Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

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Jimmy wallhanger
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Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Jimmy wallhanger » Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:07 am

So I am heading to south eastern Ohio for the rut to hunt public. I have been using OnX like a mad man looking at potenial stand sites etc.

I have been thinking as I plan on doing dark to dark sits that perhaps spending the first day checking out all my potential spots in daylight and losing a day of stand time could actually pay off more than just going in blind in the dark.

thoughts?


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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:13 am

Absolutely. You need to find fresh sign, and in that area of the country, with the low deer numbers, it's probably more important than anything else. I wouldnt limit myself to just the first day. If you need another day or two, just keep walking until you find some fresh sign. I really think this is one of the biggest reasons guys dont have success on out of state hunts. They fall in love with a spot(s) on a map and forget there needs to be sign and deer there also, not just a great looking spot on the map. With that said, maps are the best way to narrow down the playing field before you arrive, but you have to put in the boot time too. Good luck!
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Hatchet Jack » Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:16 am

Agree with cheeze, scout for fresh sign. Even if you jump them at least you know they’re in the area.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Jimmy wallhanger » Tue Oct 04, 2022 4:24 am

seazofcheeze wrote:Absolutely. You need to find fresh sign, and in that area of the country, with the low deer numbers, it's probably more important than anything else. I wouldnt limit myself to just the first day. If you need another day or two, just keep walking until you find some fresh sign. I really think this is one of the biggest reasons guys dont have success on out of state hunts. They fall in love with a spot(s) on a map and forget there needs to be sign and deer there also, not just a great looking spot on the map. With that said, maps are the best way to narrow down the playing field before you arrive, but you have to put in the boot time too. Good luck!


Thanks, yeah teh forest is 15,000 ac. which is literally 10x the size of the one Im used to up here. I also bought a mountain bike so I can zip around to the different spots. I think I can hit most of them, in a day if I hustle.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Mat-Ch-155 » Thu Oct 06, 2022 6:10 am

Jimmy wallhanger wrote:
seazofcheeze wrote:Absolutely. You need to find fresh sign, and in that area of the country, with the low deer numbers, it's probably more important than anything else. I wouldnt limit myself to just the first day. If you need another day or two, just keep walking until you find some fresh sign. I really think this is one of the biggest reasons guys dont have success on out of state hunts. They fall in love with a spot(s) on a map and forget there needs to be sign and deer there also, not just a great looking spot on the map. With that said, maps are the best way to narrow down the playing field before you arrive, but you have to put in the boot time too. Good luck!


Thanks, yeah teh forest is 15,000 ac. which is literally 10x the size of the one Im used to up here. I also bought a mountain bike so I can zip around to the different spots. I think I can hit most of them, in a day if I hustle.


I chew more than I could eat this fall on my first ever DIY public land hunt. If I were to do it again I would take just a good few spots and investigate them thoroughly before running around in 15 000 acres. It’s very big and only one day of scouting is short. It gets overwhelming very quickly and making decisions in this context can be very tiring (option paralysis).

I would also look for fresh tracks, fresh droppings first, and most importantly human sign.

That’s just my opinion and I’m no way an expert, but I see myself a lot a few weeks ago in what you wrote and I did not kill a buck.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Jimmy wallhanger » Thu Oct 06, 2022 6:59 am

Mat-Ch-155 wrote:
Jimmy wallhanger wrote:
seazofcheeze wrote:Absolutely. You need to find fresh sign, and in that area of the country, with the low deer numbers, it's probably more important than anything else. I wouldnt limit myself to just the first day. If you need another day or two, just keep walking until you find some fresh sign. I really think this is one of the biggest reasons guys dont have success on out of state hunts. They fall in love with a spot(s) on a map and forget there needs to be sign and deer there also, not just a great looking spot on the map. With that said, maps are the best way to narrow down the playing field before you arrive, but you have to put in the boot time too. Good luck!


Thanks, yeah teh forest is 15,000 ac. which is literally 10x the size of the one Im used to up here. I also bought a mountain bike so I can zip around to the different spots. I think I can hit most of them, in a day if I hustle.


I chew more than I could eat this fall on my first ever DIY public land hunt. If I were to do it again I would take just a good few spots and investigate them thoroughly before running around in 15 000 acres. It’s very big and only one day of scouting is short. It gets overwhelming very quickly and making decisions in this context can be very tiring (option paralysis).

I would also look for fresh tracks, fresh droppings first, and most importantly human sign.

