Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Ohio Public Hunting

I'm thinking on hunting Ohio and would like to hunt east of Columbus on public ground.
I would like to hunt an area where 150 class bucks are a possiblity.I realze 150 class bucks are few and far between on public ground but I know Ohio has them and its anythings possible.Can anyone steer me in the right direction.Thanks rws2

Lookup the Wayne National Forest office. It's in a town east of Logan (SE of Columbus.) I've had good luck in Hocking and Vinton Counties in places like Zaleski and Hocking Hills.

That's my old stopmping grounds. I would also look into Vinton, Athens, jackson counties etc for territory. Would also take a look at Racoon state forest and mead paper land, seen and taken some big deer out of those two.

Don't overlook Lawrence Co. either. Give a look to the boundry of the Dean State Forest and Wayne Nat'l Forest.

Some overlooked lands are The Muskingum River flood control areas, this strip of land on each side of the river, as well as the Tuscarawas River are public access. No matter what Farmer Brown says!!

You can also get maps at the Wayne Forest service facility on Rte. 93, near Lake Vesuvius. The WAL MART on Rte 52, just across the river from Huntington, usually has Ohio Gazetters on sale this time of year.

I started hunting S.E.Ohio in 1980, and I've taken some nice bucks in that area, mostly by bow.

I forgot to mention the AEP (American Electric Power Lands) you can get a year pass to thousands of acres of their land, for cheap. The same goes for Meade Paper Co. land.

Ohio has some of the best public hunting land in the Eastern U.S.

Thanks for the info.I'm right now waiting to see how things go with drawing a Elk Tag (slim to none) and where else I end up hunting.Right now I'm planning to hunt Indiana and WV of course and if things work out possibly Ohio.
Oh let me tell you a about our "Ohio Cats" its a long running joke around here that all Domestic Cats are from Ohio,how do we know??? Just lift there tail and there is a Big "O" for Ohio <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> No offense meant its just a local joke.

TERRY8mm,

Hunted around Paddle creek several years back and had a great time. Saw several white and white/brown deer in the area. I didn't score but I know the big ones are in there. I work with several men that live in the area and they score every year normally with some wall hangers.

I hunt the Hill's of Hocking Co. & The Wayne National Forest. Ive lived here for 34 years, So i do know the area fairly well. I hunt alot of pulic land in Bow season, But I have learned that in Gun season its just not worth it. Too many nuts throwing lead at everything thats moving. They Converge on WNF and do drive's all week long, all day too. If your not with them then you might as well forget it. I quit hunting it years ago in gun season. My son was almost shot down there and we wont go back for gun season.
I can get you the Plat Book's that show every inch of property for Hocking Co, If anyone is interested id be more than happy to ship one to you at cost. I think they are $10_$15, I wouldnt cheat anyone out of a few buck's. But if you want them let me know, they start disappering around this time of year, but id go look for anyone interested. Just E-mail me. mazter@buckeyeinternet.com

This is a great area to hunt, but like i said it get crowded during gun season, MZ season isnt to bad either. I have several wall hanger's from public land.

If you want to get together for a bow hunt Id be more than willing to go with any of you. Just get ahold of me via e-mail.

The others have it pretty much covered. I will do some bowhunting on a mixture of private and public in SE Ohio and some close to home(NW Ohio). Shotgun season will be private only. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

As for where the big bucks are??? I have not seen where Ohio has any <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thank You Everyone!!!
I figured it was probably like that on Public Ground with lots of people.Ohio sure has no shortages of people.
I just got out of the hospital and any major hunting excursions are out for this year.UNLESS I draw one of those coveted 100 Pa.Elk Tags and then I'll drag myself up there if it kills me.
I know Ohio has some SUPER Bucks maybe I'll slip out there and give it a try next year in archery season.
I like most of you all hate crowds and drives ain't my kinda hunting no matter how effective it can be.
And you never know on public ground whos hunting what???
Anybody know whatever hsppened to the a$$hole they caught several years back that was kill people during hunting season in Ohio??? Did Ohio execute the scum??? I hope so but never heard the outcome,only heard that they (Ohio) thought they had him????

They did catch the guy, and they made a TV show out of his doings and the methods they used to catch him-- it was a good piece of detective work. I can't tell you where the scum is now. It's been several years since I saw the show-- one of those modern detective things on the cable.

Glad to hear they got him.Hope they have ridded the world of this nutcase.