# Salt Fork Early Muzzy Results



## hulapopper87 (Sep 5, 2008)

Well this marks the 4th year in a row I've gone to Salt Fork for the early Muzzy season. Every year my brother and I leave saying we are never going back. However, the following October there we are.... This year we had some success. My brother shot a lil buck and I shot a doe. We both had our deer by 10:30 although mine wasn't much bigger than a golden retriever. Oh Well. Here is the crazy part. He shoots his at 8:30. We were a couple miles in so he had an hour or so drag in front of him. We had agreed to leave early if someone got one so we could get home and cut it up seeing as it was going to be relatively warm and we had a long drive ahead of us. Needless to say I hunt for the hour it takes him to drag his out. When I pick up the climbers and head in I get about 300 yards from the truck/road and I jump three deer. I didn't even have a primer in my gun because I was carrying two climbers. I watch them run down the hill and into the road. The first doe gets blasted by a cargo van. I could not believe it. So the other two turn around and run all the way back up the hill. As I'm climbing down the hill to see if the guy is ok one of the other does ends up 10 yards from me and I take it down. The guy in the van drove away before I got down there so I guess he was ok. It was one of the craziest things I have ever seen.


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## hulapopper87 (Sep 5, 2008)

here are the pictures


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

What happened to the one that got hit by the van did it make it or was it all tore up?


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## Z_28_0117 (Mar 30, 2010)

That was the most entertaining story I've heard today. I'm hoping to got to wildcat later in the week, but I'm depending on a buddy who knows the place so I don't spend hours out there for nothing.


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## hulapopper87 (Sep 5, 2008)

It was not salvageable. Surprised the van was, left a long trail of coolant....


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## Huntinbull (Apr 10, 2004)

Like a blood trail, if you follow it probably either a "corpse" or "gut pile" at the end of that coolant trail.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

What a story! Glad your drag was a short one. Congrats!


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Correct me if Im wrong, but isnt the early muzzle loader hunt at salt fork a buck only hunt? 
Its been a few years since I have gone down there, but back then it was buck only. Crazy story though.


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## Bonemann (Jan 28, 2008)

Bluewalleye said:


> Correct me if Im wrong, but isnt the early muzzle loader hunt at salt fork a buck only hunt?
> Its been a few years since I have gone down there, but back then it was buck only. Crazy story though.


They changed it a few years back. It's either or no special permit needed and you can use the $15 antler less tag also.


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

You are wrong it is a either sex hunt. When it was a drawing it was primarily a does hunt with a few antlered permits handed out


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## Papascott (Apr 22, 2004)

nicklesman said:


> You are wrong it is a either sex hunt. When it was a drawing it was primarily a does hunt with a few antlered permits handed out


No your both right! It was originally open no drawing way way back. It was insane down there. They then made it buck only for quite a long time, no drawing. It then went drawing with everyone who put in got a tag but mostly doe only tags given out. Just recently its gone back to either sex no drawing.


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## nicklesman (Jun 29, 2006)

thanks for clearing that up my apologies havent hunted it very long


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

Are there more deer at Salt Fork than anywhere else in the state of Ohio? How can you expect to pound that local herd every year? I want to get out early with my ML too but that is crazy down there. 

Its a shame that it isn't a statewide or state park and gameland season or even a rotating season so the herd in one park does not continue to get devistated each and every year. 

The last time I went to and ODNR open house in March and asked the question their answer was "Its Tradition". I said" So was shooting somebody for stealing a cow at one point in our wonderful nations history". The conversation didn't go well after that. 

I'll get off my soapbox now. Have a safe and successful season.


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## hulapopper87 (Sep 5, 2008)

I have wondered the same thing for four years. However, I have come to the conclusion that Salt Fork has so many places a deer can hide and not see a human all season. Neither I nor my brother saw another hunter on opening day while in the woods. It's all about where the hunting pressure is. 80% of the hunters hunt on the same 30% of the available space, strickly for convenience. Not many guys want to drag a deer a mile through the thick cover in Salt Fork, so they never leave the sight of their truck.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

A few years ago Myself and a few friends from work. Hunted down at Salt Fork. I wasn't to thrilled with the Idea, but went anyway. Boy what a mistake! I got in early, just before sun up, sat down and got ready for the day. When the sun got high enough that I could see, the bottom I was hunting above was surrounded by orange. It seriously resembled the old Daffy Duck cartoons with all the hunters surrounding Daffy and unloading on him all at once! When it was light enough that i felt safe I got up to get the hell out of there when 3 deer come running into the bottom from one end. That whole hillside lit up like the Tet Offensive back in Vietnam. Those three deer were shot to hell and back and the arguing ensued over who killed which deer. I got out of there and I haven't been back since.