That’s just my opinion and I’m no way an expert, but I see myself a lot a few weeks ago in what you wrote and I did not kill a buck.


I have about 7 to 10 funnels I want to check out, I have a montain bike I can use to zip around teh trail system. I think I can hit them all in 8 hours I hope.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Twenty Up » Thu Oct 06, 2022 11:05 am

I’d map scout 2-3 different tracts of public in a 1-2 hour drive radius if applicable.

Go spend 1-2 days scouting said areas. Then hunt, repeat if necessary.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby brancher147 » Thu Oct 06, 2022 10:00 pm

Yes I would scout the first day rather than hunt. That is based off years of picking pre planned spots and jumping right into hunting in SE Ohio. Fresh sign trumps all. I went last year and walked 10 miles the first day. It paid off with 2 good opportunities at good bucks in the next 3 days. Of course I blew both those opportunities :lol:

Just make sure you scout with you bow. Learned that the hard way there too when I had to watch a 140” 9 pt stand broadside at 10 yds
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby P.A.Hunting » Fri Oct 07, 2022 12:11 am

Most certainly especially that time of year and down that way with low numbers, ehd is also an issue this year as well so the freshest sign will be key.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Jimmy wallhanger » Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:37 am

Twenty Up wrote:I’d map scout 2-3 different tracts of public in a 1-2 hour drive radius if applicable.

Go spend 1-2 days scouting said areas. Then hunt, repeat if necessary.



The tract Im going to is 15000 acre and theres another tract just north thats about the same size. Im trying to narrow down funnels on topo maps.

Have you hunted SE Ohio before?

Thanks
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby wolfie729 » Sun Oct 16, 2022 10:44 am

I personally think Dark to Dark sits are a complete waste as most areas are not going to be good all day they will be good morning or evening or mid day not all 3 usually in my opinion. I would scout hard most of the first day when you find something good hang your set hunt it then hunt it again in the morning incase its a morning spot then scout like a fool mid day and repeat. That’s what I have found to be most effective on out of state hunts as I do 2-3 of them a year. Hope this helps.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Twenty Up » Mon Oct 17, 2022 3:46 am

Jimmy wallhanger wrote:
Twenty Up wrote:I’d map scout 2-3 different tracts of public in a 1-2 hour drive radius if applicable.

Go spend 1-2 days scouting said areas. Then hunt, repeat if necessary.



The tract Im going to is 15000 acre and theres another tract just north thats about the same size. Im trying to narrow down funnels on topo maps.

Have you hunted SE Ohio before?

Thanks


No but I’ve map scouted a decent bit and know people that hunt the general area (public) you intend to visit.

Bring some hiking boots and be prepared to walk some rugged terrain from what I’ve seen and heard.

We planned on doing a DIY up there but life got in the way. I’ll live vicariously through you. Feel free to PM me some topo/aerials, I’ll be happy to help any way I can.
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby Jimmy wallhanger » Mon Oct 17, 2022 10:49 am

Twenty Up wrote:
Jimmy wallhanger wrote:
Twenty Up wrote:I’d map scout 2-3 different tracts of public in a 1-2 hour drive radius if applicable.

Go spend 1-2 days scouting said areas. Then hunt, repeat if necessary.



The tract Im going to is 15000 acre and theres another tract just north thats about the same size. Im trying to narrow down funnels on topo maps.

Have you hunted SE Ohio before?

Thanks


No but I’ve map scouted a decent bit and know people that hunt the general area (public) you intend to visit.

Bring some hiking boots and be prepared to walk some rugged terrain from what I’ve seen and heard.

We planned on doing a DIY up there but life got in the way. I’ll live vicariously through you. Feel free to PM me some topo/aerials, I’ll be happy to help any way I can.


Thanks bro I will do that this week for sure
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Re: Out of state hunt, spend first day scouting?

Unread postby MikefromOH » Thu Nov 03, 2022 5:25 am

How did you do? I hunt a decent amount of those areas in south/southeast between Athens and Chillicothe, agree on the need to keep scouting until you run into some good stuff.

Also - just so you know if you need it - quickest spots I've found that were productive in late October/November are: south or southeast facing hillsides, with no road on the top. Approach from the south (below) in the afternoon and run up the ravine to the top where it ends. You'll probably be in a saddle. Look for side benches as you get close to the top also. Set up accordingly for wind direction once you get up there.

Very hard to get lost doing it this way if you don't have good navigation skills. Good luck!


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