Anyone Hunt in Pike/Jackson County?

[HANKFAN]

Last year was our 1st year hunting in Ohio. We leased a 600 acre farm in Pike county on the Jackson/Pike county line. In years past we have leased property in Illinios but figured we would give Ohio a try. We ended up killing a 165" and a 158" off the lease. These were the 2 biggest bucks that we had on our trail cams. We had a bunch of bucks on our lease but after the 165" and 158" there was a sharp drop off in size. Most of the bucks were in the 120" to 130" range. Is this pretty typical of the bucks in this area? Does this area produce many bucks over 170" or is 150-160" more the norm?

Here are the 2 bucks we harvested last season.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn289/1HANKFAN/024.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn289/1HANKFAN/008.jpg

[Big_Holla]

I sure hope you weren't disappointed in what you guys got as those were dandies!! Ohio is like anywhere else in that you may have only certain bucks showing up that you can pattern but there are always bucks that seem to go undetected. When the rut is in full swing bucks will travel for miles and just may show up on your property.

[bowhuntingohio]

That is some awesome bucks ! Thanks for sharing

[at1010]

Ohio is up and down all over the place. I am sure some guys who hunt pike county would say they havent seen a big that big in their life.

I would say a 170 is no way out of reach. I know a guy from pike county who has killed 5 or more Ohio Big Bucks which are 140 or better.

Anywhere in Ohio you can kill a big buck, also a lot of places in Ohio you might go and not cut a track. Seems like you all got a good lease, hope your happy NICE BUCKS!!

Nice shot on the 2nd buck too by the way!

[HANKFAN]

We were extremely happy with the bucks we killed. We seen way more bucks overall in Ohio than we ever did in Illinios. However, in Illinios we did get more trail cam photos of 140" + deer than we did in Ohio. I think there is a direct correlation with the numbers of bucks we seen in Ohio with the 1 buck limit in Ohio. Ohio DNR has that part right I think.

Below is the buck I killed on my 1st trip ever to Illinios. The 2nd year we leased land there I didn't kill a thing. The 3rd year I hunted 13 straight days before killing just an average buck. It's a lot harder to harvest a mature whitetail in Illinios than the TV shows makes it out to be for sure.

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn289/1HANKFAN/2008IL184inch12Point2.jpg

[at1010]

nice buck!

What did you do just take vacation time during the peak rut and hunt every day for 14 days?

[HANKFAN]

nice buck!

What did you do just take vacation time during the peak rut and hunt every day for 14 days?

I am fortunate enough to own my own business, so I bust my butt in the Spring and Summer so that I can take off in the Fall.

[at1010]

I am fortunate enough to own my own business, so I bust my butt in the Spring and Summer so that I can take off in the Fall.

Very cool man! I own my own farm in Ohio, but I have also leased up 400 acres this coming fall 15 mins from my farm.

I also have many places I can hunt about 15mins from my home, so this will be the first year I actually have to many spots to hunt in my entire life! hahaha

[blackbeard]

Nice bucks, I'd be proud of those in Ohio for sure. I live in Jackson County and have seen some nice bucks taken over the years, so I'd say there are 170" here but I've never killed one. I consider 150-170" awesome bucks so whether it's 150, 160, or 170, it don't matter once you get apast 150 IMO.

[HANKFAN]

Nice bucks, I'd be proud of those in Ohio for sure. I live in Jackson County and have seen some nice bucks taken over the years, so I'd say there are 170" here but I've never killed one. I consider 150-170" awesome bucks so whether it's 150, 160, or 170, it don't matter once you get apast 150 IMO.

I totally agree. Once they get to 150" they are shooters for sure. On our leases we have a 140" minimum. It really lets the bucks get to be 4 1/2 year olds. You would be surprised at how much some of the 3 1/2 year old 130" deer grow by just letting them go one more year.

[mwsports24]

im thinking that u might not have gotten every buck in that area on cam. 600 acres is a lot of land...they might have been the 2 biggest on cam maybe not on the whole lease tho...esp. during the rut...new bucks would show up daily