My out-laws just moved to the Canton Ohio area, so now I have started talking to my brother-in-law about since we have to visit the area in the fall/winter time that we should look at hunting it. He is from New Jersey and a compound shooter (I am not close enough to convert him yet), and I am from Texas and a trad shoot just to let you y'all know. Is there decent public land in that area? I know very little about the area and I have not found a map of the public land in the area, there could be one that I have just not found. Can you get everything that I need OTC or is there a drawing for licenses? Since they are having a baby this Thanksgiving I think that it would be 2013 when we could do this. Please help me get started.
Thank you,
Chester
Hi Chester, I think that when you do some research, you'll see that there's a lot of public land very close to the Canton area...
I live in Canton and there is great hunting in the area. There is plenty of public land within 1/2 hour of Canton including Beach City and Berlin Lake. There is also plenty of smaller parcels of land that are open to the public that are not on the odnr website. Private land is also fairly easy to get permission on in this area if you are willing to knock on doors. All licenses are over the counter, if you have any specific questions please feel free to ask. By the way where in the Canton area did they move to.
Steve at least for the first year, I don't know that we will have the chance to knock on doors. If it is something that we start doing yearly then we might.
I believe that the plant that he is working at is in Massilon, and I want to say Canal Fulton is where they live, but I am not sure about that. The smaller places that you were talking about, how does one go and find out about them. Also the other places, do you have to buy a permit to use them, or just walk on to them?
I would get in touch with Stark Parks this is the Stark county Ohio park agency. they let bowhunting only on many of there county parks and lakes. You might also want to concentrate on Beach city canal fulton is located on Rt 21 and Beach city is located @ 20 miles south of Canal Fulton on Rt 21. No permits needed on any of these areas for deer. I do know a couple of other areas that are managed by the Muskegun Water consrvancy that have good hunting and are not on the ODNR website. I would be nmore than willing to show you and your brother in law some of these areas if you come up to hunt.
Chester, when asking the Ohio boys questions, TYPE SLOWER. They will need to get someone (probably from Michigan) to read the questions for them. :bigsmyl: I love deer hunting in Ohio. Reasonable tag costs, and BIG deer. Good luck.
Leave it to a Michigander to throw insults where none are needed :biglaugh: ( Or is that a Michigooser?)
Chester, when you are planning to come contact me or Steve. There are a bunch of us in the area, between us we can probably hook you up with some good hunting.
Mike, if you can find your way down from your state you are welcome to join us :D
Thanks for the offers for help, and helping me narrow down my search locations. It most likely be 2013 before we are able to do it, since my BIL is having a baby in the beginning of Nov... bad timing on his part.
Looking at this years current season (should be similar to next year I am assuming) when would be a good time to come up?
If Michigan is so great, why did my outlaws move from there? Hahahaha
Grew up in Canton. Beech City is a great place to hunt squirrels. Never hunted deer there though. Coshocton is a couple hours from there and has TONS of public land.
Charlie, Coshcoton is a name that I found and was looking at yesterday.
I think that what I am thinking is 2-3 day hunting, and then back to the family stuff.
Big deer killed at Beach city every year, my neighbor killed a 160 class 10 pointer there on opening day of gun this year. does not get hunted that hard during bow season except by duck hunters and pheasant hunters.
QuoteOriginally posted by owlbait:
Chester, when asking the Ohio boys questions, TYPE SLOWER. They will need to get someone (probably from Michigan) to read the questions for them. :bigsmyl: I love deer hunting in Ohio. Reasonable tag costs, and BIG deer. Good luck.
• Nov. 24, 2001: Ohio State 26, Michigan 20 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 23, 2002: Ohio State 14, Michigan 9 (Columbus)
• Nov. 22, 2003: Ohio State 21, Michigan 35 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 20, 2004: Ohio State 37, Michigan 21 (Columbus)
• Nov. 19, 2005: Ohio State 25, Michigan 21 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 18, 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39 (Columbus)
• Nov. 17, 2007: Ohio State 14, Michigan 3 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 22, 2008: Ohio State 42, Michigan 7 (Columbus)
• Nov. 21, 2009: Ohio State 21, Michigan 10 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 27, 2010: Ohio State 37, Michigan 7 (Columbus
Send me a PM when you get in the area and we will see what we can do with some private land hunts in our area. I can send you some maps of Public land also. Bow season is generally quiet in most areas. Things get busy during gun.
Wait, where's the score from 2011? :bigsmyl: I have hunted near Zanesville with a friend (yes, I have friends in Ohio). The country seems quite a bit different than Michigan. I like the turkey and deer season's down there better than here at home. I think you can find some fine hunting spots and some fine people to hunt with down there Chester.
