# opinions on Ravenna hunts



## worminator

Let's here your thoughts on the Ravenna controlled hunt. Just got back from Ravenna and I don't think I'll enter again. I know the weather was bad but dang it really sucked. We couldn't take it and left around 2:00. Only 17 deer checked at 2:00 and I bet half of those were tagged by the guides. This place is just a big money maker and the guides are killing most of the deer. You may have had a better experience so here's your shot. But I'm done with Ravenna. Soon enough they won't be able to give permits away at the way they are going.


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## viper1

Well hunting in a closed place isnt hunting to me. But i dont see why your chance isnt as good as any one elses. But just like real hunting you have to be able to do the whole day and not leave early. Lol!

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## worminator

so what's your take on the Ravenna hunt? Have you been there before?


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## viper1

worminator said:


> so what's your take on the Ravenna hunt? Have you been there before?


Honestly no! But i have friends that sign up and go! And they usually do well! To me its like going to the game preserves or catfish ponds and pay lakes. I grew out of that kind of sport as a lad. Any hunting and fishing in a closed spot is multiple times better chance. I know you get a spot to hunt. or put a stand so to speak. Time is always your best friend hunting and fishing. So if you give up and go home well you cut your chances. My friends always do well, and I tease them! Do they leave them out of the cage or do you shot them inside and drag them out. Which I do now a guy who went west to hunt a lion that did just that. Nope I like the hunt a lot better then the kill! Guess Im strange that way.


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## worminator

nuff said............... thanks for your 2 cents.


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## Lundy

What happened? Why was your experience bad?

Why do you say it is just a big money maker? Does it cost money to hunt there?

Did the guides take the prime spots and put you in poor locations?

Just curious what you experience was


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## Mad-Eye Moody

I have been in the arsenal a bunch of times over twenty years. It has definitely changed. When I first went, there were no escorts and you parked and went where you wanted. The place was silly with deer and they had very few places to hide.

In recent years you are assigned a zone. There are far fewer deer than before and a large portion of the grounds are not hunted because of training and logistics. Hunter success is way down, but that does not bother me, I will still go. It's a chance to hunt deer with a gun outside of gun season. 

I have a higher success rate hunting on my own for sure on private land. It is far from a high fence hunt. It's 25000 acres with lots of unhunted land and deer that are not stocked or bred.

I did have a bad experience with an escort once though. When we got to our parking spot he told us where to go. I mentioned another spot that looked good on the map and he steered me away from it. We saw nothing and when I wandered to where I had mentioned, there he sat. He had a nice setup with deer cocaine, fake scrapes and shooting lanes. It was obvious that it had been set up weeks before by the brown foliage of the trimming. He also had a dead deer next to him.

But all other escorts have been great. 

You have to hunt different in there. I have a method that works, that basicly involves sitting down right away even if it does not seem a good spot. Running deer out of your unit in the dark will hurt you later. Only move when other hunters are sitting and find the travel routes for when the other hunters get restless.

My wife and I will be there for the ladies hunt. Se looks forward to it when she is drawn. For many reasons, this will be the only day she will hunt deer in Ohio this year.

I would not hunt the arsenal if it only happened during gun season and I had good private land. By all means, do not apply if it is a waste for you. I would like better drawing odds. My 2 cents.


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## ezbite

I've applied for years until recently, but no longer.. I only applied because I wanted the experience and I have a buddy that got lucky years ago, he got picked and killed a monster buck with his shotgun. I've never gotten picked, yet I know a guy that's gets picked every year, all he said was he knows someone. I have also heard of people flooding the lottery by having all of their family, extended family and friends apply and put their name down as a partner, they too seem to get in every year. Seems like cheating to me when it's suppose to be a fair lottery... They will never see another penny from me.


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## viper1

worminator said:


> nuff said............... thanks for your 2 cents.


