Athens, OH

Adam Ahlers

Adam Ahlers

New member
Hello All,

I am considering a move to Athens, Ohio. Sadly, based on a quick Google search, this area looks like a dead-zone for duck hunters. If somebody familiar with this area has any information on what I could expect this fall (e.g., hunting access, opportunities to shoot divers and puddlers, other hunters in the area) I would greatly appreciate it. I need some positive news to help me sleep at night!
 
Convert to a deer hunter!


I'm not tfrom there but travel thru that area often for work, and I have a cousin who lives in Athens.


Not really any lakes or reservoirs to speak of, but your not too far from the Ohio River. That may be a good place to start.


There probably are a few "honey holes" around, maybe someone from that general area will offer better encouragement...


Jon


Jon
 
Ohio is not the best waterfowl hunting but does have opportunities. Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie are about 3 - 3 1/2 hours from Athens and has some excellent waterfowling. Although best is in the private marshes there are public marsh opportunities and the Bay and Lake provide some excellent shore and layout hunting.

The Scioto and other Rivers can be good during peak of migration and when everything else is frozen. The state reservoirs are options and plenty of good field hunting. The Ohio River is I believe within 2 hours or less and season is open the longest in that zone. Lots of geese and wood ducks around farms and streams.

With time and effort you can satisfy your waterfowl craving.

Turkey and grouse are very good in the Athens area.
 
I agree with Jon.
I live 35 miles from athens in Jackson county. Duck hunting is tough here in the hills woodducks are the best bet try to find some swamps, getting permission will be the biggest challenge.
Canada Goose hunting will probably be your best bet especially with land owners that find them a nuisance.
I hunt the Ohio River with mixed results, if Lake Erie freezes it forces birds onto the river but you need to know the rules.
Plenty of hunters. I no longer hunt on weekends.

Our deer herd is down mostly due to DNR mismanagement, turkeys seem to be holding their own,grouse are very scarce.

I just sold my 17' TDB because it wasn't getting enough use. If you don't mind traveling you might head back west for your waterfowling.

I find myself hunting more on game farms for released pheasants to give the dog work.

Sorry not to have better news. Subscribe to the OHIO OUTDOOR NEWS for a better idea of what is going on in the state.
 
If possible, spend 2-3 weeks in the Canadian Duck Factory provinces early in the season. Get as much great waterfowling as you can. Then go home and hunt what there IS to hunt in your area.

That plan got me through many many years...
 
Bill is a good resource for south/central Ohio duck hunting. He will even let you miss banded birds and them shoot them so you can be sure you missed a banded bird. There are pretty good numbers of local Canada geese around.


I work with a guy who hunts the Muskingum River regularly. The story isn't any different.


While deer numbers are down from a decade ago they, along with Turkey numbers, are much higher than what you will be use to in central IL.


Athens isn't quite as flat as Chambana. Southern Ohio is very pretty and hilly. There is a lot more public land to hunt than in IL too.


Tom UI '86
 
Thanks for the information. It sounds like I may have to paint some of my goose full bodies to look like jakes. Hopefully I can scratch a few ducks out during the big push in the fall.
 
The Ohio River is only an hour away. In late December and January the hunting is excellent. If you are interested we sometimes have an empty seat.
 
Adam you have a pm. Bill Clark gave you sound advise. I hunt or scout the river about every day from Christmas thru the end of January, and safety is a big issue with temperature near zero, and breaking ice. I have a lab pup who just earned his Junior Hunter Title, and we will be working on getting him steady in the boat, swimming thru the long lines, and blind retrieving. Let me know if you would like to see the river. I hunt between Hunting WV and Sistersville WV.
 
The most ducks I have ever seen in one day was while hunting the lower Scioto river 15 years ago. Literally tens of thousands of birds.

However, access has gotten nearly impossible and I stopped hunting it when the game warden started writing tickets for anyone who dropped anchor, set decoys or touched land in any way without written permission from the landowner, which you won't get as almost all of it is under lease.

But if you can figure it out it can be a Mecca.

The hunter to acre ratio in parts of Ohio is much higher than other states I hunt.

I know nothing about the rules on the Ohio river.
 
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Kevin,
I recently spoke to a state water cop who told me the rules are similar to what you experienced on the scioto with the exception of the original river bed prior to the dams . The low water line can be found by gps so i am told.
Years ago i traveled north of portsmouth to waverly trying to get access to the scioto or a field to hunt with no success. Just this past season i tried to gain permission farther up the scioto with no success, at least this landowner was a duck hunter not a leaser.
When the cropland at the confluence of the ohio and scioto rivers flood you can usually get permission to hunt but you will have company. I don't think the numbers of birds congregate in that area as they once did.

My hunting is limited to the main channel of the ohio if the river is not flooded or frozen, timing is essential but can be productive.
Jump shooting on either river is acceptable if you don't anchor or tieup. Permission from the landowner is the exception.
 
She had better be VERY PRETTY to be worth moving..... I am not sure the move would be worth it for money...

By the way it sounds.
 
WV. and Ohio has a reciprocal agreement for waterfowl hunting and fishing on the Ohio River. Publication 404 (1003). The publication shows how far you can go up streams and embayments by landmarks,miles above the creek mouth, and GPS coordinates. A few high lights. Waterfowl shooting may take place on/over the Ohio River, and West Virginia embayments/tributaries only during WV. open season. Hunters may not hunt from the Ohio bank of the river when the Ohio season is closed. When hunting in Ohio while WV. season is closed. Hunting will be allowed only on the Ohio River embayments or tributaries that are within boundaries of Ohio. The Feds. have fined Ohio hunters for hunting on Sunday in WV waters (main body of the Ohio River. I keep a copy of the agreement along with shooting time information in the boat all season. It may keep you from being fined.
 
Access is the problem along the Scioto River. There are many bridges that provide access. The biggest flock of woodies I ever saw came out of the fog one morning just south of Rt 32. I just watched them go by. I use to hunt with a judge from Scioto Co. and he had access to a lot of the land just west of Portsmouth.
Floating the Scioto can be productive even when birds are pressured. I lived down there over 15 years ago and there were not a lot of people floating the river, that far south then.


Tom
 
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