QuoteNov. 24, 2001: Ohio State 26, Michigan 20 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 23, 2002: Ohio State 14, Michigan 9 (Columbus)
• Nov. 22, 2003: Ohio State 21, Michigan 35 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 20, 2004: Ohio State 37, Michigan 21 (Columbus)
• Nov. 19, 2005: Ohio State 25, Michigan 21 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 18, 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39 (Columbus)
• Nov. 17, 2007: Ohio State 14, Michigan 3 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 22, 2008: Ohio State 42, Michigan 7 (Columbus)
• Nov. 21, 2009: Ohio State 21, Michigan 10 (Ann Arbor)
• Nov. 27, 2010: Ohio State 37, Michigan 7 (Columbus
[/QB]
That's funny, I don't care who you are!
2011 was the blind squirrel rule.
How many of those wins were "vacated" for rules violations? :rolleyes: DON'T CHEAT< OSU can't stand the competetion! :D This has been a PSA! Now back to hunting, good luck Chester, this year or next. I would say go the week of the UM/osu game, the woods will be empty!
QuoteOriginally posted by Mike Gerardi:
2011 was the blind squirrel rule.
In reality I could care less about a football game I'll be hunting if I'm not working.
On to the question there is a ton of public land just south of Canton that is awesome hunting. As long as you go before gun season.
Is there public hunting near Atwood lake? You might want to look into it. That is just 35-40 minutes south of Canton. I did lots of Crappie and cat fishing there. I have seen many deer, but never looked into hunting it. I have always just fished there for some reason.....
Also, you could easily hunt down on the Conesville coal lands or Trivalley Wildlife Area in Coshocton County/Muskingum County for a few days and then go back to Canton. I have shot 6 deer in that area. All with shotgun, but there is plenty of good bowhunting to be had out there.
:clapper: :biglaugh: Too much fun.
Attwood has a grass( small plane ) runway. The golf course side was shut down for hunting , but the opposite side is good to go. I have seen alot of good deer by the runway. I hunted that area for a season and good buck sightings were very common. Send me a PM when your headed this way in the fall.
Mike
This is a good thread for me to follow. I'm moving to Toledo for grad school this August and definitely need to find some areas to hunt! I know it's going to be different than hunting here in Montana, but it'll be fun nonetheless!
Toledo is a long ways away from Canton. Nice flat farm land up that way with some large wooded lots interspersed between crops.
Salt Fork State park is straight down I-77 from Canton. Easy to get maps for the State parks. I live in Coshocton and wouldn't recommend hunting deer here----none around
Alright---that last part MIGHT have been a little white lie...... :p
Anyway, Woodbury public land is about 20k acres here and would take about an hour (give or take) depending on where exactly you are around Canton. Also, AEP has public hunting lands close by here (Coshocton) that only require signing up for a free permit.
can't really steer you aroundthe Canton area exactly, but there are several others trad-gangers who are liable to chime in here who can...
Good public hunting around here. I live 20min from Canton and 10 min from 4runr. I am originally from Michigan. I get by okay as a Spartan fan.
Owlbait - I will always love Michigan but hunting SE Ohio is hard to beat. I have only lived here 4 years and have had some of my best hunts here.
My first year here I shot over the back of a nice 6 pt on public land. My experiences on public led me to seek out areas where squirrel hunters won't go. Squirrel hunting is very popular here and the woods are full of them 3 weeks before archery deer opens. The deer will have already sensed pressure for weeks before archery season. Need to keep your eyes open for squirrel hunters too. There is no orange requirement for squirrel hunting. I got to carrying an orange hat with me I could take out and flash to make sure they saw me. Had one shotgun blast too close for comfort when in a tree. That stuff happens in any state though.
I was shocked with the quality of state land and the sheer number of squirrel hunters.
Thanks guys, I will definally will be in contact, I need to talk with my BIL and see what he wants to do. I would like to meet some of the nice people here, I think that we are planning on driving up at Christmas time this year, so is there any good places to shoot that won't freeze out a Texan? I moved to Texas from Minnesota, but after 8 years here I don't do cold as well as I used to.
Chester you better bring a warm jacket come December.
Is CTO Cross Trail Outfitters in San Antonio?
Dec in OH can be like Dec in Texas or Dec in MN.
The beauty of it here is you can have both on the same day without the drive.
ceme, yes CTO is the one out of San Antonio.
I was originally from Illinois and then Iowa, and then MN, and been in Texas for 8 years now, so winter currently is a thing of the past. If my wife has her way we will be back up there sometime, and someplace.
