OHIO DEER DRIVE LICENSE
OHIO DEER DRIVE FREE

We allow hunting of squirrel, grouse, rabbit, pheasant, quail, woodchuck, crow, fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, coyote, chukar, and bobcat on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions: (iii) We allow the use of dogs consistent with State regulations. (ii) Hunters may enter the refuge 2 hours before legal shooting time and must leave no later than 2 hours after legal shooting time. (i) Hunters must obtain and possess a signed refuge hunt permit (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application - National Wildlife Refuge System) at all times while scouting and hunting on the refuge. We allow hunting of migratory game birds on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions: (a) Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge. When there are multiple hot scrapes in a small area, I can be confident that the area is drawing bucks right now.The following refuge units are open for hunting and/or fishing as governed by applicable Federal and State regulations, and are listed in alphabetical order with additional refuge-specific regulations.

OHIO DEER DRIVE FREE

If I find a scrape that’s free of leaves and smells like a public urinal, I know a buck was there in the last 24 hours or so. Here’s why I place so much value on active scrape sites-unlike rubs or trails that can appear active for days, scrapes only stay “fresh” for a short period of time. It’s a hunt/scout hybrid system that allows me to be on stand in an area that I feel holds promise based on active sign while using a pair of trail cameras to monitor other areas at the same time. That afternoon, or the following morning, I’ll hunt the new stand site and the process repeats. If I’m not seeing deer from the stand on my first sit, I’ll head out midday to check the cameras and get a second stand location in place. If I’ve done my homework, I’ll be in productive areas with potential. There will be days when I don’t find three areas I feel are worth hunting. I’ll confirm that research with quick drive-by inspections of parking areas near public hunting land, the amount of vehicles pulled into farm lanes, etc.

OHIO DEER DRIVE LICENSE

I’ll have a pretty good idea of the hunting pressure I expect an area to be receiving based on harvest data, license sales, and online chatter.

Now I know exactly the areas I’m going to scout before I ever leave home. Hunting is what actually fills them.įar too often in the past, I’d have a week to hunt and spent the majority of it searching for the “perfect” stand site without a real plan of attack. That said, scouting can only put you in a position to fill tags. Preseason scouting puts you where the deer used to be. In-season scouting puts you where the deer are right now. The only way to know what’s happening when you can hunt is to scout during the season. Deer movement changes due to hunting pressure. When hunting areas with heavy hunting pressure, like here in Michigan, preseason scouting isn’t exactly worthless but it can be seriously misleading. I can’t stand the notion of wasting even one sit in an area that isn’t productive. Remember, we’re working with an incredibly limited timeframe. This was another lesson learned the hard way and a major adjustment in my approach that has helped me to be far more successful. There’s some validity in them somewhere, but there’s also a heaping of bad advice. I’ve written those words a bunch in the past and a whole lot of others have as well. This was a tough lesson to learn but the fact is, going slow did only one thing: It wasted time. No matter how careful I am, it will happen. Trying not to spook deer while scouting is seldom effective. I’m simply trying to cover ground as quickly as I can and let the sign tell me where the deer are. I don’t worry about walking on deer trails, because I’m not trying to avoid spooking deer. Once I arrive at the area I plan to hunt, I move fast. But there is no substitute for boots on the ground. I do as much research as I can using aerial images and online mapping systems like HuntStand, onX Hunt, and Google Earth. There’s no magic formula for speed-scouting. Tony Hansen Boots (and Tires) on the Ground Running trail cameras, even just for a few days, can provide critical information to help you hunt the hottest spots. But that strategy isn’t efficient (trust me, I’ve tried). It’s so tempting to try and hit as many as possible. As a Michigan resident, I have some excellent options within a few hours, including Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Rather than trying to cram in two states on two weekends, I’ll devote two weekends to a single nearby state. That’s also why I’ve cut back on the number of different states I try to hunt each fall. Obviously, when dealing with a weekend outing, this rule is tougher to employ.

Ohio deer drive