Sorry but you asked


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## worminator

I'll give you the short version cause I could go on and on. We got our section,checked it out on the map and were pretty happy with the area just looking at it on the map. No swamp with woods and open areas with some pine stands. We got out there and there was only two other guys hunting a section beside ours. The escort (one guy when we got there) showed us our area on the map that they gave us and suggested we walk about 1/2 mile east and work our way back to the parking area. Remember, only two other hunters within miles of our area. We were way up in the N.E. section. We went with his advice and went east and within 30 minutes we heard shots in an area that was suposed to be empty. Worked our way threw the section and dropped south to hunt our way back to the parking area. blah blah blah.
Got to the truck and met three other escorts late morning. Every time we went back to our zone we were pushing deer to the escorts. They knew exactly where we were going and hunted the areas just outside of our zone that was suposed to be empty. Talked to a few people at the check station and they had heard of similar stories. No fences at all where we were. Very large areas with all types of terain. Escorts.....one, lottery winners.....zero.
We figured that between the state and the camp each deer taken today was worth almost $2000.00. NEVER AGAIN WILL I APPLY FOR RAVENNA!!!
It's early enough to get in some good private land hunting.


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## Shortdrift

Went twice and killed deer each time. IMO the only way to hunt Ravenna is to sneak hunt, sloooooow.


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## fishingful

Are there wildlife officers there? I would guess there should be because its a state run draw. Who are the "escourts" are they army? Since its state run it should be. Over the years I have heard so many "I know someone" storys there has got to be something that can be done about it. Always seemed to me people like to complain but don't want to contact the authoritys about it. Like the. Chief of the div of wildlife! Unless he is in on it. 

Seems like the good old boys are runing most of this. Its all heresay but there is a ton of it. I donate my 20 bucks every year. Got picked for a magee marsh waterfowl hunt last year.

Not because it was "computer picked" but because most of the state thought it was closed (for dike repair and it was behind schedule) and it was a mail in card. I get picked at random daily draws like mosquito where they put your card in and draw in front of people in a hopper. Maybe we should go back to that. 

I don't have 400 ******* family and friends to enter. I don't have kids to throw in to the draw. Somehow it has to be fair for everyone.


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## Lundy

worminator said:


> . Worked our way threw the section and dropped south to hunt our way back to the parking area. blah blah blah................
> Every time we went back to our zone we were pushing deer to the escorts.


Sorry you had a bad experience, I'm sure you hoped for more.


Gotta ask. By reading your account of the day it sounds like you guys did a lot of walking around in your area. Maybe not the best method to kill a deer there, unless you are hunting the areas surrounding you


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## bulafisherman

Brother got drawn this year after quite a few years of applying, was pumped up about it only to get there 5 minutes late and finds the gates locked sounds to me like pretty much every aspect of the whole experience is controled, sounds a lot like going to work to me.

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## NIGHT MAGIC

Hunted revenna a few times but have not been drawn in the last 5 years, you use to have the option on weather your escort hunted the area is that still an option if so i would not let them hunt


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## worminator

I didn't see one ODNR person on site but I'm sure they were there. The escorts were not paid so their benefit is to hunt each day that they work. And yes we slow hunted all day. We moved a little and sat alot or as long as we could in the rain. I thought that the rain would be to our advantage by slow hunting which is what we did. And yes we stuck it out by returning once to the truck to change into dry clothes. When we had our orientation we did not see one ODNR person anywhere. The entire show was run by the camp but I'm sure that ODNR had to be present. I really expected much more. I guess I based my expectations of what Ravenna used to be. Now I know.......


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## phantomace08

I would hardly call a 25,000 acre area "closed fence." Besides, I hunted an area close the front gate a couple of years ago with my cousin... there were major holes in the fence with deer tracks in and out everywhere. BTW... when I went with my cousin, we had a great guide. He told us where to sit and then where to go when we wanted to move around. We followed his instructions and I ended up pushing a nice 14 point to him.

I'll be there on the 17th as my wife got drawn for the women's hunt. We're both excited as it is a pretty cool experience even if you don't get anything. Just seeing some of the tracks and partial sheds in there adds to the excitement.


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## Archery Patriot

Hunted it also last year and it sucks there, I'll never go back


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## leupy

I hunted it once archery only about 30 years ago. They put on drives then and you could shoot your way in at a tournament prior to the hunt which is how I got in, I was not drawn. At that time you could only kill one deer a year and it had to be a buck unless you were drawn for an antlerless permit. I won't confess to my plans but I ended up taking an eight point on the first drive with a wildlife officer watching. I was done for the year and never thought of going back. I don't think there was a cost back then but you had to use your only tag for the year.