QuoteOriginally posted by ceme24:
Good public hunting around here. I live 20min from Canton and 10 min from 4runr. I am originally from Michigan. I get by okay as a Spartan fan.
Owlbait - I will always love Michigan but hunting SE Ohio is hard to beat. I have only lived here 4 years and have had some of my best hunts here.
My first year here I shot over the back of a nice 6 pt on public land. My experiences on public led me to seek out areas where squirrel hunters won't go. Squirrel hunting is very popular here and the woods are full of them 3 weeks before archery deer opens. The deer will have already sensed pressure for weeks before archery season. Need to keep your eyes open for squirrel hunters too. There is no orange requirement for squirrel hunting. I got to carrying an orange hat with me I could take out and flash to make sure they saw me. Had one shotgun blast too close for comfort when in a tree. That stuff happens in any state though.
I was shocked with the quality of state land and the sheer number of squirrel hunters.
It's not a good feeling to be sitting up in a tree deer hunting with squirrel hunters shooting .22's near by.
Shane,
You might want to check out Lake La Sue Ann Wildlife Area. Much closer to Toledo.
Colin, the fellas I hunt with get 150" bucks on a regular basis. The first time I hunted there I saw a HUGE forkhorn that looked like a muley buck. When I told my buckeye buddies I saw a nice 4 pt they dressed me down."What's wrong with you guys from Michigan? Ain't no such thing as a NICE 4pt. Just a damn scrub buck!" I did end up shooting a "scrub" 5pt that had a growth on his nose. Called him Rudolph!
Thanks Charlie! Yeah, I'd live to get a nice buck with my bow. Heck, I'd like to get anything with my bow. I haven't accomplished that yet.
Owlbait,
Where are you and your buddies hunting? Like you mentioned before, down near Zanesville? I used to own a small farm down there(7 miles south of Zanesville) and many HUGE bucks were shot on, in and around my old property. A 209 inch non-typical was shot off that property 3 years ago.
Chester,
To keep this tied into the original question; I have personally seen 150 class bucks, maybe bigger, down on Trivalley Wildlife area. 2 1/2 hour drive from Canton. I also agree with looking onto Saltfork State Park area. I used to fish and camp there as a kid. Ridiculous amounts of deer near the golf course!
All the above being said, I couldn't care less personally about trophy antlers. They are nice, but I love seeing any deer period! They all give me the shakes when they get close.
Shane,
The Toledo area is very different than the area most of these guys are referencing. Both have plenty of farms that are fueling some of these big deer, but the Toledo area is flat as a board compared to the rolling hills around Zanesville. There are woodlots in the Toledo area and little large / dense woods as compared to the Zanesville / SE Ohio area.
There are still plenty of good hunting near Toledo but SE Ohio has a better reputation to be honest.
Personally, where I hunt, the population isn't what it was a few years ago but it's still good. The DNR has been very liberal with doe cull permits for farmers in the past 5 years or so. Significant numbers of does have been culled. This past season I was lucky to see half the deer I used to. That issue is one that you are starting to hear about here on very localized levels where the farmers get the permits and are very effective in using them. And/or maybe it's the coyote boom. Or both.
ceme24 is right about public land deer numbers. They are WAY down with the liberal limits and booming coyote population in many places. The golden rule of going where other people are not willing to travel pays well. It is a lot of work, but the deer are there if you have the ability/will to walk distances.
Well, I'm not against driving a few hours to go to a good place to hunt. I'm definitely not against hiking in an area. I think last year bow hunting for elk we hiked 10-12 miles.
I just wanted to say that I have not been replying much, but I have been looking at the places that you have been talking about. Once I have a better idea of timeframe I will be asking more specific questions. Thanks again for the help.
I am also from Canton lived there my entire life. 6 years ago moved to Navarre which is 10 minutes on the South side right off 21. Chester, if they live in Canal Fulton they are in some prime area. There are MANY big bucks roaming all around Canal Fulton and the Massillon area. There is plenty of public land within close driving as others have mentioned but once he is here long enough to just ask a few people he will get some private land.
Chester- P.M.d you.
itty bitty deer near Zanesville...................
Deer? Wha? Nah - those are all in MI. Ohio has only ticks and coyotes and things. ;-)
I will be going back to MI and OH to hunt 2013 also. Brother inlaw in down near columbus and my father is up in williamston MI. Very reasonable deer tags.
Ohio has incredible private and public land available. Look up Leatherneck and I bet he will point you in the right direction as well.
All,
I have worked with the owner of a site called My hunting land. This is a very cool site which will help you find public hunting lands in areas. Ohio is one of them that they have updated. Take a minute and check it out and you should be able to find some decent areas.
http://www.myhuntinglands.com/