New Member and New to Site

[Griz]

Welcome to the site. I've done the same thing as far as not hiring outfitters anymore. I've been public land hunting in Ohio for two yrs now. IMO your scouting trip will be the judge of how good Woodman is. The furthar you get from the access, the better. Alot of hunters like it easy, if you are willing to get off the beaten path, your success rate will rise. As you know, hunting in Ohio can show you some nice mature animals. Your not going to be disappointed in hunting public land. Good luck to you. Also, there alot of big public land on your drive up from Georgia, give it a look an see.

[Gadawgfan]

Thanks for the info Griz. I have no problem venturing off of the beaten path, I just know how crazy it is hunting public land down here and was just curious if it was the same way up there. Of course, with no rifles and the majority of the season being bow only, it should be a lot safer. Good luck to you also.

[mrbb]

well I have hunted ohio many yrs and hunted both private and public lands, and I only once had a guy come close to me on public lands
so they all ain't crowded places
you many times don't even have to get far off the road, just hunt places other over look, or better yet, hunt the first few weeks of the season, far too many guys wait till the so called rut to start hunting, meaning the early weeks are a lot less packed with hunters, and to be honest, deer are still on better patterns in early season too,
I personally think, come rut time, far too many bucks are already nocturnal any more, making early season a better time to hunt big bucks rather than HOPING, and I say hoping a good rut happens, as seems last few yrs teh rut has sucked, bad weather hot wet dry ?? you name the reason you want, but the rut action has been very off in area's I hunt last few yrs
I blame pressure and poachers more than weather, and all its done is teach bucks they can just breed at night and live longer
earlier in thye season you hunt the more bucks are out there in day time hrs,. as season goes on, less and less walk about in shooting legal shooting hrs if you ask me!

[Gadawgfan]

Some great points there mrbb I definitely agree about early season hunting, the deer are easier to pattern then during the rut, whci like you stated has pretty much been hit or miss for the last few years