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## johnrude

i got drawn for a hunt in 1997 and a good friend of mine went with me and we had a good time and we each got a doe.


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## Angler ss

I got a draw at Ravena last year. I had the same result as you. Didn't hear many shots never seen a deer. Hunted my whole zone sat first few hours then did small stalk/ drives. The problem is the controlled hunts where real good 10-20 years ago they built a good reputation.Now the state has killed too many deer at the controlled locations and people still pay because they hear how good it was but it is not anymore. Plumbrook in Sandusky is the same. Used to kill piles of deer the numbers are way way down.I still see replys where guys tell someone who got a draw it is almost a sure bet you will tag a deer BS. I also don't like that guides get to hunt at Ravena it is not legal to hunt from a truck but yet the guides drive around and hunt. I also never seen a ODNR yet it is a " state" of Ohio controlled hunt. It is turned into a money maker charged me $10 road toll also. Thanks for your post I posted about the same last year and I got same type of replys should have did this or that blah blah. When you can't find poop,tracks or beds in your zone just aren't many deer in the area.


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## tjcanoer

I was not pleased with my guide as well. I was told that the important thing was that the guide was to exchange phone numbers in case of an emergency. That never happened.

He did however give us advice. "Start at the East end and hunt along the old electric lines. You will find where the deer lay up in there.". I found two beds and no deer. I still-hunted for an hour and half. Nothing.
Throughout the day I continued to move West, very slowly. I continued to hear shots East where I started and North where I was told it was unassigned.

When I got back to the road my guide was hunting with his brother on the other side of the road. I felt like I was a driver and I should have brought a pan and a stick to beat it with.

The hunters on the lot south of me saw no deer either.

When I checked out at 3:00 (one hour early I admit), I saw no deer at the checkout. I was told less than 20 were checked in. (out of 300 hunters?)

One couple I met did get both a Buck & Doe. They were pleased with their guide who helped them out. When I told them of our experience the other hunter was sympathetic and said he was sorry I got one of the "selfish guides".

I enjoyed the fact that I least was hunting that day and in the woods.


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## Snook

Most of the controlled hunts are "way over rated" anymore.Ravenna was great in it's day but has seriously declined in being called a quality hunt IMOP. Trust me there is a good chance that many may not even see a deer.Lot has to do with the section you hunt.Still some quality deer but NOTHING like it was years ago.And when I hunted there years back it was "doe only" which I thought "sucked". Escorts were working together and putting on drives all over the place.


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## Weekender#1

I read this thread only after hearing some stuff in my garage this morning. One guy there just returned from a deer gun hunt at Ravenna. He had gotten a call from a friend who got him in with a guide, no charge, no entry, no entry fee's. His guide(unknown person) had brought dogs "Wounded deer dogs" he sent the client off to hunt the "prime zone" while he pointed then ran his dogs for himself and friends (more guides) they shot deer in other zones. The guy in my garage only saw deer at the check in station. He said 7 of 11 deer shot while he was there were shot by guides. He said most of the guides stood on the roads and shot at the deer moving across the roads during the day.


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## worminator

Weekender................... that says it all. I'm almost positive that my escort had three other guests or other escorts hunting my surrounding zone where they told us there would be empty areas. Sure was alot of shooting coming from those empty zones. I gotta let this one go before I get pissed and call the ODNR. But it's a money maker for them also. I can here the MAN now......... We'll check into it sir...........bla bla bla. They won't see my entry next year. I'm done. To me that's no different than poaching,slime ball escorts.


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## Ben Fishing

I live nice and close to the arsenal. Appears the best way to hunt is to be a "Guide". How does one sign up to be one?


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## Huntinbull

I know that members of a conservation club I am applying to get to volunteer to guide hunters at the Arsenal. My understanding is that you have to log a certain number of volunteer hours at the club before you can volunteer for the Arsenal hunts. Great club to be a part of. Looking forward to serving with them and doing some good for our resources and for hunters and fishermen and outdoorsmen in general.


