question for Southern Ohio hunters

[Icandraw]

I know it's a little early now, but I was thinking about planning a out of state deer hunt and I would like to try some public land hunts in southeastern Ohio. I would like to make a trip or two this summer to scout around. My main question is about where to stay at. I would be interested in camping, but I know several of the hunting areas don't allow camping. Is there any that does? Or is there a public camping ground with in reasonable driving distance to hunting areas that would be hunter friendly? Thanks for any info.  

[Kevin Dill]

A lot of public land in SE Ohio is Wayne National Forest. I believe you can primitive camp almost anywhere on it, as long as you do no damage and don't block any roads. Search Wayne National Forest lands in Ohio. Ohio Power lands in east central Ohio are another huge public hunting option with camping available. Several state parks allow deer hunting, but may have restricted zones in terms of camping. Many state forest lands (Shawnee in Scioto County example) offer tremendous big-woods hunting and nearby camping.

Doing your homework now is smart. Contact the state DOW to get all possible info. Do a lot of internet searches. You'll amass a good amount of hunting info.

Kevin

[Panzer II]

(Shade River State Forest) is a great place to Bow Hunt. It's located in Meigs Co. The park that you would be staying at is called (Forked Run State Park) and is located just down the road from the state forest. Forked Run is located right on the Ohio River, and is just down the road from the town of Reedsville. The park has cabins that you can rent. You can call ahead of time and rent the cabins months in advance and you won't have any Problem getting one during bow season. It's a beautiful place in the fall and plenty of deer and nice bucks as well. I hunted this area for several years and always killed deer or had plenty of opportunities. The towns and people in that area are very hunter friendly.

[Kevin Dill]

x2 on Panzer's post. I grew up in the exact area he's describing, and know a lot of that area very well. Good, rugged hills and a LOT of deer. Reedsville is on the Ohio River and the general store there has everything you need. Forked Run is a very nice park. You could easily camp there for a week or more, and hunt within 15 minutes drive.

There are a significant number of such settings in southern Ohio. Search them out and go shoot some deer!

Kevin

[Brian P.]

I took a drive through Zaleski State Park a month of two ago. I dont have alot of information about the place since it is the first time I had ever been there. I have heard good things about the hunting there though. It is located near Athens.

 The thing that struck me was the number of out of state vehicles parked along the side of the roads(obviously hunting). Most were from North Carolina as well. You might want to request information with folks in your state organization there. Seems to be popular with folks from your neck of the woods.

 Google the ODNR website. They have information and maps on public hunting lands available online.

BP

[moose eye levi]

Cumberland ohio, hundreds of acres of AEP recreational ground you can camp in one of the many,many camping spots a its where the great ohio squirrel and deer hunt was at

[Burr Acres]

I like your idea. I grew up in southern Ohio and hunted mostly in the Wayne National Forest. I agree with all the posts on this thread but, if you go a little farther up the Ohio River you'll hit Marietta in Washington County. Washington County has a ton of the 'Wayne' in it and Marietta has hotels and restaurants. Get a good map but make sure you take state route 26 following the Little Muskingum River. You'll find access along 26 and from many of the roads that branch off of it. You'll see a half a doxen old wooden covered bridges along this route too!On Rte 7 just north of Marietta in Reno, you will find a National Forest Service office and can get maps. My favorite camp site is the Lamping Homestead area. There is a beautiful little lake full of fish to occupy your time when you are not in the woods hunting. You can hunt right out of this camp site as it's in the Wayne. You are close to all the modern amenities, if you need them,by driving back to Marietta. I live in Texas now but think so much of my old stomping grounds that I bought land in Washington Co. Stay in touch and maybe I can meet you there and show you around. I have several frinds with farms that border the National Forest for easy access. I will be there hunting somewhere anyway so - stay in touch.

[Archer Fanatic]

Wolf Creek WMA is in Morgan County and it has a campground. There is roughly 4000 acres in the WMA but it is surrounded by 1000's of arces of federal land also. Plus the state plants food plots on the WMA. It is south of Mcconnelville on ST. RT.78.

