Ohio Hunting

outdoorswithmartin on November 21st, 2009

This years cottontail rabbit hunting season began November 6 running through February 28 (for season dates and bag limits see the Ohio Division of Wildlife site), and it’s expected to be a very good year.  Division of Wildlife biologists are predicting fair success statewide with exceptional hunting in some areas.  And some of that fine action can […]

Continue reading about Field Tips for Ohio Rabbit Hunting Success

outdoorswithmartin on November 21st, 2009

Times are getting a little tough in the woods, fields, and creek bottoms of northcentral Ohio.  Not for deer hunters who are doing very well this season, but for big, dominant, Type A, testosterone laden bucks.  The problem is that the rut is more than half over, and many, perhaps most does have come into […]

Continue reading about Grunting and Rattling in Bucks Good for Bowhunters

outdoorswithmartin on November 21st, 2009

Cold weather is coming, and already there have been hard frosts, a freeze or two, and even snowflakes in the air once or twice. In this part of Ohio winter lasts about six months, a lot of days sure to be dreary, nasty, windy, wet, or slushy. Farm folk can be trapped in the house until […]

Continue reading about Flint Knapping Fun, and Lucrative, Too

outdoorswithmartin on October 20th, 2009

The 2009 squirrel season opened in Ohio on September 1 and runs to 31 January 2010 (Editor: See the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website for a useful Hunt Calendar of Ohio Hunting Seasons dates), and most days so far have been perfect days, cool, sunny, and pleasant.  There’ll be lots more days like that as leaves slowly […]

Continue reading about Ohio Squirrel Hunting: Avoid Common Mistakes and Get Your Limit

outdoorswithmartin on October 12th, 2009

The 2009 Ohio deer archery season opened on 26 September, a long awaited event for northcentral Ohio bow and crossbow hunters. It’s a wonderful time to hunt, with cool, pleasant days, leaves turning into a riot of red and gold, blue skies, and that hint of fox grapes on a gentle wind. But not a […]

Continue reading about Bad Weather is Good Weather for October Deer Hunters in Ohio

outdoorswithmartin on October 10th, 2009

The 2009 squirrel season opened last month in most midwestern states cool, sunny, and pleasant.  There’ll be lots more days like that this year and next, and plenty of chances to fill a squirrel limit.  Some  hunters will have little trouble bagging those  bushytails, but lots more will be lucky to get one or two […]

Continue reading about Squirrel Hunters: Simple Tactics For Improved Squirrel Limits

outdoorswithmartin on October 7th, 2009

Ohio’s archery season opened on September 26 (2009), but it didn’t mean much to many area bow hunters.  Lots went out on opening day, of course, because it’s traditional, and some made a few trips later.  But it’s during the rut that bow and crossbow hunters become serious, because deer move then, and the big […]

Continue reading about Bow Hunters:Tactics for Tree Stand Success During Deer Rut

Farmers and landowners have enough problems these days without adding predation by foxes and coyotes, and there are plenty of both out there in family woods and fields.  Actually, red fox populations are down a bit, possibly due to predation by coyotes, though there are still lots around, grey fox are almost extinct north of […]

Continue reading about Trapping Tactics That Work for Fox and Coyote: Ohio Veteran Trapper’s Tips

outdoorswithmartin on October 3rd, 2009

Some people don’t care for the taste of venison, complaining that it has a slightly “wild” flavor.  But many others like that flavor, and feel that it adds substantially to meals and dishes like chili where ground deer seems to surpass beef.  And few deny that venison is healthier, being leaner and free of antibiotics […]

Continue reading about Raising Deer Can Be Profitable: Ohio Whitetail Deer Farmer Tells How

This world is full of things an outdoorsman will never know, and just one of them is how many times a waiting bowhunter will have a trophy buck or even a small doe catch his or her scent and ghost away to safer climes.  But I suspect it happens often.  Too many archers don’t really […]

Continue reading about Deer Hunters It's OK to Be Stinky: Scent and Wind Advice for Archers and Crossbowmen

Ohio native Americans called him the “little bear”, and relished his rich meat.  Many a young Huron and Sandusky made his first kill on a groundhog, and not only was the hand of man turned against this stocky creature, but bears, cougars, wolves, and coyotes ate them at every opportunity.  The only animals that survived […]

Continue reading about Many Reasons to Hunt Groundhogs: Eat Them, Practice, and Make a Farmer Happy

Back when I was a youngster in the heavily wooded hills of southern Ohio, there were only three animals to hunt when fall rolled around, squirrels, rabbits, and ruffed grouse, though we did bounce an occasional covey of bobwhite quail.  So, the opening of squirrel season was an eagerly awaited affair, and we hunted them […]

Continue reading about How Squirrel Dogs Work the Woods: Hunting With Them, Picking Them and Training Your Own

outdoorswithmartin on September 23rd, 2009

September bird hunting in Ohio normally features an early teal season. (Ohio’s 2009 early teal season begins on September 5 and ends September 20 with a four bird limit.)  Do you care?  Probably not, because few waterfowlers indeed take advantage of this first opportunity to bag some ducks.  Most don’t know where to find such early arrivals, and […]