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## tjcanoer

Yeah,

A lotta good the guides did for me and the other hunters did out there. Mind you not all of them, but enough of them.

If this statement doesn,t make sense than you need to review the previous threads. Sportmanship is supposed to be the key to sharing our precious resources as an outdoorsman.

If being a Guide like the one I had is the way to hunt Ravenna you can have it.


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## ohiobuckhunter

Worminator - I am an escort during the hunts and like everyone else you are entitled to your opinion and we all know what they say about opinions. I personally take offense to your comments and the way you paint the escorts with broad strokes. Giving you the benefit of the doubt, maybe you had a bad experience - sorry for you. 
The escorts job during the hunt to make sure that you, the hunter, is safe and that you understand your boundaries to avoid getting lost and to allow you as much hunting time as possible. I like many other escorts, take time to understand our areas and work to provide the best advice for our hunters. You have the run of almost 150 acres... I can only do so much, putting you on the deer from our parking lot area is tough, but the hunter (YOU) ultimately needs to close the deal. I assure you that I personally do not hunt within my hunters area and will only walk within the area (because we are not permitted to drive) when asked. I have spent many hunts beating brush and crawling through thickets trying to get deer moving for youth hunters, experienced tough-guys such as yourself, women and even first time hunters. 
Have I shot deer during the hunts - yes. In my 11 years I have only taken 3 antlered deer. We as escorts are put into the same restrictions as the state hunters and are limited to antlerless only for the majoirity of the hunts. I personally arrive at Camp Ravenna before 4 AM and leave shortly after 6PM (each hunt). This year there are 4 hunts - this is time I could be bow hunting on my own property or spending time with my wife and kids. Don't lecture me or talk poorly of others based on your poor hunting experience and don't blame others for your incompetence. Also note that the majority of the hunt escorts are military members and that the main purpose of Camp Ravenna is the training and preparation for our military and military support personel - hunting is a secondary benefit and that above all is what matters most.
BTW... ODNR officers are present and remain on-site within the main operations building. I assure you that they would be more than happy to confirm that the majority of the hunters entering the arsenal as state hunters leave with positive experiences and the success ratio is higher for the state hunters than those of the escorts. 
Worminator - I wish you nothing but the best for the remaining portion of deer season.


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## Flathead76

Ohiobuckhunter I know a handful of people who have been on this draw hunt that have had the same experience. They were told to walk in a certain way to unknowingly bump deer for thier guides to shoot. These friends still apply for this hunt for only one reason. If they get drawn they can tell thier guide to go pound sand because they are going to hunt however they want in thier section. Thier going to look at thier map before hand and are going to go where they think is good area to hunt. All three of my friends were like really I should go huntover there? The guide said yes its a good area and just guess who ended up shooting all the deer on the hunts??? Its total BS that people getting drawn for this hunt get duped by these guides so thier guides can shoot all the deer.


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## Flathead76

Ya but on your own property you dont have hunters doing deer drives for you. Dont get upset just because people are getting wise to the guides real objectives.


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## Mad-Eye Moody

I have to reinforce that I have only had one negative experience with an escort. They were clearly in it for themselves. All of the other escorts I have dealt with have been curtious and responsive to my needs. One guy beat himself half to death trying to get a deer in front of my pregnant wife in a rainstorm. Others have been there just to keep watch and maybe bust a deer. There is no way that they could hold a hunt on that property with everything they are doing in there without someone to keep an eye on you. For that reason alone I appreciate them. If I think I am being steered wrong I just say thanks, but I'm going this way.

Heck, I'll say it plain, if you don't apply next year, that's one less person lowering the odds for the rest of us. I'm cool with that. 

I have no doubt worminator that you had some bad escorts. I had it myself once. I hate to hear it and I know it's frustrating. I commented on a later visit about it when the colonel himself asked me about my experiences over the years. He said next time that happens tell him directly and he will deal with it. The look on his face and the way he wanted to know which year and which unit makes me think he was darn serious. You get many people in a group like the escorts you will have some that are dishonest. 

