Salt Fork Golf Course

[shawnh]

Before your hunt gently place a carrot in one pocket and an apple in the other. You'll almost be guaranteed a deer. Some of them are almost tame amongst Salt Fork and you can hand feed them.

Haha - you might be on to something.

 

[nis1]

I was there yesterday for an evening hunt. We arrived a little early so we walked the course just a tad to see what kind of sign was in the area. Saw a guy walk into one of the draws with a crossbow so we figured we'd better get into the woods. Poop and tracks everywhere on the course on the way in. I hunted on in a great looking spot as an observation sit and nothing moved for whatever reason. I could see multiple ridges and expected to be able to spot movement from afar and then adjust accordingly next time we go there. Between me and my buddy we didn't see any deer. Also ran into a couple other guys that said it was their first time down and they hadn't seen anything either. I'll definitely be down there again soon to give it another try.

 

[shawnh]

I was there yesterday for an evening hunt. We arrived a little early so we walked the course just a tad to see what kind of sign was in the area. Saw a guy walk into one of the draws with a crossbow so we figured we'd better get into the woods. Poop and tracks everywhere on the course on the way in. I hunted on in a great looking spot as an observation sit and nothing moved for whatever reason. I could see multiple ridges and expected to be able to spot movement from afar and then adjust accordingly next time we go there. Between me and my buddy we didn't see any deer. Also ran into a couple other guys that said it was their first time down and they hadn't seen anything either. I'll definitely be down there again soon to give it another try.

We were there as well - you must of parked somewhere else, we were the only car in the lot.

We hunted the archery only woods across from the golf course in the morning - saw nothing. Coming out of the woods saw small doe close to the road. Went to lunch and getting ready to go scout out the golf course, we see two on the golf course side of the road. Set up in the woods on the course until about 4 and then overlooking grassy areas / woodline until 5:30. Saw no deer.

I agree with you, however, deer crap everywhere, have to try not to step in it. Tracks everywhere...

I can say that every deer I've seen so far on the golf course property has been very good size.

I'll be out next Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday. Going to be very cold - not sure where to go. I'm seeing more deer on the course but it's hit or miss. I said before I've seen most deer in the evening. This last trip the 3 deer we saw were right in the middle of the day right out in the open.

I may stick to the course and set up in the edge of the woodline with a view of both woods / open area. Going to be hard to stay put with the cold weather. If we don't see much next week I may call it quits for the season.

We also took a drive through the campground. Saw one truck parked in the C loop - assume someone hunting but didn't see the vehicle pass. Maybe I'll try the course next week and if that doesn't pan out I'll give the campground area a try before hanging it up. Who knows...

 

[nis1]

We were there as well - you must of parked somewhere else, we were the only car in the lot.

We hunted the archery only woods across from the golf course in the morning - saw nothing. Coming out of the woods saw small doe close to the road. Went to lunch and getting ready to go scout out the golf course, we see two on the golf course side of the road. Set up in the woods on the course until about 4 and then overlooking grassy areas / woodline until 5:30. Saw no deer.

I agree with you, however, deer crap everywhere, have to try not to step in it. Tracks everywhere...

I can say that every deer I've seen so far on the golf course property has been very good size.

I'll be out next Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday. Going to be very cold - not sure where to go. I'm seeing more deer on the course but it's hit or miss. I said before I've seen most deer in the evening. This last trip the 3 deer we saw were right in the middle of the day right out in the open.

I may stick to the course and set up in the edge of the woodline with a view of both woods / open area. Going to be hard to stay put with the cold weather. If we don't see much next week I may call it quits for the season.

We also took a drive through the campground. Saw one truck parked in the C loop - assume someone hunting but didn't see the vehicle pass. Maybe I'll try the course next week and if that doesn't pan out I'll give the campground area a try before hanging it up. Who knows...

Interesting. We saw one car parked at the golf shop, a truck in the small lot on the opposite side of the road down a little from the course, and we parked at the golf course maintenance area. I didn't pay attention to if the vehicles we saw had tags in the windows. I may try to go down there Thursday depending on whats happening near home in Summit County. I have a spot I want to get to here but need the ice to be thick enough to walk the edge of the lake and I'm not sure that's gonna happen by the end of this week.

