Each year, thousands of people go Ohio deer hunting. This makes sense, given there are so many whitetails in this state.
Furthermore, the state government has made major strides to improve deer laws. Getting a permit is rather easy. Also, you can no longer kill deer at your whim which regulates the population.
If you’ve considered going deer hunting or high fence deer hunting in Ohio, here are some of the main things you need to know.
Quality antlers
A lot of ranches now implement rules that would protect whitetails on the compound. With these rules, whitetail population will not diminish but instead, there will always be an ample supply of trophies. But, this also lead to a debate. Some of the hunters now believe that yearling spike bucks are much weaker in terms of genetics. Because of that, they think that spikes need to be removed from the ranches as they couldn’t provide a good trophy down the line. However, the recent studies show us that these deer can still reach 8 to 10-point size (if they get enough care).
Using the stand
Stands are very common on hunting grounds. The US has approximately 13 million whitetail hunters who use stands to surprise their pray. Besides stands, they might also use other equipment like lures and calls. Keep in mind that every ranch has their own policy regarding the stands and you should definitely ask in advance if you can use yours. A lot of outfitters also provide stands to the hunters.
How to stalk
Stalking and still-hunting are major skills that every hunter should possess. Older, more experienced whitetails are used to human presence on the compounds. This makes them hard targets, but also much better trophies. If you wish to get the best trophy possible, you need to develop these skills. Stalking is especially good during the winter season, while there is a lot of snow. If you do it properly, you can catch almost any pray.
Spotting the pray
Spot and stalk method is common for larger compounds with a lot of clear space. When using this tactic, a hunter needs to spot a deer ahead of time. They will slowly creep up to the target until they’re in gun/bow range. Again, this isn’t a method that can be used on every Ohio ranch, but when you have an opportunity to implement it, spot and stalk can be very fun (even if you don’t catch the deer).
Other tactics
Besides these methods, there are some other strategies that can be utilized when hunting whitetail deer. Some of them are not ideal for Ohio, but they’re still worth a mention.
For example, in the southern, swamp area, they’re hunting whitetails with dogs. The dogs should chase the deer towards the hunters who are lying in ambush.
There is also a popular deer drive method. During the hunt, a group of standers will line the deer escape routes while the drivers will walk through cover in order to push deer into standers.
You can also utilize salt licks (visit https://feedthatgame.com/salt-
.
Getting the clothing
Clothing is very important, but often underrated, aspect of whitetail hunting. Getting the right clothes for the occasion will save you a lot of trouble down the line. Keep in mind that you should never trust weather forecasts. Things can change in a blink of an eye, especially if you’re in mountainous areas. Because of that, you will need several sets of clothes and, in particular, clothes for rain and snow. You should also get clothes that would mask your scent. This is especially important for hunters who want to catch experienced deer.
Get the permits
Although you can get hunting permits from almost any Ohio outfitter, it is much better if you apply for them online. If you’re coming from another state, this would be very important. That way, you won’t have to think about permits and other legal stuff once you reach the ranch. Good outfitters can also provide you other valuable legal tips, so you can ask them in advance. Hunting permits in Ohio are really cheap, so you can get one without spending too much money.