Seeking Advice from the Pros

[PAbowhunter10]

I hunt SE Ohio and am a resident. Cat's out of the bag for the last week of October and it'll be as pressured as the first couple weeks of November. The deer density is lower in that area, at least compared to the central part of the state.

You should be able to get on some action that week with a couple days of scouting. Id avoid 95% of obvious terrain features that look good on a map, because they'll be pressured. If you're not dead set on that week, id go between 11/15 and Thanksgiving. Far less action, but a much higher chance on a truly mature buck, as long as you find the does. Best of luck!

Thanks for the info. Didn’t think about going in late November but I might make two trips out of it depending on the success I have in October.

[Boogieman1]

Expect low deer density. I think you are on the right track with spending 1-3 days scouting, that is the single biggest thing you can do to give yourself a chance to succeed. Take your bow anytime you are in the woods and it's legal shooting light.

While I normally agree with Boogie, I'm going to partially disagree on the cyber scouting comment. When I hunt public out of state, I like to look at 3-4 larger areas. Let's say an area is 5 miles by 5 miles. I pick out every potential area of interest on a topo and every area of interest on an aerial map. Anywhere topo and aerial points overlap or are close, those are the areas I definitely want to check out on foot. Then I cover ground, lots of it. Do not stop covering ground until you have really high confidence in a spot. Even with all the cyber scouting, I'd say only 10-20% of spots that look good on a map will be worth hunting based on boots on the ground sign.

Going back to the 5x5 mile areas. I might have 20 points of interest cyber scouted, but only 2-4 will be worth a hunt after seeing them in person. Sometimes, whole areas will be a bust, so I think it's really important to have a plan B and C, at a minimum. Dont settle for mediocre sign. There will be good sign, but you will have to cover ground to find it.

I also agree with what PK said about taking good notes. I ALWAYS write notes now in OnX or my Garmin. Dont rely on your memory or waypoint icons. Use the notes section in OnX, take pics, note the mast crop or lack there of, wind direction any time you bump a bedded deer, etc. Think of the first trip as an investment in future success.

Good luck and enjoy the experience whether you shoot one or not.

Ha! You don’t have to agree with me bud. Just keep those breath taking wildlife pics coming. In my case I relate everything to what I witness. Truth be told I could ride a bike from my home to 75% of the places I hunt. Relying on computer maps in such conditions just sounds kinda lazy to me.

I did sneak out of my element for a out of town hunt for the upcoming season. I used both overhead and topo maps b4 I stepped foot during scouting season. But most were heavily hunted and left me back to the norm of beating the bushes looking for answers. Highly likely I’m just not good enough at computer strategy. But still my opinion u gotta get out there anyway u slice the pie.

[Jdw]

I hunt SE Ohio and am a resident. Cat's out of the bag for the last week of October and it'll be as pressured as the first couple weeks of November. The deer density is lower in that area, at least compared to the central part of the state.

You should be able to get on some action that week with a couple days of scouting. Id avoid 95% of obvious terrain features that look good on a map, because they'll be pressured. If you're not dead set on that week, id go between 11/15 and Thanksgiving. Far less action, but a much higher chance on a truly mature buck, as long as you find the does. Best of luck!

Thanks for the info. Didn’t think about going in late November but I might make two trips out of it depending on the success I have in October.

I am a resident also. This is good advice/\

The ground I’ve been on in the SE part of the state is either hill country or strip mine ground in some state of reclamation.
There are some small marshes in the bigger creek bottoms and around some of the lakes but they are fairly small compared to the hills and mine ground.
The public properties are broken up into smaller sections and there are no shortage of roads so you will have a hard time out walking other hunters to find good areas.

[Swedishbowhunter]

I have never hunted Ohio specifically (hopefully in the next few years I will) but my biggest best advise would be to talk to anyone you have the chance to. This has opened up a lot of opportunities for me, and helped me on every out of state hunt I have been on. On a out of state trip a few years ago a friend of mine was staying at the only hotel in the area & it was packed with out of state hunters. A local rancher would drive thru every night to see what anyone had shot, everyone would usually just watch him thinking he was a jealous old bird. My buddy stopped him one night and started bs'ing with him, next thing ya know he obtained permission to cross the guys pasture to get to some public that others would have to hike miles to get to. The next year he got permission to shed hunt the guys land & ended up getting to hunt the guys land. good luck

[Swedishbowhunter]

I just noticed this thread is called "advise from the pros', fyi - i am not a pro,

[PAbowhunter10]

I hunt SE Ohio and am a resident. Cat's out of the bag for the last week of October and it'll be as pressured as the first couple weeks of November. The deer density is lower in that area, at least compared to the central part of the state.

You should be able to get on some action that week with a couple days of scouting. Id avoid 95% of obvious terrain features that look good on a map, because they'll be pressured. If you're not dead set on that week, id go between 11/15 and Thanksgiving. Far less action, but a much higher chance on a truly mature buck, as long as you find the does. Best of luck!

Thanks for the info. Didn’t think about going in late November but I might make two trips out of it depending on the success I have in October.

I am a resident also. This is good advice/\

The ground I’ve been on in the SE part of the state is either hill country or strip mine ground in some state of reclamation.
There are some small marshes in the bigger creek bottoms and around some of the lakes but they are fairly small compared to the hills and mine ground.
The public properties are broken up into smaller sections and there are no shortage of roads so you will have a hard time out walking other hunters to find good areas.

I started noticing all the access roads on public lands on google earth. A little frustrating but there appears to be a lot of public access in the area I will be in (total acreage), so I plan to keep bouncing around in search of fresh deer sign and little to no human sign. I am up for the challenge. Thanks for the help.

[PAbowhunter10]

I just noticed this thread is called "advise from the pros', fyi - i am not a pro,

Don’t mind the intro, just seeking some good advise. I know enough to filter through the BS myself. Thanks for your advise. I have actually been able to obtain permission on a few properties in my home state by striking up a conversation with a stranger. It’s never a bad idea to show some kindness towards others. Sometimes people just wanna be heard, and being willing to lend an ear might just benefit you in the end.