# What plublic hunting area for gun Season?



## !!! trigger happy !!! (Dec 29, 2011)

I am planning on going to a public wild life area for youth season, or gun season. I am in Ashtabula County, and am willing to travel 2 or 2 ½ hours away. What wild life areas would I have a good chance at getting a deer? I am thinking about jockey hallow I have been told good about there and went up there last year for youth season with a friend, and had no luck so im thanking off trying a different place but dont know were.


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## postalhunter1 (Jun 5, 2010)

I tend to like to get away from the crowds. So, I stick to Wayne N. F. Their land is intermixed with private property and you really need a map to know where you can and can't go. Another good area is Ohio Power Lands. Never been there, but I know it's a big area and I always hear of others doing well there. Honestly I think you may have to drive farther than two hours to get both, but it would probably be worth the extra drive.....


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## icingdeath (Jun 2, 2010)

i hunt bula co and would never hunt anywhere else.you got some good areas by you.check out dorset or new lyme.i love hunting them both.


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## !!! trigger happy !!! (Dec 29, 2011)

icingdeath said:


> i hunt bula co and would never hunt anywhere else.you got some good areas by you.check out dorset or new lyme.i love hunting them both.



Are you talking about the wild life area on kyle Rd off of st route 193?


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## !!! trigger happy !!! (Dec 29, 2011)

And if that is the area you are talking about how preshured is it and do you Ushley see deer? I have walked through there a couple times and duck hunted there on tower Rd. and never seen any deer and I&#8217;m thanking off giving it a try this year what methods should I use and were should I hunt on that area?


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## fishhunter24 (Jan 17, 2005)

this is a good place to hunt. lots of land and u can get away from other hunters. it is in jeferson county. it is located outside of salaneville


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## Longrange7.62 (Nov 15, 2012)

I have for about a year been researching Ohio as a hunting spot. I'm now in the final stages of packing and will drive out for this years gun season Nov 26 through Dec 2

I plan to hunt Dillon WMA. I've read that the gun season can be crazy full of hunters and wondered if this is a good choice. Everything I've read says yes but lately I've heard about the hunting pressure being quite high.
Also will maps of the various wildlife areas be readily avaliable at the various outdoor shops?

Many Thanks


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## icefisherman4life (Aug 5, 2007)

i dont hunt public but i have heard good things about brush creek.


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## Longrange7.62 (Nov 15, 2012)

Thanks for the reply, never used a forum before

Is Brush Creek located in Muskingum Co?


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## Fish-N-Fool (Apr 12, 2004)

trigger...pm sent with info


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

None for me!!! I quit deer hunting for so many years, with only public as a option...just wasn't worth the chance with some of the people in the woods with you....be safe.... but it is always the other guy that hurts you


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## icefisherman4life (Aug 5, 2007)

jefferson county


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

icingdeath said:


> i hunt bula co and would never hunt anywhere else.you got some good areas by you.check out dorset or new lyme.i love hunting them both.


i agree, bula county has some massive deer. a 2 1/2 hour drive is a waste of a drive. look at the odnr website and find public hunting in bula. im in trumbull co and i think of heading north to tag that beast every year. but i dont  and dont worry about pressure, use it to your advantage... find an escape route and set your butt on it. once the shooting starts, the deer start running..


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Sorry I can't help but My experience with public hunting is that certain large "groups" dominate the place and very methodically hunt and shoot nearly everything w / split hooves. What they don't get ends up running onto adjacent private properties til everything settles down. I 'd knock on a lots of farmhouse doors before trying those places again.


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## bludog (Apr 15, 2011)

I have had good luck at EGYPT VALLEY in Belmont county. After the 1st day deer seem to have to be pushed so sometime more people is a good thing if you play it right.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

ezbite said:


> i agree, bula county has some massive deer. a 2 1/2 hour drive is a waste of a drive. look at the odnr website and find public hunting in bula. im in trumbull co and i think of heading north to tag that beast every year. but i dont  and dont worry about pressure, use it to your advantage... find an escape route and set your butt on it. once the shooting starts, the deer start running..


Absolutely! And not that much farther away are Grand River Wildlife Area and Mosquito Wildlife Area. My brother in law used to bowhunt Mosquito, and there are some HUGE bucks in there. But you gotta get way in there, and so it's some work to get them out. And Grand River, you better print up a map and bring a compass or GPS because you CAN get lost in there! And I've been to Dorset. Wish it was closer to my house. Some of that place is THICK!! Deer heaven! 

One question. Are you going to be able to go have a look at these places before you hunt? You know, scout them out a little? I guess that's two questions. Or, are you going to toddle out the door Monday morning and just pick any old spot to sit? OK, that's three. Even on the most friendly and cooperative forum I sincerely doubt that you will get where to park, what trail to walk in, and what tree to hide behind directions. You have to go find some of this stuff out for yourself. 

There are some guys who are very successful hunting public land. They are usually some of the more close mouthed about where they go and what they do. They've learned how other hunters work the public land they hunt, and have learned how to make that pressure work for them. I used to hunt Beaver Creek a lot during bow season. I can't tell you how many times a squirrel hunter or rabbit hunter sent deer past me. 

I'd say, why drive all over hell? You have some good spots close to you where you can spend some time and learn about them.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Plenty of good areas in all the Public Hunting areas. Just need to do the leg work and figure it out. My dad and I have been hunting the same public area for 15 years. We get at least one deer during gun season every year and we only hunt it 2-3 days during the season. It's an area with a mix of open fields, pasture, brushy woods, pine forests, and mature hardwoods. Good diversity of food sources and cover. Hunt the edge of the bedding areas cause all the fools that get there late will push the deer out of the fields before daylight. The first day is usually crazy and I've been messed up by other hunters more than I like, but the hunters really thin out after that. Have to find areas that are away from the crowd and get there first before other guys show up. Have to be in your spot before the other guys start walking in, then they chase the deer to you. Scout for a good spot with the hunting maps on ODNR and use Google Earth. We usually do 2-man deer drives after the first few hours of light. Have one spot that I've taken a deer from 6 or 7 times over the years. It's close to the road too so an easy drag out!


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## Longrange7.62 (Nov 15, 2012)

I'll be doing a bit of scouting on Sunday Nov 25. Living in NH and driving out doesn't make it for easy scouting. I hopeful that I'll find a little spot that is over looked. I've also come to realize that many while they stomp around in the woods very few will actually venture into the deeper areas of larger tracts of land. I'm holding out that this is true there in Ohio as well. 
Thanks for the reply


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