Maybe a polite, well written letter to the DNR about your experience will carry more weight than you would think. Give them details, names, unit, times etc. no one can fix it if they don't know. Take some time to cool off about it and give it a whirl. An actual letter carries a lot of weight, lot more than an email or phone call. 

But I have been there. Feel for you. 

But it is hunting, and for me personally, knowing that the odds of success are against me makes it that more special if I get something,

And as I said before, when I am in there I am getting to hunt right next to my dad or wife with a gun on a day that no one else is gun hunting. And by goodness are there some nice deer in there. You never know what can happen next.

They are escorts, not guides, btw.


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## ohiobuckhunter

Flathead76 said:


> Ya but on your own property you dont have hunters doing deer drives for you. Dont get upset just because people are getting wise to the guides real objectives.


This is my last response as at the end of the day people will believe whatever they want; and unfortunatly it is easier to beleive the bad and to take sides with friends of friends and that one guy's brother in law....Just look at the political ads playing on TV and Radio (never hear anything good - do you??)

To respond to Flathead... I am not upset with people sharing opinions - and I hope people understand why I donate my time and effort (so they can have an enjoyable time). The state hunts are not canned hunts and there are no gurantees made that you will harvest deer. The exposure to mother nature and the experience of being in the woods should be the driving force for all of us entering the woods. The harvest/kill is secondary. 
I will not say that all escorts are perfect, we are human and prone to mistakes... If the hunters assigned to my area do not want my advice, I encourage them to utilize their hunt area as they see fit - I will gladly pound sand if there is sunshine, ocean and cold beverages involved! The hunt is for those drawn by the sate and I am only there to encourage them to have fun, stay safe and enjoy the opportunity. 
Honestly, I am not trying to pursuade anyone about my intentions and I have never attempted to con hunters into pushing deer my way or to any of my hunting partners. Believe what you want, and I know you will as a student of human nature; but there are truly good men and women volenteering time, money and gasoline to spend time with other sportsmen. The hunt for me has always been about meeting new people that share the same morals and values as I. One of my good friends was actually a hunter in my hunt area during a hunt back in 2007. At the time we did not know that 5 years later we would become hunting and fishing buddies, but here we are. Beleive what you want - I will go to bed tonight satisfied that I will do my part for you and any other hunter that is drawn to hunt within the areas I oversee.

Feel free to bash the escorts all you want - that is your right. Just remember that they are there for you and when it hits the fan and you are in need of assisance it is those volunteers that will come to your aid and make sure that you receive the appropriate attention or service.


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## Flathead76

The reason that you donate your time is because it is a great place that you get to hunt 4 times a year. The bonus is that these guides get to buffalo the people who they are suppost to be helping into doing all the donkey work. Dont worry the real story is getting out on what the guides are really about. As far as needing your help in my time of need..........dont you mean hey thanks donkey for kicking that deer to me can you lend your guide a hand and help him drag out his deer.


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## Lewzer

I have an honest question. 
Why are escorts hunting? Shouldn't they be escorting and ensuring the hunters have fun, stay safe and enjoy the opportunity?

Couldn't the arsenal have a one day hunt for all the escorts after the 4 hunts for the permit holders as a show of their appreciation for their time and efforts?

This kind of reminds me of the one time I went on a charter boat. The charter captain spent most of the time he wasn't driving the boat on the bow fishing and not in the back teaching his paying customers how to catch walleye.


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## Flathead76

Isnt it odd that the guide has a treestand already put up but the hunters who drew to hunt there dont..............interesting why they use the term guide


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## Weekender#1

Flathead, you know it is a goverment deal, mix the feds, state and military, to do something for you, a tax payer, LOL. It is just different not a complete waste but different. They did not single you out, it was who ever showed in your shoes. Why do you think they have those seldom realized hunts, think how the guides move about then, such as youth, women and Handicap. Only when the adult seasoned hunters are in do they get a raft of trouble. Think how the club members get to use the area as their personal hunting zone. I say take the guns from the club members hands or give the drawn hunters a map say stay in that area, period, no guide needed.


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## Net

Weekender#1 said:


> Only when the adult seasoned hunters are in do they get a raft of trouble.


What trouble? This is the way that arsenal hunt has been managed for decades. Maybe they just want to ensure the herd gets thinned out? And let's keep the topic of government intervention out of this discussion please.

