"They're becoming territorial around other male deer. "Males are starting to sense that females are starting to breed," Emmert said. This time of year, however, human civilization can't deter them from finding a mate. But most of the time, "They're so well camouflaged that we can walk right past them bedded down in a treeline and not even know they're there." There are exceptions, such as where deer get used to human activity and lose their natural fear," Emmert said. "Deer are typically so fearful of humans that they'll lay low. Those deer are now on the move: It's mating season for deer - a dangerous activity in Stark County, which led the state over the last five years in total vehicle-deer crashes.ĭuring other seasons, deer are harder to detect. "We have a very healthy whitetail deer herd in the state of Ohio," said Jamey Emmert, a spokeswoman for the state Division of Wildlife. This includes 80,138 bucks, 87,578 does and 16,752 button bucks. While deer populations are difficult to estimate, hunters harvested 184,468 deer in Ohio last year. The Ohio Department of Insurance, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and AAA have teamed up to remind drivers this is the season for an increase in costly and potentially deadly deer drama on the highway. You might find a dandy buck waiting for your wall and cooler.Bambi is on the run and he's looking for a girlfriend.Īnd when you least expect it, he may bolt into the path of your vehicle, usually at dawn or dusk. Pick your spot, scout it well, and get there early. It has a good mix of river bottoms and agricultural land. In the south, try Tranquility Wildlife Area in Adams County with a nice combination of forest and brushland, and in the southwest they suggest Paint Creek Wildlife Area in Highland and Ross counties. It has a good mix of open land, bushy areas, and woodlands with many small water impoundments. In the southeast, they suggest the Woodbury Wildlife Area, a vast acreage of hilly country around five miles west of Coshocton. It offers good access with several parking lots and prime habitat for deer. In the northeast try the Jockey Hollow Wildlife Area about six miles southwest of Cadiz. Which wildlife area should you choose? There are lots of good ones, but Division of Wildlife deer biologists picked the one they consider best in each district, and they’re as follows: In the northwest part of the state they like the La Su An Wildlife Area in Williams County, a well maintained section dotted with lakes and good cover. “I usually see at least 20-25 animals, pick the one I want, shoot it, gut it out, then load it on a plastic children’s sled to pull it out. And who’s waiting for them to arrive, but that lone hunter sitting beside his funnel and watching whitetails hurry along the narrow bottom. Every deer near the roads and parking places will race away as the crowd moves in and a few gun shots will send them traveling even faster, also moving toward the center. will start hunting right at the lots and move in towards the center. This hunter knew that the hordes of gunners in the parking lots, etc. Then I sit down in a good location, pour a cup of coffee from my thermos, and just relax and wait.” Then on opening morning I head in around midnight, and use a flashlight to get back to this funnel I like which is pretty much right in the middle of the wildlife area, a mile or more over fairly rough terrain. I went looking for a 'funnel,' a spot where deer would be forced into a fairly narrow area, two steep hills with a narrow valley between in my case. “I did my serious scouting a number of years ago” he said “and I check my hunting spot again every year before the season. This veteran hunter kills a nice buck every year on public land, and he does it the same way each time. Ohio has some excellent wildlife areas and before the gun season they’ll have plenty of deer because the land is carefully maintained for whitetails Bright orange will be everywhere with dozens of hunters standing around waiting for dawn, smoking, laughing, checking gear, and anticipating that big buck that will surely pop up in front of them within minutes. I’ve hunted public areas just once or twice down through the years, this on opening day, and typically there are pickup trucks filling the parking areas and many more lining the little dirt roads there. It’ll be the same as previous years in that the bulk of hunters will hunt on private property, usually their own, a relative’s, or friends, and those who can’t find good private land will seek out public areas and try their luck there. 30, and from all indications it will be a good one, not great, but definitely good with plenty of venison hanging in meat lockers or stacked neatly in freezers around the state when it ends. Ohio’s 2020 deer gun season will begin on Nov.
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