My wife's from Cambridge so we are planning a long weekend in January to go stay with her parents and hunt for 4 days. It would be really nice to have a little snow on the ground down there so we can better see where they are traveling. I haven't hunted the big woods like that in years so I'm a little out of my element but I do love it down there. If I go down this coming week, I'll post another report on how it goes.

 

[Buckmaster]

Boyz...it certainly sounds like a lot of pressure/scent on the course. I'm guessing all that poop and prints are nocturnal deer. You might be chasing your own tails until it gets extremely cold.

Can you hunt the corner edges where it meets private land? That might prove a little more productive (more so if you can drop a corn bag).

 

[nis1]

Boyz...it certainly sounds like a lot of pressure/scent on the course. I'm guessing all that poop and prints are nocturnal deer. You might be chasing your own tails until it gets extremely cold.

Can you hunt the corner edges where it meets private land? That might prove a little more productive (more so if you can drop a corn bag).

You very well may be correct on the pressure aspect. The area they allow you to hunts kind of smack dab in the middle of the park. It's a couple thousand acres surrounding the marina, beach, and lodge that are typically off limits to all hunting might not be a bad call to wait until that temp drops. I'm gonna give it an honest try and see if I can't at least learn something about how they move there so I'm better prepared if I get drawn in the future. Here's a map. We can hunt the majority of the area that's considered the no hunting zone.

 

["J"]

The deer funnel down to the beach after legal shooting hours, I’d look at the beach and move towards the area you can actually hunt and go from there...

 

[shawnh]

Boyz...it certainly sounds like a lot of pressure/scent on the course. I'm guessing all that poop and prints are nocturnal deer. You might be chasing your own tails until it gets extremely cold.

Can you hunt the corner edges where it meets private land? That might prove a little more productive (more so if you can drop a corn bag).

Could very well be the case. It is going to get cold next week and we are going to give it a shot Tues/Wed so maybe that will help - who knows. I'm taking a buddy who has never been there. My guess is he will get one right of the bat and I'll sit there scratching my head.

I am sure the golf course gets some pressure but there are very few permits drawn. Maybe I'll wander around with some clubs as well and the deer won't suspect me as out to get them. :smiley_bril:

 

[shawnh]

You very well may be correct on the pressure aspect. The area they allow you to hunts kind of smack dab in the middle of the park. It's a couple thousand acres surrounding the marina, beach, and lodge that are typically off limits to all hunting might not be a bad call to wait until that temp drops. I'm gonna give it an honest try and see if I can't at least learn something about how they move there so I'm better prepared if I get drawn in the future. Here's a map. We can hunt the majority of the area that's considered the no hunting zone.

Thats part of the problem - so much available hunting location. My rule of thumb now is you should probably hunt someplace that I am not. Your luck won't be worse

 

[shawnh]

Boyz...it certainly sounds like a lot of pressure/scent on the course. I'm guessing all that poop and prints are nocturnal deer. You might be chasing your own tails until it gets extremely cold.

Can you hunt the corner edges where it meets private land? That might prove a little more productive (more so if you can drop a corn bag).

At the drawing I recall the ranger saying that they never opened the golf course up for hunting until January and they changed that this year. Again, you may be correct - maybe once it gets really cold and the pressure drops off, things may improve.

I was thinking it would be nice for them to only open the course up for disabled hunters or youth only, etc. Generally, it's a fairly easy walk and could be productive for others who may not have the ability to hunt otherwise.

 

[shawnh]

Interesting. We saw one car parked at the golf shop, a truck in the small lot on the opposite side of the road down a little from the course, and we parked at the golf course maintenance area. I didn't pay attention to if the vehicles we saw had tags in the windows. I may try to go down there Thursday depending on whats happening near home in Summit County. I have a spot I want to get to here but need the ice to be thick enough to walk the edge of the lake and I'm not sure that's gonna happen by the end of this week.

My wife's from Cambridge so we are planning a long weekend in January to go stay with her parents and hunt for 4 days. It would be really nice to have a little snow on the ground down there so we can better see where they are traveling. I haven't hunted the big woods like that in years so I'm a little out of my element but I do love it down there. If I go down this coming week, I'll post another report on how it goes.

That was probably us parked in the small lot. We hunted the area in front of that lot (bordered by the marina road) in the morning. In the afternoon I dropped my son off down by the maintenance road so it could of been him you saw walking in. I was going to park in that maintenance area but wasn't sure if it was allowed. I seem to recall the ranger saying it was ok to do so, but ended up just dropping him off instead.