If it's not your cup of tea, don't enter the drawing.


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## Flathead76

Never said that draw hunts were not my cup of tea thats why I pay the 3 dollars to enter each one. As far as government you are correct.


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## CarpCommander

I agree, dont let any 'guides' in there period other than woman and youth. No need for it. Other hunts run just fine without em. Or like someone suggested, allow them to hunt a few days AFTER the draw hunters get done, to reward their work. If everyone wrote in and complained maybe they would change it. 

Speaking of government though, if it does change it will take another 27 years of yappin to ge the ball rolling.

Imma enter this one JUST to tell my escort where I AM hunting, and I hope to God he tries to steer me another way! Then its on like Donkey Kong....


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## worminator

What a coincidence, just yesterday, Tuesday I recieved a "Dear Fellow Deer Hunter" survey from the Division of Wildlife. I'm sure alot of these went out but it's kinda strange that I got mine this week. Well I think I owe it to all who responded and myself to give the division my 2 cents. To any escorts that may have been offended it was not my intention to do that. I hope that my response to the survey strikes a nerve with the state. If I get any kind of response I will tag it to this thread if it's still around. Have a good season and hunt safe. !%!%!%


worm


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## AEFISHING

worminator said:


> What a coincidence, just yesterday, Tuesday I recieved a "Dear Fellow Deer Hunter" survey from the Division of Wildlife. I'm sure alot of these went out but it's kinda strange that I got mine this week. Well I think I owe it to all who responded and myself to give the division my 2 cents. To any escorts that may have been offended it was not my intention to do that. I hope that my response to the survey strikes a nerve with the state. If I get any kind of response I will tag it to this thread if it's still around. Have a good season and hunt safe. !%!%!%
> 
> 
> worm


Why did they send this survey already?? The season really just started. Send it at the end of the season. The state doesn't think to much half the time.


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## Angler ss

I agree the guides should not be aloud to hunt during the controlled hunts. If the state wants to thank the guides use some of the money they charge and pay them or have a guide hunt at the end of each season. I don't put all the blame on the guides the state has harvested to many deer from the controlled areas. If the hunting is not very good the state should not charge people for the drawing guys think the place has a large number of deer that need to be thined last years hunt you could shoot 2 deer. I never seen a deer on the drive in during the hunt or on the way out. One deer per hunter would be enough as worminator posted not many deer where killed at his hunt not many where killed at my hunt so why should one person need to kill 2.


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## Mad-Eye Moody

I could definitely get behind a one deer a hunter rule.


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## dmills4124

Viper1; You made a good point on the caged hunt, but 25K acres is not shooting an animal that was paraded in front of you to harvest. I had the oportunity to do a buffalo hunt in northern Arizona on one of the reservations. Come to find out for $2500 they walk a buffalo out into a corral and you have one shot to bring it down(like at 20 feet you might miss). Here's the real kick in the butt. You are not allowed to keep the head or the hide and only half of the meat. Now thats what I call a controlled hunt. I put in for the arsenal a few years ago when I first returned to Ohio and got drawn but no luck since then. In Arizona they guaranty that you will be drawn once every 5 years in their lottery for deer, elk, sheep and so-on for the license. If for some reason you skip a year then start over and each year that you apply the cost is for the hunting license and then another $65 for the tag. Which you dont get back if your not drawn. So you have at least $650 for the tag if you are only drawn once every 5 years. And here is a big BUT, I have known several hunters who get drawn on a regular basis(almost every year). The drawings are done by a computer lottery style. We are so lucky here in Ohio to be able to buy as many tags as we think we can fill for our own private use, or bragging rights.LOL My thought is if I get drawn for one of ohios controlled hunts I think I will most likely be very happy and feel lucky that I was able to have the opportunity. By the way I never got drawn in AZ in 28 years. I am sorry to hear that so many hunters feel left out as far as the arsenal hunts go but darn guys thats why its called hunting not anything else. Ya know we cant all be ELMER PHUD.
JMTCW
donm


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## rattletraprex

Don't get me started on the hunts there,explain later,just want to relax now and have a cold one.