Continue reading about How to Hunt Teal Without Decoys or Blinds: Ohio Waterfowl Early Season

outdoorswithmartin on September 21st, 2009

The 2009 squirrel season opened on September 1, and the year should be a good one.  With a generous six squirrel limit, it should be no trick most days to fill a ticket with some fine eating, and they are indeed good eating.  Back when I was a kid in the hills of southern Ohio, […]

Continue reading about Ohio Squirrel Hunting: Know Your Trees to Find Fox and Greys

Published March 2005 Back when I was a youngster of ten or twelve, I spent a lot of time roaming the hills of southern Ohio with a cluster of boon companions. We had no televisions or computers then, so we made our own fun, and to forestall dangerous snakes, bears, alligators, and tigers, went heavily […]

Continue reading about Pre-Hunting/Fishing Season Practice and Preparation: Off Season Tasks for Hunters and Fishermen

outdoorswithmartin on July 22nd, 2009

Ever hear of solunar tables?  Many readers, especially younger ones, haven’t, but lots of old veterans have and believe in them so fiercely that they plan hunting and fishing trips around the tables.  For those unfamiliar with the tables, sol means sun and lunar means moon, and the basic idea is that the two together […]

Continue reading about Solunar Tables for Fishing and Hunting: Do They Work?

Ask the average outdoorsman what he likes to eat, and he’ll probably say beef, pork, and chicken.  The daring might go for turkey occasionally, taste a bit of wild rabbit, feast on braised venison, but that’s about it.  If you’re in this ho-hum category, food-wise, maybe it’s time you put a little adventure in your […]

Continue reading about Hunter/Fisher's Overlooked Bounty: How to Eat Crayfish, Sparrows, Muskrat, Groundhog, Sheepshead and Carp (if you want to)

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

Published in December 2004 The deer seasons are nearly over, little hunting is left, except late season rabbits and squirrels, and it’s a long time until spring.  But there’s still a sport worth pursuing, a sport that’s tough and challenging, and is both new and different.  That’s seeking big and hungry coyotes with a predator […]

Continue reading about Calling in Coyotes: Winter Coyote Hunting in Ohio

outdoorswithmartin on July 20th, 2009

All wild animals are important and should be, but one stands far above all others.  For this animal, much of the country was explored, wars were fought, fortunes were made, and history came to know iron men and their exploits, lengendary figures like Will Sublet, Kit Carson, and Jeremiah Johnson.  That animal is a 30 […]

Continue reading about Historic Ohio Sport: Beaver Trapping

Published in January 2005 Few people would question that venison is among the best of wild meats.  It’s low fat, and therefore healthy, has no hormones of antibiotics, and tastes as good as beef, according to many, with its own pleasing “wild’ flavor.  Best of all, for many charities, the meat is free and very […]

Continue reading about Hunters for the Hungry: Venison Meat Processing for Charity in Ohio Vocational School

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published in January 2005 Just how many coyotes are there in north-central Ohio?  Are they rare?  Common?  Thick on the ground?  Apparently, the third choice is the answer, though many an outdoorsman has never seen one, mainly because they travel mostly at night.  One group of coyote chasers who does most of their hunting around […]

Continue reading about Hunting Coyotes with Dogs in North Central Ohio

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published in December 2004 Snow.  Cold and white, fluffy or frozen, it’s marvelous stuff.  Skiers love it and snowmobilers, and hunters love it too, or should.  Last year we had an open winter, one of several recently, when it hardly snowed at all, but this winter is shaping up to be a cold one with […]

Continue reading about Hunting in Snow: Tracking Deer, Rabbit, Pheasant and More

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

It appears the halcyon days of early rabbit season are essentially over.  Those lovely days with temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s that saw rabbits sitting out in weed fields, in thin fencerows, light brush and curled over grass have turned into days with snow, bitter winds, and temperatures that hardly break freezing.  Weather like […]

Continue reading about Winter Rabbit Hunting With No Rabbit Dog

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Published December 2004  The Ohio statewide primitive weapons season will runs for four days in December  (2004), and as always it’s going to be a tough one.  Archers have already made a record kill and the opening day of gun season alone accounted for a further 40,000 plus animals.  The dumb and the unlucky are […]

Continue reading about Ohio Primitive Weapons Hunting: Bows and Muzzleloaders

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

It was a good gun season for a fair number of Ohio hunters and right now thousands of pounds of deerburger, steaks, chops, roasts, and more are sitting in area freezers.  And a good many cooks are looking at their new mound of meat and wondering what to do with it.  There are lots of answers to […]

Continue reading about Venison Recipes: Deer Hunting with Delicious Results

outdoorswithmartin on July 18th, 2009

Back when I was a kid in the hills of southern Ohio, the rites of manhood and The Use Of The Gun came in three distinct steps.  First, after hours of wheedling, the young man received his first BB gun at age 10 or 11, depending on mental maturity and the stamina of his mother.  […]

Continue reading about Buying Guns for Kids Safely