some terrain features, ag, and water. Find a good medium between the two types of places I hunt now.
 
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Sgt Fury

Sgt. Spellchecker
I haven’t hunted all over Ohio so I haven’t seen everything that the state has to offer but Vinton and Athens counties have some great deer/turkey country. Some guys on here were suggesting areas closer to Lake Erie and that sounds good too if you fish a lot...I’m just not familiar with that area.
 
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"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
I have a spot not to far from me, buddy hunts it and there’s some good areas with good populations of some good deer. If either of us would hit the lottery, we’d have a thousand acres there lol....
And no, it’s not Stark county lol
 
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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Coshocton or Hocking County. IMO, those two are the cream of the crop in terms of blending all the habitats that make Ohio great. I'd lean towards Coshocton, especially if it was along the Tusc or Mohican. If in Hocking, it better have a mix of rock formations, red cedar, and ag land.
 

Bigcountry40

Member
4,555
127
Im from the NW tundra, y in the hell would anyone prefer it over east, central or south east ohio is beyond me. Some places you might go 2 weeks without seeing a deer. I'm only talking deer hunting not duck or goose
 

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
Within the Indian Hills community inside the 275 loop NE of Natty. There’s still lots of deer and world class deer within the large heavily wooded areas surrounding the million dollar estates.
The landscapers of these estates and friends and family members who’ve been blessed to gain access to hunt there have tagged many great deer over the years. It’d also be cool knowing you NEED to shoot some does to maintain a healthy population versus what I’ve been doing the past decade. Lol
 

Murphy31

Junior Member
54
22
Western Mass
I've hunted Carroll and Muskingum, and If I could get land in either. I would. The deer numbers in Muskingum were impressive, but there were more hunters. Carroll county for nice bucks is a hard beat. We had 64 acres and there 6 bucks on that piece that were over a 130 inches. Hardly ever saw anyone else around town hunting. It was bizarre how few hunters were around that area. If I had to choose one. I'd go with Carroll.
 
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nis1

Junior Member
203
52
That’s a hard decision to make. My first instinct is to go urban which is what I typically hunt. I believe an urban setting often allows bucks to get to a higher age class as long as they stay away from cars. That being said, I began hunting in SE Ohio and I miss the bigger woods. No dogs barking, no kids screaming, no neighbor mowing his lawn. I think I’d go somewhere in between, southern stark or Carroll county for me.
 
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giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
That’s a hard decision to make. My first instinct is to go urban which is what I typically hunt. I believe an urban setting often allows bucks to get to a higher age class as long as they stay away from cars. That being said, I began hunting in SE Ohio and I miss the bigger woods. No dogs barking, no kids screaming, no neighbor mowing his lawn. I think I’d go somewhere in between, southern stark or Carroll county for me.
How’d the shed hinting go last year, Nick?
 
Two people in a row chose Carroll, surprises me. But, I will say Carroll county seems to be overlooked somewhat. I think that is because if one drives a few miles west, east or south to the surrounding counties there are typically more deer per square mile in most places. I think most hunters will continue to drive to the surrounding counties.
 

Floki

Junior Member
1,161
63
I’m sort of drawn towards Athens area for some reason. I’ve only been through it a time or two many years ago. The land is cheap and it’s country.

The whole urban thing, that’s just not my cup of tea. I like to be away not hear sirens,be able to shoot when I want walk around my yard naked when I want,Basically do what ever the fugg I want with out some rubber necking douche bag neighbor.

Don’t get me wrong, places like Hudson, Some places in Columbus, would be Toatlly awesome, For a year or two.There are places in both those areas that hold world class deer.Thing is atleast for me.If your in one of those spots where you start considering 160 class deer small..I believe you pretty much have ruined yourself as a hunter.

Before I get my balls busted for that statement. What I’m getting at is having a place that your pretty much dam near certain to have a150/160 class deer walk by you multiple times regardless of what stand you sit in.

As far as Choshocton goes it’s a beautiful area. Lots of deer are killed there.Ive always sorta wondered tho if it’s simply due to its location in the state. If a bigger population of hunters go there vs other counties? Then agin tho how does choshocton always stay on top? 🤔
 
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at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,943
139
I have been blessed to own just over 200 acres with my family. I can tell you it is in none of the areas mentioned, it isnt the flatest, the prettiest, the most convenient, etc. What I can tell you is it took us over a decade to own that much land, started with 60 acres, and I wouldnt change it for the damn world. When we first bought the place we had trouble seeing deer, although we did chase a few nice bucks. This year we need to shoot a couple does as we have to many deer around (browse pressure is insane).

I think trying to identify a specific county is very difficult. I have places to hunt that are butted up to no hunting, small parcels loaded with deer in parts of state not known for high deer densities. I have hunted all over SE Ohio, some farms just 5 miles apart and the variance in deer density is remarkable.

If I had to do it again, here is what Id look for in a 200 acre property, no matter where it is located in Ohio
1. Nearest Neighbors - where are they, how much do they own (if 200+ acres as well, thats a plus to me)
2. Bedding or ability to select cut timber to create bedding
3. Identify limiting factors and establish a plan for you to be able to add this limiting factor to your farm- example, if you believe food is limiting factor, are there enough flat areas to plant high quality food.

Last tip - if you can afford to buy 200 acres, try to buy 300 because no matter how much you own youll want more and the next ridge will always look good.

Thanks for reading!

AT