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## fishingful

worminator said:


> What a coincidence, just yesterday, Tuesday I recieved a "Dear Fellow Deer Hunter" survey from the Division of Wildlife. I'm sure alot of these went out but it's kinda strange that I got mine this week. Well I think I owe it to all who responded and myself to give the division my 2 cents. To any escorts that may have been offended it was not my intention to do that. I hope that my response to the survey strikes a nerve with the state. If I get any kind of response I will tag it to this thread if it's still around. Have a good season and hunt safe. !%!%!%
> 
> 
> worm


I would add a link to this post and add it in the survey!


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## Minnowhead

Hunted the arsenal two years ago. Guides told us to start "here" and walk "that way". Long story short...guides were set up on the other end waiting for us to push the deer off our square zone to them. Never saw another deer, left early to catch the remainder of the Buckeye/Michigan game. Crappy experience, very low numbers of deer checked in. I say no more guides or no guides with guns. I've hunted the arsenal 20 years ago and had great luck hunting in bigger zones on my own. I got picked again this year late November and I am less than excited about going in. Can't wait to tell the guide to kiss my arse!


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## viper1

After all this hearing how bad it is and buddies saying how great they like it. Oh and they do well there when they go. I had to figure what was so different. They said all they do different is hunt. Don't listen to the guides. Find the first good spot and stay put. Let the guides and other hunter drive for you. They say what you're describing has been going on since the club had the distribution rights. . Which now Im told they don't have any more. So i think if you go instead of getting fooled into driving stay still in a good spot. They really have no say of how you hunt if you stay in your area. Just thought id pass it on hope it helps.


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## freeagle56

I used to shoot Archery, i got drawn for the hunt, and after that day i never went again. I was a bad experiance to say the least. We were the drivers and that was it.


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## Govbarney

I am here at the Revenna arsinal right now for Annual Training (National Guard). You could randomly throw a knife in the woods, and fill a tag, thats how many deer there are here. Last night a herd of around 15 does was just wondering around where we sleep. I have seen no bucks yet , but other Soldiers have seen more then a few driving around post. 

I applied for the lottery this year to hunt Revenna , but lost. If you hunt where I am now, you would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to come out with meat.


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## Bassnpro1

Govbarney said:


> I am here at the Revenna arsinal right now for Annual Training (National Guard). You could randomly throw a knife in the woods, and fill a tag, thats how many deer there are here. Last night a herd of around 15 does was just wondering around where we sleep. I have seen no bucks yet , but other Soldiers have seen more then a few driving around post.
> 
> I applied for the lottery this year to hunt Revenna , but lost. If you hunt where I am now, you would have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to come out with meat.


AT in November? You have to be joking. 


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## Mad-Eye Moody

Had a good hunt at the ladies hunt with my wife today. We had a huge hunt unit. Our escorts put us on the two very best spots in the whole unit (I walked the whole thing) and my wife bagged a button buck.

The sign all over the unit was pretty unreal. It was fun to hear the automatic weapons fire and mortar or Grenade explosions off in the distance too.

We also saw three coyotes today. One was a beautiful giant male. My wife didn't want to kill it so she let it walk.

Good times.


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## viper1

Great news, a good hunt is all ways great!


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## c. j. stone

fishingful said:


> Seems like the good old boys are runing most of this. Its all heresay but there is a ton of it.


That's exactly what I experienced many years ago during a(pre-Xbow) archery hunt. It was run by a group of "Hunt Club" members who worked inside the facility. I wanted to still hunt but they said they were not getting numbers they wanted(guys not shooting does, waiting for trophies!) so we were going to "drive and block" all day. We drove in the morning, and assumed we would get to block in the evening. NOT-we drove ALL day to what "appeared" to be "club members/friends and/or family of the club members, and well-to-do's/politicos". I must have seen three hundred deer 75-2oo yds ahead of me running like crazy towards the "blockers", who got all the shots. Dumbest thing I ever experienced, shooting arrows at paniced, running deer! There 'might' have been ten killed that day(prob. dozens wounded and left to die-they wouldn't let anyone stop to follow a blood trail!), only one nice buck taken by a driver. PLUS, there were cars and trucks in the main parking lot we used with plates from Indiana, Pa., Michigan, and even Virginia. It was such a totally negative, disgusting experience, I have no desire to ever go there again. That said, it may be run very differently now, but I will never know.


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## c. j. stone

freeagle56 said:


> I used to shoot Archery, i got drawn for the hunt, and after that day i never went again. I was a bad experiance to say the least. We were the drivers and that was it.


X2!! Me too, see above.


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## sylvan 17

I will give you my take on thier hunts. I have been in there 3 times and have bagged 2 tenpoints and a 5 point buck,this was from the days when they had the archery tournemants. The guys that run the hunts used the people hunting as drivers and they stationed themselves along the fences. The deer would run down the fence and they would shoot as many as they could. I saw one guy shoot 6 deer and they would run down the fence with an arrow sticking out making all kinds of noise as it rattled along the fences. There are some world class deer in there,but the guides have thier own agenda to kill them. My.02 cents. They showed us pictures of people that shot record book deer in there and one guy had his mug in alot of them holding giant racks. He was one of the guides!


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## deerhunterfortner

Here is my opinion if u know anything about hunting you should know bad advice and not follow it keys are wind in face scent control and find heavy deer trail and sit

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## UNCLEMIKE

This was back from 2012....... Anyone have a hunt there yet this year?


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## deerhunterfortner

One and wife are going Saturday 

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## FireMurph

I had to leave early but there was heavy rain so the harvest count was down, Saturdays look good. Good luck


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## deerhunterfortner

Was you on youth hunt this year

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## deerhunterfortner

Ok was at the hunt today deffinatly more all men ghb hides bringing deer in not impress but whatever 

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## deerhunterfortner

deerhunterfortner said:


> Ok was at the hunt today deffinatly more all men ghb hides bringing deer in not impress but whatever
> 
> Sent from my SM-J337AZ using Tapatalk


Sorry more guides with no women checking deer in 

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## mike oehme

I have always wanted to do the Ravenna hunt, For about 25 years I paid the 3.00 and filled out the form for the lottery and every year I did this and the results were posted. i saw the same names practically every year. I had a friend who was going almost every year. I asked him how this was possible and he said with a smirk,"I know someone". So I gave up on this hunt thinking it's rigged and the only way to get picked is to "know someone". I stopped applying and throwing my money away for this and other controlled hunts that are supposed to be a "fair" lottery. I even gave up on the Castalia fishing lottery for the same reason. I think the whole lottery system needs to be done by an outside 3rd party where no one "konws someone" to make it fair again for everyone who applies for the hunts.


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## deerhunterfortner

Totally agree not all guides are same though it was my wifes first hunt now shes not wanting to go

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## UNCLEMIKE

Wife and I hunted there yesterday. Very well organized. Got to our area at daybreak. Our guide gave me a few tips on the area. I sat the wife on a power line cut at a heavy trail crossing and I started to still hunt the area. She had a spike stand broadside at 15 yards within minutes but had already filled her buck tag with the crossbow. Later she called to say she saw another buck and in talking and moving spooked a doe that was within range. We quit at 2:00 as she was not feeling well. I saw at least six deer in total. Two were young bucks. None presented me a shot. She saw at least nine deer. Several were bucks and she spooked the only doe she saw in range. All in all we had a blast. It is a bonus to be able to spend the day with a gun hunting deer in Ohio in early November. This is the second time we hunted the women's hunt in the past 10 years. Much better odds of getting picked for women's hunts. Considering you go in blind at daybreak and have to quit by 4:00 we saw a bunch of deer. I question the selection process but what can you do... have a buddy that is retired military.... he seems very lucky on the draw .... also seems to be put in areas that are polluted with deer. So be it... Can't fight city hall. All in all I will continue to apply considering its only $3.00. Also a plus that it is only a half hour drive for me.


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## FireMurph

Couple Women gat some nice ones.


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## FireMurph

deerhunterfortner said:


> Totally agree not all guides are same though it was my wifes first hunt now shes not wanting to go
> 
> Sent from my SM-J337AZ using Tapatalk


You can tell the Escort not to hunt in your area.


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