# Wildcat Hollow



## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

I was drawn for the Wildcat Hollow early muzzleloader season from Oct 24-29. Having never been there before I am looking for info as to what area to hunt in. Not looking for specific places but areas such as North, East etc. I won't be able to get there until the 23 and won't have long to scout. I've been looking at maps but can't find alot of info on Wildcat. Also are there any cheap hotels in the area? If not hotels then campgrounds? I have camper but with the price of gas it might be cheaper to get a room than pull my camper. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Darwin (Apr 12, 2004)

Burr Oak state park is near the Wildcat hollow hunt. 10 minute drive tops. There is a lot of private land to hunt in the area and you may want to contact the D-4 wildlife office to see about landowners who may let you hunt. You could also contact the Wolf creek wildlife are and see if they know of any landowners who may let you hunt. Wolf Creek used to be the check in station for that hunt. I'm not sure if they still are or not?


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Thanks for the info buddy. I'm going to try and get down there this weekend and look around.


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

check around Corning also. I know a place called Irish Ridge use to be really good. Been several years since I was there. Heck all you use to do is show up and hunt. Now you have to be drawn? Man I am getting old.


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

If you are strictly speaking public land there is two areas in Wildcat Hollow. Wolf Creek State park and a portion of Wayne National Forest. Wolf Creek is in the east and has a better mix of open and wooded land. The state park also is closer to critical crop fields and thus has a better population of deer. Wayne to the east is mostly open hardwoods and the deer are more scattered and not as abundant. For numbers, Wolf creek area holds more deer and if you have not done much scouting is probably your best bet. There will be more people out on the state park though. In the national forest, the hunting is less pressured but not as good of habitat. There are good areas in Wayne but takes much more time to scout a good area but you will likely be able to get away from the crowds in Wayne. I personally have a place on Wayne that we found last year that has some thicker cover than the mainly open hardwoods and found it to have a excellent population of deer with almost no other hunters. If you want to get away from the crowds, take the map and drive a few of the back roads on Wayne and look for land adjoining private crop fields or timbered areas. Otherwise I would try Wolf creek area and let the mobs keep the deer on the move all day long. As for camping, Burr Oak is about 5mins away from Wayne and 10 from Wolf Creek. Last year there were hardly any campers there. Good Luck!


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## rac123 (May 20, 2004)

Hey Dale, you old enuff to remember when Irish ridge had a big campout and potluck dinner? cant remember who had it but it was a good time!!even some churches used to have breakfasts and lunches during the hunt.I remember when getting aplace to camp was a luck of the draw!! People used to camp along the roads and in the ditches in some places. I stayed for 2-3 days one time in a Gremlin[american motors made them for you youngsters among us!]slept sitting up in car!!That was when I was young and wanted to hunt and camp more than anything.If I did that crazy stuff now I wouldn't wake up the next day!!!  That was in the late 60's!


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## DaleM (Apr 5, 2004)

You better check your dates man. I remember that well. I went down there in the (early) 60's also. I was sorta busy in the late 60's, I didn't have time to sleep in a car. I had a cousin that lived in Corning and we hunted there every year. Besides when you were staying in your gremlin I was over seas doing a different kind of hunting. Sleeping in tents over there was a little different than where you were. So to answer your question-- yes I am old enough to remember that. Most all the churches and even the local fire station had breakfast and usually a chicken and noodle dinner after a long days hunt.


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## DZimmer_1 (Jul 3, 2005)

Wasn't that long ago when we used to always eat lunch at the Township fire Dept. in Carbon hill everyday. I miss some things about those days and others i do not  What I miss are those lunches and deer hunter get togethers nearly everynight at one place or the other. What I don't miss is the hunting preasure in Wayne. Not near as many people crammed in there as there used to be but there are still enough


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## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Thanks everyone for the info.


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

Went to Wildcat Hollow Mon-Wed. Not much pressure at all. We hunted the Wayne portion and saw deer dispite the poor weather. Only one out of four of us got a deer, a nice large doe shot way at the bottom of a big ravine.(Thank heaven for deer dollys) Of course being the first year of the lottery We all drew antlerless tags. Monday morning I had a decent buck well within range and oblivious to my presence.  I also had a doe come by but was on to me before I could get my gun up. I saw only one deer the rest of the trip and that was only it's back end as I was leaving my stand. Very little shooting all three days, a little more pressure would have helped keep them on their feet and traveling more. Deer are still scattered with abundant acorn mast on about every ridge. I might try down there later in the year when the are more consolidated to the heavier cover. It appeared the deer were bedding just about everywhere and not stacked up in the heavy cover I was hunting. I am starting to appreciate the easy deer hunting we have out in western Ohio. You have to work for those woodland deer. And getting them out seem ten times as tough. I think I prefer hunting the farm country and hauling deer out with the truck rather than a mile long uphill hike. Oh well, there is always next year.


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