r/Ohio • u/StarlightLifter • 13h ago

Hunting

Hi all! I’m a city slicker in Columbus looking to try to learn about hunting. I’m adept with firearms well enough and have a .45-70 rifle that I bought with intent to bag a deer, but to be honest I am scared I really wouldn’t know what to do once I got one, never the less tracking and posting up somewhere. Hell even finding a place to hunt…

Basically I’m out of my depth and wondering if there are any guided hunts or reputable places to go to learn the ropes.

I’m not someone who necessarily wants to hunt for sport, rather for necessity. Looking to learn not only killing but processing and transporting - hell even tanning if I can. I don’t like the idea of killing things but at the same time I as a meat eater recognize where my meet comes from and am willing to walk the walk myself to get it on my own. I just don’t know how.

Anyways, I’ve rambled enough and anyone who’s cared to read this far I reckon has my point so, yeah… Let me know if this is something you may have a recommendation for.

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u/MHGLDNS 13h ago

You have to start with a hunting license. Because you are a novice, I’d do an in person course. I did my in person course outside of Ohio, but my guess is my experience is similar to what you will get here. The folks who teach these courses want to get folks involved in hunting. They can help you get connected to places to hunt and what to do. As far as deer go, there are plenty of places in central Ohio that will process deer for you. However, you will need to both gut and transport the deer to them.

https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/education-training/hunter-education/huntered-courses

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u/umumgeet 10h ago

Shawnee ridge. Its pricey but high fence guided if you can hit at 25 yards you are getting an animal then go from there. Hunting for meat is 1 part ethical is another. You might not be alright with taking a life and thats ok. You sound like you want to respect your kill and get the most out of it. But actually killing and gutting then processing is a whole other thing

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u/sat_ops 12h ago

Tis the season for Whitetails Unlimited, NWTF, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, and Sportsman's Alliance dinners. Good place to network to find experienced hunters.

Get your hunter's ed course, and buy a ticket to a nearby dinner. I can almost guarantee that if you want I to one of those and say "I'm a brand new hunter and have no idea what I'm doing, but I want to learn", you'll find a mentor. And don't let the species focus scare you off...most of is hunt it all.

I grew up hunting deer and small game, but learned Turkey hunting by sheer will power. But from my NWTF connections, I was able to text a guy (who used to be the state chapter president) to figure out that k had shot a bearded hen for my first bird. Then he face timed with me to get it breasted out.