Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

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gjs4
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Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby gjs4 » Sun Feb 21, 2016 2:55 am

I used to hunt SW Ohio. It was a small primarily private chunk that was lost to a huge horse farm a few years back but did dabble on public as well. I really missed the adventure and expedition, as well as, am pretty burnt out on hunting NY. NY hunters, the DEC and age structure of our herd all suck pretty bad. It lead to disappointment and the joy of hunting has slipped away. SO when thing get crappy- change em, right? Also still loving the high of the MI scouting workshop so the pump is primed.

So a buddy and I headed down to Ohio. Tried to keep the trip shorter- 4-6 hrs each way- as the 8 hr trek is just too hard with keeping a family/work/life/fun balance matters to me now more than ever. Did some online and phone call research, picked two big public chunks, followed with aerial scouting and scribbled out plan. Off we go leaving the 3 feet of snow in western NY for new and big opportunities.

Well we arrived to 8" of snow from a storm two days prior....not anticipated. Off we went. Ended up bumping into some workers at the first chunk...learned a ton of intel. Took into account bird hunters, changed access, planted and cleared areas present and to come. This piece was rolly polly and nasty briar filled. Caught a few big tracks, ran some transitions and found some sign. Ohio sure isn't what it used to be for deer numbers but also feel the snow had everything screwed up all the more. The out of state influence was apparent with slob hunters leaving their stands all over the place despite needing to remove them. It was good intel as well to see where geniuses hunt and how easily the deer avoid them.

Pounded that ground hard for 5 hours and it went from 20 deg to 50. Time for a quick change of location, layers and beef jerky. No matter how many times I try to sustain myself (and mind you I'm a healthy eater) the gas station jerky lunch has happened a few times and the result is never good. :/

The next piece- only 25 min away was nasty hill country. I mean it kicked my flat lander but hill country. However- the first spot I picked to check out had the big daddy bed just 40 yards away. Felt amazing. thermal tunnel from the aerial and topo was spot on. The negative- someone has hunted the area (climber marks and cut trees..also a no no). We scouted the place and found two great pinches for chase phase and another buck bedding area. At this point you ring the sweat out of most of my gear and I had regretted every extra pound I owned. Around 11 mi total and the last 6 were hellish. Need to go back again before greenup up to figure out other hunter access, roadways (the seasonal ones were gone below the snow) and check out another couple pieces.

It felt good. The biggest win Ive had in deer hunting came this year and it was along the lines of antler inches mean nothing, people buy/cheat to get them, some properties and states have bigger but the journey is key. Not a sour grapes statement just a big hit between the eyes in regard to the old "journeys not outcomes" philosophy. This trip, the subsequent and the hunts there will keep that where it belongs.

Anyways- some pointless ramblings I guess but a heck of good time that I wanted to share with some like minded folks. If any of you are headed to Ohio and want some company, share info or to join- shoot me a pm.


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mainebowhunter
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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Sun Feb 21, 2016 3:11 am

gjs4 wrote:I used to hunt SW Ohio. It was a small primarily private chunk that was lost to a huge horse farm a few years back but did dabble on public as well. I really missed the adventure and expedition, as well as, am pretty burnt out on hunting NY. NY hunters, the DEC and age structure of our herd all suck pretty bad. It lead to disappointment and the joy of hunting has slipped away. SO when thing get crappy- change em, right? Also still loving the high of the MI scouting workshop so the pump is primed.

So a buddy and I headed down to Ohio. Tried to keep the trip shorter- 4-6 hrs each way- as the 8 hr trek is just too hard with keeping a family/work/life/fun balance matters to me now more than ever. Did some online and phone call research, picked two big public chunks, followed with aerial scouting and scribbled out plan. Off we go leaving the 3 feet of snow in western NY for new and big opportunities.

Well we arrived to 8" of snow from a storm two days prior....not anticipated. Off we went. Ended up bumping into some workers at the first chunk...learned a ton of intel. Took into account bird hunters, changed access, planted and cleared areas present and to come. This piece was rolly polly and nasty briar filled. Caught a few big tracks, ran some transitions and found some sign. Ohio sure isn't what it used to be for deer numbers but also feel the snow had everything screwed up all the more. The out of state influence was apparent with slob hunters leaving their stands all over the place despite needing to remove them. It was good intel as well to see where geniuses hunt and how easily the deer avoid them.

Pounded that ground hard for 5 hours and it went from 20 deg to 50. Time for a quick change of location, layers and beef jerky. No matter how many times I try to sustain myself (and mind you I'm a healthy eater) the gas station jerky lunch has happened a few times and the result is never good. :/

The next piece- only 25 min away was nasty hill country. I mean it kicked my flat lander but hill country. However- the first spot I picked to check out had the big daddy bed just 40 yards away. Felt amazing. thermal tunnel from the aerial and topo was spot on. The negative- someone has hunted the area (climber marks and cut trees..also a no no). We scouted the place and found two great pinches for chase phase and another buck bedding area. At this point you ring the sweat out of most of my gear and I had regretted every extra pound I owned. Around 11 mi total and the last 6 were hellish. Need to go back again before greenup up to figure out other hunter access, roadways (the seasonal ones were gone below the snow) and check out another couple pieces.

It felt good. The biggest win Ive had in deer hunting came this year and it was along the lines of antler inches mean nothing, people buy/cheat to get them, some properties and states have bigger but the journey is key. Not a sour grapes statement just a big hit between the eyes in regard to the old "journeys not outcomes" philosophy. This trip, the subsequent and the hunts there will keep that where it belongs.

