Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

This forum section is for the select few who believe in hard work and refuse to “Buy” success.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Humpy82
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:29 pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.humphrey.50
Location: NC
Status: Offline

Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby Humpy82 » Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:42 pm

Hey guys, new here. I'm headed to Ohio to hunt the late muzzleloader season on Tranquility Wildlife Area. Anybody have any experience there or advice?


User avatar
backstraps
Moderator
Posts: 10109
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 4:44 pm
Location: Tennessee
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby backstraps » Thu Jan 04, 2018 2:02 am

First off, Welcome to the BEAST!!

I have hunted there, but not the late muzzle loader. I hunt farther north when I hunt the late ML. This time of year its all about food. I have noticed even some of the better bucks will choose "non-primary" bedding to allow themselves to bed closer to food. Tranquility area is pretty big. If you can find green browse that's being eaten and fresh buck tracks nearby.... the areas I have been in, you can find thickets that have lots of honeysuckle still all around.

I guess what I am trying to say is welcome to the site, and FOOD, late season in Ohio is about food :) Best of luck!
Jdw
500 Club
Posts: 776
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:00 am
Location: SE Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby Jdw » Thu Jan 04, 2018 3:52 am

I am 2 hrs. away from that area and have not hunted it.
I just looked at it on the map.

It looks like there may be some agricultural food sources on private land close to the public border that the deer may be using.

The bucks might not make it to the field before dark but if they bed on the public you may be able to intercept one between the two.

Backstraps made a good point about natural browse as well.

The weather here has been in the singles and teens for two weeks and there is snow. It is good conditions for feeding related movement. I have seen a few good ones on private feeding mid afternoon.

Good luck and dressed warm.
Brian1986
Posts: 311
Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2017 3:12 am
Location: Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby Brian1986 » Thu Jan 04, 2018 4:31 am

There should still be 2-3" of snow on the ground this weekend. It's been on the ground since Dec 29th. The state puts out a lot of corn and beans at Tranquility. Id backtrack tracks from food back to the thick bedding. There are lots of thick cedar patches, and thick brush spots. If you get a line on some tracks in the snow in the food, you can probably study it in relation to your maps and get a good idea of where it's bedding.
Humpy82
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:29 pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brad.humphrey.50
Location: NC
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby Humpy82 » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:45 am

Sounds good! Thank y'all for the responses! We leave NC tomorrow after work. Should be there by midnight or so. I had a farm in West Union for the past 10 years. Hope to figure out public land hunting pretty quickly lol.
User avatar
gravebeforeshave80
Posts: 69
Joined: Wed May 24, 2017 4:39 am
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby gravebeforeshave80 » Thu Jan 04, 2018 2:07 pm

Humpy82 wrote:Hey guys, new here. I'm headed to Ohio to hunt the late muzzleloader season on Tranquility Wildlife Area. Anybody have any experience there or advice?

Make sure u bring your warmest gear.... calling for single digits till sunday
Terry Urban Jr
NW OHIO
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby brancher147 » Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:14 am

I talked to the wildlife manager there earlier this year. He was very helpful, it may be worth giving him a call. Sounded like it gets a lot of pressure, but that's all of Ohio public. I was thinking of going there and have tried some other public in that area. I did not end up going, but I think next time I do go may be for late muzzleloader. Last time I went for late muzzleloader it was this cold, and shot a doe that ended up being a shed buck and haven't been back since.

If there is snow, it should be pretty easy to get an idea of what is going on pretty quick. And if there is enough snow you can track. Biggest buck I have shot in Ohio was tracking in the snow. Acorn crop was poor there this year, so look for clearcuts/browse or ag crops. Good luck. Sounds like fun.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
User avatar
Edcyclopedia
Posts: 12605
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:54 pm
Location: S. NH
Status: Offline

Re: Ohio Late Muzzleloader Season

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Sat Jan 06, 2018 3:32 am

Find food or drop some bait
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...


  • Advertisement

Return to “Public Land Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests