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First public land trip kicked my A$$

Masswestern

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2019
Messages
41
I finally ponied up and decided to go and bow hunt ohio public land this past November for a "Rutcation". My first time hunting out of New England. I was really hoping to see some rutting, chasing and experience an area with high deer density compared to the northeast. The area I have permission to hunt can get extremely challenging and pressured. My thoughts were if I only have a week to take off I might as well get away and try to increase my odds. Although I didn't fill my tag I learned a tremendous amount had some good encounters and will be going back next year because now its personal. A warm front, adjusting to pressure, and learning that I am extremely out of shape from the rolling ridges made things challenging. I now have a deeper understanding of thermals and hunting hills that I have been applying already to my home spots. Although there was plenty more that I picked up from the trip I am now fully committed to getting a legit tent and not sleeping in the bed of my truck for a week straight again. I have a new respect for the people that consistently fill their tags on public land every year, cause its a grind.

Happy Hunting.
 
Make yourself comfy if going for a week+... we each use a 10x14 approx tent, able to stand up. Set up a table
Inside, microwave, room for all your crap, space heater, etc. makes the grind slightly better

I use a cheapo from Walmart, bout $100, has lasted a few years already without leaking, so worth it already. Have some buddies that bought one of those super fancy $2k tents, got wet their second year...


Spencer
 
Sounds like a good trip! And a few lessons learned. Always good to have a new challenge. (Also, the warm weather that came through the midwest this year kind of slowed things down from what you would normally experience. Last year WI had snow on Halloween and on the ground for the first few weeks of November. This year it was in the 70's during that same timeframe. Two different years, two very different hunts!)
 
As far as a tent, take a look at the kodiak canvas tent. Bombproof and easy for one person to put up. I get a 10x14 tent up in about 15 minutes solo.
 
I finally ponied up and decided to go and bow hunt ohio public land this past November for a "Rutcation". My first time hunting out of New England. I was really hoping to see some rutting, chasing and experience an area with high deer density compared to the northeast. The area I have permission to hunt can get extremely challenging and pressured. My thoughts were if I only have a week to take off I might as well get away and try to increase my odds. Although I didn't fill my tag I learned a tremendous amount had some good encounters and will be going back next year because now its personal. A warm front, adjusting to pressure, and learning that I am extremely out of shape from the rolling ridges made things challenging. I now have a deeper understanding of thermals and hunting hills that I have been applying already to my home spots. Although there was plenty more that I picked up from the trip I am now fully committed to getting a legit tent and not sleeping in the bed of my truck for a week straight again. I have a new respect for the people that consistently fill their tags on public land every year, cause its a grind.

Happy Hunting.
What part of Ohio did you hunt? I'm in southeast Ohio. Luckily I tagged mine Oct 31 cause directly after that the heat wave hit and I seen zero rutting since but really the last 10 years has been very similar
 
What part of Ohio did you hunt? I'm in southeast Ohio. Luckily I tagged mine Oct 31 cause directly after that the heat wave hit and I seen zero rutting since but really the last 10 years has been very similar
South East as well, Tar hollow
 
What part of Ohio did you hunt? I'm in southeast Ohio. Luckily I tagged mine Oct 31 cause directly after that the heat wave hit and I seen zero rutting since but really the last 10 years has been very similar
Tar hollow
 
Tar hollow
I'm a little more southeast. That atleast use to be an awesome area years ago but I haven't heard much about it for awhile.
If you come back look into Zeleski state forest especially around lake hope. I haven't hunted it in awhile but drive thru there at dark and you better have one foot resting on the brake and ready to stomp it. They also have nice little cabins and an awesome new lodge with great food, everything priced reasonable
 
I'm a little more southeast. That atleast use to be an awesome area years ago but I haven't heard much about it for awhile.
If you come back look into Zeleski state forest especially around lake hope. I haven't hunted it in awhile but drive thru there at dark and you better have one foot resting on the brake and ready to stomp it. They also have nice little cabins and an awesome new lodge with great food, everything priced reasonable
You know a couple local guys mentioned Zeleski to me as well, depending on the pressure and people in Tar Hollow I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of bouncing around, what drew me to Tar hollow was the Veteran discount for camp sight 7$ for the week electric and showers included and the amount of state land of course. The lodges sound nice, Thank you for the help.
 
