NH306

Can anybody provide any good info on Hocking or Zaleski State forest. I am planning on coming out in Sept for an archery deer hunt! ANy info on what part of the forest I should focus on? How about camping in the area? What can we expect for a landscape? The lay of the land! Thanks again for any help

trekker1

Both of these areas are good sized parcels, but they have a lot of roads running through them. Deer numbers are high as they are everywhere in Ohio, but so are the hunter numbers. I spent years trying to find a public land honey hole in Ohio. After that I tried to get a lease(not enough money). The fact is there isn't alot of good areas in Ohio for public land trophy deer. If you're just interested in killing deer, than just pick a public land area, and have at it. Our public lands are full of deer. It takes a very large parcel ofpublic land to produce the kind of hunting expierience that all the mags claim is just out there waiting to be had. And even when you do find a huge piece of public land,it will still take some good luck to find that one perfect spot.All of my public land hunting is now spent in Northern Maine(although I may try Eastern Kentucky this year)The deer numbersare very low, but the size of deer and the lack of hunting pressure makes itthe perfect setting for me. Ihate the 20 hour drive, but I love the solitude a stand of pines, high on a ridge, offers compared to the crappy public land in Ohio.

If you are set on trying Ohio Public Land you need to go to Ohio Power. it is owned by AEP, and consists of the biggest unbroken block of public ground in Ohio(36000 acres). it is reclaimed strip mines filled with steep ridges and thick bottom lands with plenty of nasty swamps thrown in. it gets hunted hard like the rest, but still manages to put out some very big bucks every yearthanks to the rugged and remote terrain. If you are a topo nut like me forget it. Because it is reclaimed strip mine, there are no accurate topo maps that I've been able to find. Are you gonna be able to make a scouting trip before your hunt?

There are good camp sites located thru out the area if you don't mind having no water or elec.

If you are gonna hunt Ohio Public Land, this is where you want to go.

trekker1

I'm not sure our season opens until the last Saturday of September, so you might want come a little later.

Frank in the Laurels

SSSSSSsssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Don't be givin' away my spots !!!!!!!

Prozacaddict

AEP property looks like a pumkin patch during hunting season. Orange everywhere.

Siman08/OH

Exactly my thoughts. Dont listen to the guy there is no deer anywhere near Ohio Power