[Mint]

great thread. With the economy the way it is I was going to try to find a place to hunt out of state myself in Ohio. Thanks for the tips guys and Shade River State Park and Forked Run sound like a nice place to try.

[KPaul]

Look at Ale's run in Noble county, Ohio.Its 7000 acres of public land open to hunting.Check the Ohio DNR website for info.

[marshall brown]

I hunted in Zeleski forest during the first week of Nov. and had a blast. I came home empty handed but I saw some of the largest bucks in my life. I passed up shots on smaller bucks that I normally would not have back home. I'm sold on Ohio deer hunting. You can rent cabins at Lake Hope for about 100.00 a night. Split that cost with a few others and stay for a week. You'll have a blast.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

Here is a link to the ODNR list of public hunting areas.  They give small maps and some ifnormation and history of the different areas as well as locations.

 http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/wild_resourcessubhomepage/WildlifeAreaMaps/tabid/19694/Default.aspx

[Icandraw]

Hey thanks for all the information guys! I will definatly look into some of these areas. I found the ODNR website and looked up some of the hunting areas on there. I noticed some of the areas owned by a mining company that said day use only, no camping. But I will look at some of the others that you mentioned. Dan thanks for the offer. I will try and stay in touch. Maybe we can get our schedules to work out were we can meet up sometime.

[nkw880]

pike state forest about four miles from our lease has caming and huge woods very nice terrain if you come up ill be more than happy to show you around

[nkw880]

oh and brush creek is about ten miles from our camp also very nice

[Icandraw]

Thanks Nick!

[Autumnarcher]

Has anyone hunted the Wildcat Hollow Primitive weapon area? According to the map, the Wayne is within this area. Is this trad only?

[Mick]

There's no deer in Ohio.  You'd all be better off hunting in your home state.      

Mick  

[BUCK-EYE]

I dont want to jump outside the lines here but, I have been hunting public land in southern ohio for years now. Every year there seems to be more and more out of state hunters. I will still hunt public land in Ohio. But it is not the same as it was 10 years ago. Its hard to find that out of the way place, way back in were nobdy used to go. Now that place, you have to share with a few people. Just the way it is on pulic land.

[darb]

To second what Buck-eye posted, and with no ill will intended as half the group I hunt with are Vermonters, the number of out of state hunters is getting a little uncomfortable in many areas.  

Good hunting can still be found for now, but it is getting really crowded in spots. The first and second weeks of November in Nelsonville and you would think it was gun season, just that half the traffic is from out of state. There simply never used to be the kind of pressure that is here now.  Lot of folks (probably not the Trad folks on this site)think that theres a Beatty buck behind every tree and are coming here mostly for all the trophy hunting our state DNR and the cable channels are promoting.

That being said, there are still some good opportunities here to be had. Some of the trad guys I know, including myself, like to hunt the "big woods" in Ohio to get away from the crowds, and that can be a little tougher than in the past.  If that doesnt bother you there are still some good numbers and bucks here.  

Autumnarcher, Ive been hunting the Wildcat area for years now.  The early muzzleloader season (which now allows for buck to be shot) has infinitely increased the amount of pressure virtually every public area accessible by road in that zone gets.  This season is just a week and a half or so before our rut really starts going good.  They have had that hunt for years, but it used to only be for does, now the area is getting Hammered with gun hunters. That coupled with very poor masts in the forest the past couple of seasons appears to have taken a noticeable toll in the areas that we hunt in. The number of good bucks seen and their sign has appreciably decreased over the past two seasons.

I did have an acquaintance whose group saw a good number of bucks hunting outside of Zaleski and carbondale area, but he too found that several of the areas he had previously had to himself were congested.

You've got the right approach to start out early. Call up the ODNR division of wildlife, their secretaries are usually always helpful if you just tell em what you are lookin to do. If you can find the right spot it can still be great hunting for the money. Errr.. I mean somebody already said it, theres no deer in Ohio....! Good luck- Swank