# Special Ohio Early muzzleloader season



## fishwendel2 (Nov 19, 2007)

Question for everyone....how much pressure will the 3 areas get during the special early muzzleloader season here in Ohio? Does anyone have any stats on the #of muzzleloader hunters in Ohio? Personally since it's restricted to 3 areas I would think there would be a lot of pressure but just looking for some input. Thanks!


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## negs (May 25, 2010)

i hunted salt fork 2yrs ago on opening day and the place was a zoo i thought i would boat to my spot to get away from the crowds,didn't work heck we were lined up at the boat ramp and the hunting wasn't that good saw more orange than deer it might thin out by the end of the week i don't no, so bottom line IMO stay away from salt fork but i have heard that shawnee doesn't get hit that hard never hunted there early muzzleloader but i have hunted squirrel there and i can see why its pretty steep but if it was me thats where i would go plus its 3-4 times the size of salt fork


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## CasualFisherman (May 21, 2004)

Salt fork is by far the busiest. Wildcat hollow is 2nd and Shawnee 3rd. If you just want to get any deer, wildcat hollow had the best success rates per hunter (When you had to apply). If you are hunting big horns, I would go to Shawnee. Talking to the ranger at wildcat hollow, there were not many deer checked that would clear the 100" mark last year. Most were 2 yr olds. Hunting the WNF portion of Wildcat hollow you can easily find a spot to get away from crowds but the deer are more sparse. Shawnee is even sparser but your best bet to get a bruiser. Terrain is hell and the deer are much less dense but you can easily find plenty of land to yourself. I rarely see another hunter in the woods down there as long as you get away from the campground. I have seen some huge deer on this hunt. I am sure it would be a battle to get the deer out of some of that area too.


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## Muskynut13 (Dec 21, 2008)

I have 180 acres that borders Shawnee, and have a trail cam that catches the deer as they travel between the two properties. I hunt the property line every year and usually get a deer. If I were someone that wanted to hunt there I would try out the field edges on odle creek or forest roads 1&6


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