Anyways- some pointless ramblings I guess but a heck of good time that I wanted to share with some like minded folks. If any of you are headed to Ohio and want some company, share info or to join- shoot me a pm.


Good stuff. We have all been there. 2014 was a year for me...at the end of it, I had to regroup and really figure out how to keep the fun in hunting.

11 miles, now that is a lot scouting miles in a day.
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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby gjs4 » Sun Feb 21, 2016 8:12 am

Being a driven 38 yo I will now admit I am shot and have just taken then the best nap had in years...then again it may be a reaction to the jerky rather than the journey.

I can feel every one of those miles in my body today as well....even the roadside walking that took us out of the snow

The feeling that new public and some "good reads" gave was such a pleasure and confidence builder. Guessing that is part of the magic that keep so many of the Beasts on here, especially those all public guys, so darn sharp
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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby phade » Sun Feb 21, 2016 8:52 am

Jealous - at this point, I am going to have to take a half day off work just to check my cams, let alone get any scouting in.

I am going to pencil in a weekend in March and basically carve it out from work/family, just to get all of my scouting in, even if that involves a short Ohio trip.
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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby CallMeFishmael » Sun Feb 21, 2016 10:13 am

Good luck down there! I've always wanted to try Ohio. Even scouted a chunck of the Wayne once before I learned what to look for. And yes, it is hilly for sure! It kicked my but too...

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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby tbunao » Sun Feb 21, 2016 10:28 am

The traveling and adventure is what I love. If it wasn't for the love of whitetails I would move west and become a back country hunter. I loved staring at an area on google earth for a year then finally seeing it in person was surreal.

Sounds like you had a great trip and you have me even more pumped on an upcoming trip.

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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Sun Feb 21, 2016 11:19 am

gjs4 wrote:Being a driven 38 yo I will now admit I am shot and have just taken then the best nap had in years...


Napping @ 38 - OH MY...
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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:48 pm

I hunted OH for 3yrs ....saw GREAT deer first year we were there. SE Ohio to be exact. And it was hill country thats for sure. I can remember FREEZING cold mornings going shirtless just to keep from getting all sweated up climbing some of those hills. Just crazy steep than a shelf...than crazy steep...than a shelf. Many times, if there was any type of moisture, you had to transverse sideways at an angle on the hill to make it to the flat. More than one of use slid on our rearends losing footing on the hills.

The hardest part about OH when we hunted it..the buck to doe ratio was so far out of whack, calling and decoying was pretty ineffective. So if you happened to be on a shelf/flat and a deer crossed a shelf above or below you, good luck calling them in. They just were not really aggressive.

I remember being at the farmers house one night and spotting the pasture out his back window and seeing 75+ deer. Just so many does.

Is that part of OH any different? Not sure if the deer numbers are any different now? That was 10yrs ago...

Still have friends that hunt public land in OH...tough hunting. Most of the guys are ok with killing a 100" 3yr old and perfectly happy doing so. Tough as some of the ground they were hunting, void of does. When there is no acorns, food source swaps to ag...which is on private. One buddy really wanted to kill 120" or better. Really struggled.
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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby gjs4 » Mon Feb 22, 2016 12:52 am

deer are my only hobby (a year round interest albeit) so I can justify the time in light of the amount of time I spend at work and with the family. Come July if I can't get out glassing every now and again I start to look like Nicholson from the shining.

Ed- I'm not complaining that I'm thirty eight (hearing others get a discounted breakfast at Denny's) but hunting Ohio was way easier go back toward my 20s than it is now.

MEBH- the first piece was steeper rolling farmland- the second was much closer to your description though I've yet to find the shelf. Haha. Nasty hills and briars about sum it up. Have some itel to think your friends aren't all that far off as most archers aim for p&y on the one chunk of public. Not sure on the others. There is food on and around them beyond mast- some of which is planted. The se chunk you mentioned is similar - as I'm guessing. I've been there in the past. Where we used to go in sw has a little friendlier topography but both pieces are farther of a drive than strike my fancy and schedule at this point. Know a little of hunting your way and feel we have the same populous mentality in our states. Going to Ohio is more of my personal challenge to get away from that and see how the ole boys witt combats that of new ground and some other hunters/challenges.

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Re: Ohio Public- journey not the outcome

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Mon Feb 22, 2016 5:24 am

gjs4 wrote:deer are my only hobby (a year round interest albeit) so I can justify the time in light of the amount of time I spend at work and with the family. Come July if I can't get out glassing every now and again I start to look like Nicholson from the shining.

Ed- I'm not complaining that I'm thirty eight (hearing others get a discounted breakfast at Denny's) but hunting Ohio was way easier go back toward my 20s than it is now.

MEBH- the first piece was steeper rolling farmland- the second was much closer to your description though I've yet to find the shelf. Haha. Nasty hills and briars about sum it up. Have some itel to think your friends aren't all that far off as most archers aim for p&y on the one chunk of public. Not sure on the others. There is food on and around them beyond mast- some of which is planted. The se chunk you mentioned is similar - as I'm guessing. I've been there in the past. Where we used to go in sw has a little friendlier topography but both pieces are farther of a drive than strike my fancy and schedule at this point. Know a little of hunting your way and feel we have the same populous mentality in our states. Going to Ohio is more of my personal challenge to get away from that and see how the ole boys witt combats that of new ground and some other hunters/challenges.

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It will be interesting to see what you find when you start hunting it next season. I have not hunted OH since 2006. The great thing about OH -- its an easy state to access. The bad thing about OH -- its an easy state to access. Tons of guys from the northeast go to OH because its cheap and its easy. Its within driving distance. And there is a ton of public ground.


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