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

If we all went to the ODNR open houses in March to voice your opinion of the hunt as well as wrote a comment regarding possible changes to the early ML season, maybe we could get ODNR to consider making it a state of Ohio Public hunting areas hunt instead of beating 3 areas to death.

A lot of other special interests seem to make it to the rules book. This one sounds like it would be a benefit to MANY. Imagine getting out pre-rut every year and not having to fear for your life in the Salt Fork war zone.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

512 deer total taken, statewide between all the wildlife areas. Doesn't sound like these areas are taking that much of a pounding. The DNR just posted the Early ML season results. I really don't think many are taking advantage of this opportunity because they think it's still like a war zone. I don't know, I'd still rather wait till December Gun week.


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

Half (255 of 512) of those deer came from Salt Fork. There are some counties that are under 1000 for the entire season. I would say that is a pounding. 255 deer from an area that provides about 12,000 huntable acres.

Unless my math is wrong (which it could be) Salt Fork is a 20,000 acre park. Minus the 3000 acre lake and 4-5000 acre no hunting zones, that leaves you with 12-13,000 huntable acres. There are 620 acres in a square mile, so the huntable area is about 20 square miles. Figuring Ohios deer herd at 60 per square mile, that gives you approximately 1200 animals. 255 harvested from the 1200 means that you took 21% of the states average population out of one area in 6 days. 6 days of harvest that only 2 other public hunting grounds experience. 

Maybe this makes sense with some information I don't have. But from where I stand and what I understand, the numbers don't lie.


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## saugeyesam (Apr 20, 2004)

I don't think it has as great of an impact as we would think. Otherwise they would just do away with the early ML season. I don't see the sense of keeping just because it's tradition. Our state wildlife biologists are smarter than that, and I can't imagine why they would say or do it based on tradition.


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

brewkettle said:


> Half (255 of 512) of those deer came from Salt Fork. There are some counties that are under 1000 for the entire season. I would say that is a pounding. 255 deer from an area that provides about 12,000 huntable acres.
> 
> Unless my math is wrong (which it could be) Salt Fork is a 20,000 acre park. Minus the 3000 acre lake and 4-5000 acre no hunting zones, that leaves you with 12-13,000 huntable acres. There are 620 acres in a square mile, so the huntable area is about 20 square miles. Figuring Ohios deer herd at 60 per square mile, that gives you approximately 1200 animals. 255 harvested from the 1200 means that you took 21% of the states average population out of one area in 6 days. 6 days of harvest that only 2 other public hunting grounds experience.
> 
> Maybe this makes sense with some information I don't have. But from where I stand and what I understand, the numbers don't lie.


Read what he said, he's right, numbers don't lie. Proof that beer makes you smart. Love this guy sometimes.


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## hulapopper87 (Sep 5, 2008)

Salt Fork totals
06- 175
07- 137
08- 315
09- 271
10- 255

Looks like a pretty steady, if not generally increasing total. After getting pounded year after year, the total increases. As far as the math goes, that should tell the tale. As far as pounding deer populations look at it this way. In 2009, 114,633 deer were killed in Ohio during gun week. Compare those Salt Fork Early Muzzle loaders to that and it is .02% of the deer killed in one week during shotgun. If you simply take the shotgun totals from Guernsey County, it's 6.3%. Wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it. By the way, of the total deer taken in Ohio last year (252,017) Salt Fork Early Muzzy accounted for .01%. Everyone just relax......


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## brewkettle (Sep 7, 2006)

Sorry Guys. I own property that is directly adjacent to the park. You cannot imagine what its like to have the army of hunters that can't read signs trudging across your puny little 60 acres the 3rd week of every October. 

I groom it for hunting, there is no hope of QDM. I have 7 permanent stands, a 7 acre food plot with multiple crops to hold deer throughout the season and the tough months after the season ends. 4 of us hunt it and there won't be any more until a relationship severs or one of us croaks.

Beer cans, cigarette butts and wrappers surrounding your permanent, private property stands, "isn't that nice of someone to leave that stand right where I was hoping to hunt" is I guess what they must think when they come upon the 18' ladder stands. Or 3 goons fully a third of a mile from state land come dragging a yearling shot in your food plot (gutted it right there) through your back yard while you are cutting the grass because you are afraid to go out in camo and bow hunt. 

I agree, my emotions and opinions are quite self serving. But I can honestly tell you "Tradition" is the answer when I have asked multiple times. I think that answer sucks for me AND you. 

It should be a statewide public lands season or no season at all. I'll go to my grave believing that unless someone of authority can give me a better answer than "TRADITION"!

BTW-Take a look at those deer pics. I would guess the average lifespan of a Salt Fork public hunting area deer is much shorter than any other public lands by the looks of them. A 5 month old and a 17 month old buck with lousy genetics. No offense meant Hula, you took the cards you were dealt. I would too if I was hunting the area.


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## Snook (Aug 19, 2008)

I agree with Brewkettle. Between the early MZL season and the the shotgun season that place is taking some heat. I think the ODNR can do a better job on manageing the wildlife in all the parks and public hunting areas. The ground and habitat are there...just not the animals. Just my 2 cents.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

brewkettle said:


> It should be a statewide public lands season




screw that, i dont want the orange army messing up my early bow hunting


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## Toxic (May 13, 2006)

saugeyesam said:


> Our state wildlife biologists are smarter than that,


That's what PA. said about Dr. Gary Alt, Pennsylvania Game Commission Deer Management guru. There's a lot of people who would like to burn him at the stake right now. Just because someone holds a title don't always make them smart. 

For the most part I believe our Biologist are doing a good job. But I'm with Brewkettle on this one. The numbers go up every year not because there are more deer, just more hunters to kill deer. That place is hit hard. And I stopped going years ago because I enjoy living.


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

brewkettle said:


> Sorry Guys. I own property that is directly adjacent to the park. You cannot imagine what its like to have the army of hunters that can't read signs trudging across your puny little 60 acres the 3rd week of every October.
> 
> I groom it for hunting, there is no hope of QDM. I have 7 permanent stands, a 7 acre food plot with multiple crops to hold deer throughout the season and the tough months after the season ends. 4 of us hunt it and there won't be any more until a relationship severs or one of us croaks.
> 
> ...


Man, that's gotta suck!


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## Jigging Jim (Apr 3, 2010)

Toxic said:


> That's what PA. said about Dr. Gary Alt, Pennsylvania Game Commission Deer Management guru. There's a lot of people who would like to burn him at the stake right now. Just because someone holds a title don't always make them smart.
> 
> For the most part I believe our Biologist are doing a good job. But I'm with Brewkettle on this one. The numbers go up every year not because there are more deer, just more hunters to kill deer. That place is hit hard. And I stopped going years ago because I enjoy living.


Yah, Dr. Gary Alt! I had read a magazine article on his whole PA Deer Management idea when he first proposed it. Had his big smiling face on the main page. What a scam it turned out to be!


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

ezbite said:


> screw that, i dont want the orange army messing up my early bow hunting


100% agree


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## Reel Thrill (Jun 14, 2010)

It's a tough situation. I see a property owner along the boundary who hunts point of view. I hunted there in the eighties during the early ML season so this is nothing new so in a sense it is "tradition" Back then it was a little different with buck only and generally between 90-125 bucks were taken for the week. At least the does button bucks were protected but the odds of bringing home venison was a long one. Still, for the hunter who has no private land to hunt via own, lease, club or just a relationship with someone who has land to hunt gives this hunter not only a time but a place to hunt as well. Just an idea, why not open an early weekend ML season statewide for buck only during the same weekend as the Salt Fork hunt? Does this not satisfy the hunter with private property and also the hunter that relies on public land? Would it not thin the crowds at Salt Fork and all public lands? With a buck only season it would not make a major early kill and plus it would be only two days when a working man can take advantage of a hunt? I am not a biologist but to me it makes sense. I guess the only guys that would disagree are the bow hunters but we have to admit that bow season is very generous with the almost 4 months of available hunting days? Just my two cents....


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

Reel Thrill said:


> It's a tough situation. I see a property owner along the boundary who hunts point of view. I hunted there in the eighties during the early ML season so this is nothing new so in a sense it is "tradition" Back then it was a little different with buck only and generally between 90-125 bucks were taken for the week. At least the does button bucks were protected but the odds of bringing home venison was a long one. Still, for the hunter who has no private land to hunt via own, lease, club or just a relationship with someone who has land to hunt gives this hunter not only a time but a place to hunt as well. Just an idea, why not open an early weekend ML season statewide for buck only during the same weekend as the Salt Fork hunt? Does this not satisfy the hunter with private property and also the hunter that relies on public land? Would it not thin the crowds at Salt Fork and all public lands? With a buck only season it would not make a major early kill and plus it would be only two days when a working man can take advantage of a hunt? I am not a biologist but to me it makes sense. I guess the only guys that would disagree are the bow hunters but we have to admit that bow season is very generous with the almost 4 months of available hunting days? Just my two cents....


Me personally, I dont like any kind of gun hunting till after the rut is over. But that is just me. And yes Im a bow hunter.......lol


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