I just did my first big out of state public land hunt this year too. I was lucky enough to have good accommodations and stayed in a cabin. We hunted 5 days in a row. 4 out of those 5 days it was scout scout hunt. Wake up early, get in just after daybreak or early AM, put boots on the ground, and setup for the rest of the day. If it was a good spot we'd come back in the AM and sit it. If no action we'd move on and scout scout hunt again. We managed to get on deer, but It was definitely a lot of work. I could have killed a couple does, but only saw a decent buck my last day there. I did sleep in a couple mornings because A) I'm just not a morning person and B) I'm not a huge fan of going in blind in the AM and picking a bad set or potentially blowing up a spot.

That being said I also learned a ton about wind, thermals, and how deer use hill country terrain. This area was also essentially hill country where deer were really hard to pattern and were cruising terrain features and not using typical bedding-to-feed patterns. Add to that bumper acorn crop where every ridge top had oak trees and many still holding and the entire area was just littered with acorns.

It is a lot of work for sure, and i'd say don't be afraid to sleep in one day and binge on coffee or get a good breakfast in you just to recuperate. I loved my time in the woods on my first out of state hunt but I am also a sucker for creature comforts, particularly hot coffee and not having to wipe my behind with maple leaves.
 
I just did my first big out of state public land hunt this year too. I was lucky enough to have good accommodations and stayed in a cabin. We hunted 5 days in a row. 4 out of those 5 days it was scout scout hunt. Wake up early, get in just after daybreak or early AM, put boots on the ground, and setup for the rest of the day. If it was a good spot we'd come back in the AM and sit it. If no action we'd move on and scout scout hunt again. We managed to get on deer, but It was definitely a lot of work. I could have killed a couple does, but only saw a decent buck my last day there. I did sleep in a couple mornings because A) I'm just not a morning person and B) I'm not a huge fan of going in blind in the AM and picking a bad set or potentially blowing up a spot.

That being said I also learned a ton about wind, thermals, and how deer use hill country terrain. This area was also essentially hill country where deer were really hard to pattern and were cruising terrain features and not using typical bedding-to-feed patterns. Add to that bumper acorn crop where every ridge top had oak trees and many still holding and the entire area was just littered with acorns.

It is a lot of work for sure, and i'd say don't be afraid to sleep in one day and binge on coffee or get a good breakfast in you just to recuperate. I loved my time in the woods on my first out of state hunt but I am also a sucker for creature comforts, particularly hot coffee and not having to wipe my behind with maple leaves.
Going in blind and getting on fresh sign in the morning is something I am going to have to get better at, often times I would find myself setting up in a area that didn't show much sign just because the sun was coming up when I should have been scouting more until I hit fresh sign instead of hoping to get lucky on a cruising buck, lesson learned i guess. thanks a bunch for sharing your experience.
 
Going in blind and getting on fresh sign in the morning is something I am going to have to get better at, often times I would find myself setting up in a area that didn't show much sign just because the sun was coming up when I should have been scouting more until I hit fresh sign instead of hoping to get lucky on a cruising buck, lesson learned i guess. thanks a bunch for sharing your experience.
I'm a new hunter (but old guy) so I have to ask -- what does that mean? I am hunting public in Northern IL on state parks -- when I have gone in in the morning at 4:30 AM -- I am not sure how to scout. Do you scout and set your stand up later in the morning? I was under the impression you should be in the stand before the sun came up.

Also, I am hesitant to walk around alot -- as there are TONS of leaves.

I am sure I am doing most of it wrong -- but it is fun and the learning process is cool.

thanks for any advice!
 
I'm a new hunter (but old guy) so I have to ask -- what does that mean? I am hunting public in Northern IL on state parks -- when I have gone in in the morning at 4:30 AM -- I am not sure how to scout. Do you scout and set your stand up later in the morning? I was under the impression you should be in the stand before the sun came up.

Also, I am hesitant to walk around alot -- as there are TONS of leaves.

I am sure I am doing most of it wrong -- but it is fun and the learning process is cool.

thanks for any advice!
My approach going in blind (meaning I did not preseason scout) was basically me picking a spot on the map like a specific ridge line, saddle or some type of terrain feature that might be appealing to deer. Going in before daylight and slowly scouting my way in looking for fresh sign and setting up on it. It was very difficult and in the end when there was 3-4 days in 70s-80s I wish that I had spent atlas two of those days just scouting.
 
I'm a new hunter (but old guy) so I have to ask -- what does that mean? I am hunting public in Northern IL on state parks -- when I have gone in in the morning at 4:30 AM -- I am not sure how to scout. Do you scout and set your stand up later in the morning? I was under the impression you should be in the stand before the sun came up.

Also, I am hesitant to walk around alot -- as there are TONS of leaves.

I am sure I am doing most of it wrong -- but it is fun and the learning process is cool.

thanks for any advice!
Read some threads on this - I think @kyler1945 has a couple good ones and pages from a book on the topic.
 
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