ALERT!
ODNR has stated that there are no deer left in Ohio.
All deer sightings are the flesh eating zombie deer that are the results of chow tongue and hemoragic plague.

These deer are extremely dangerous and should only be shot in the brain at 100 yds.
Also 200 pound mosquitos have bee spotted
Be warned  

All kidding aside, welcome vistors.
One word of advise is pre-season scouting.
I meet hunters every year that come to Ohio in hopes of shooting a "Mr freak nasty"
Truth is most Mr Freak nasties are on private land. Hunting adjacent to these areas are best the weeks of rut and pre rut when they wander from the home locale.
Over the years farming has decline alot in Ohio. And that has hurt food sources.
Dont get me wrong, there are bruins in public woods. It takes a while to find them and you may be surprised to see many guys in that part of the woods.
I remember driving to cooper hollow one year and it looked like a drive-in.

If anyone is coming to SE Ohio and hunting in Jackson County , reach out to me if you need help dragging a deer.
I will be off the either the week of Halloween or the following week.
 

One bit of advice ....  make sure you spend time in your stand mid day. Some nice ones will be cruising during most hunters lunch breaks. Good luck guys!

We have private land and Damon has seen some monsters hete!! We will spend a few of The days On stand all day. I myself may not even start HUNTING til 10 aday or Two and sit all day. Gonna be good!! Shawn

Looks like I will be hunting in Ohio from Sept 28th to February 2nd.
Another whole archery season spent hunting in ohio ..
And it is awesome! Every year!
This year will be my first with a longbow and a recurve though.
I'm very much looking forward to it!

I know the 10 days I spent there the last two years are awesome. Can't imagine a whole season. Ohio hunters don't be afraid to post your takes on this thread. Ticks seem to be non existent this year compared to the last two years and there is a lot of nuts and fruit on trees. It should make for some good antler growth.

Just put it in my GPS 10hrs. 32 minutes for me!! I will take my time and do it in 9.5 hrs!!    I have been doing some research and I see there was a 240"er killed a couple miles from our spot in 2009 and there are always several booners killed in this county each year. I am sure we will have a great time and hopefully one of us kills a good'un!!! Shawn

I hope you stick the biggest deer of your life Shawn. The best of luck too you...

Good luck this fall shawn, its a good state to hunt for sure!    

Oh yes, Ohio has beckoned many from neighboring states looking to escape short archery seasons and terrible herd management. I've been a land owner since 2007, bought a new place this past spring. No shortage of farming in my area in Ashtabula County. A three month trail camera survey shows high deer density and shockingly, nearly a 1:1 buck to doe ratio. Can't wait for the season to open.

-Brian

Brian, I bid pretty high on your generous St. JUdes offering but alas got my a$$ handed to me in the  bidding cause I was tag teamed!! Great property you have there and you do a wonderful job with it!! Best of luck bud!! Thanks guys, I am having fun researching this Ross County. I was in Union last year and had 880 acres leased but man was it flat and very little cover. I mean I only had about 40 acres of woods and hedgerows on the property and another 30of CRP and that was it. It was tough to hunt because the deer new you were entering the property from over a mile away. I tried everything and even slept in the woods one night to not disturb anything on my way in, it worked and I saw some nice deer that morning, but I was holding out for a bomber. This year from the looks of the new property it will be much easier to hunt and I will not be quite so picky. I figure 120"s and above the first 5 days and than any 2.5year old after that. I want to thank Damon for inviting me and I am hoping we can make this a yearly thing. I miss him and my daughter more than they know!! Love you guys!! Shawn

Shawn, not sure which way you are coming through Ohio but Mike Gerardi is not far from my farm in NE Ohio. Maybe the three of us can plan a hunt and dinner or at least a beer.

-Brian

I will be coming right thru Ashtabula on my way. I would love to meet ya and I could do an afternoon hunt or an afternoon drink(I don't drink beer) as I should be close to where you are by 1pm. on Nov. 1st or 2nd. depending if I leave friday or sat. morning!! PM me and we will try and meet up!! I am dying to hunt as much of Ohio as possible and am looking for another lease as well! Shawn

Just give me a date and time. Love too meet you guys. Dinner is always on my too do list...

Mike, will do as it gets closer. Like I said I am leaving 4am. either Nov. 1st or the 2nd. so depending on Brian it will be one of those days. We will definitely have to do this!! Shawn

There's a beautiful farm at the end of the road where we will hunt. I bet you could talk them into a one or two week lease. There is also 1000 acre hunt club or family owned club that borders our permitted property that might let you lease too.  

If this place works out, hopefully we don't have to lease. We will have to talk to the farm down the road, maybe we can hunt it for free!!    Shawn

Can't wait to head out to Ohio this year for a week. Not looking forward to the long drive on 90 from VT though.  Hope to visit my land, but will be spending most of my time in Cambridge. Hope to haul my recently purchased camper to land by next year and eliminate cabin fees. Lot of hopes    

I'll keep you guys posted. Greyfox and Tracker1 have not finalized their St. Jude hunt dates yet and I want to give them priority. If they are not here either of those days, we'll get something together.

-Brian

I live here in SE Ohio in Athens. Deer population is NOT diminished-anything but. I live in the City and I have to wait for deer to get out of my driveway so I can drive out to the woods to hunt.
We hunt on my friends private land that is right up to the city limits and take 5-6 deer a year off his few acres and have more deer back every season.
Kill em and grill em...