Central Ohio- Stoked to Oak

The season is roughly 45-60 days away, depending on what you say the opener is (cough cough DSA counties , cough cough DNR agencies who think they can control CWD are delusional). I, like you I’m sure am chomping at the bit to get in the stand or better yet my saddle haha. This blog will attempt to follow the 2026 season, strategy, conditions, what we are seeing in the field, etc. in Central Ohio. The Love it Live it Merk It series that is. Look for Youtube hunt and field videos to drop this fall. This will be a very exciting season like all that came before it I’m sure.

I have a new Matthews Arc 34 ( first new bow I have ever owned) that I am working on getting used to and tuning. If you’re in the market for a new bow, I will Shout out Fisherman’s Warehouse in Columbus OH. One- it’s one of the only, or maybe the only bow shop in Columbus. Two-I got the bow for 100 less than MSRP. It wasn’t a special deal and I am not a special customer, it was just their price. Three- they aren’t just the only bow shop option in Columbus, they are a full service professional & knowledgeable bow shop (also if you like to fish, huge selection of fishing gear as well). But, a bow is only effective if you get a Deer to give you a shot. So- that is the end goal of every hunter right? You can’t get a shot at one, if you don’t see one.

Almost all of the hunting I do is on Public land or some sort of public access. Today is August 1st, so make sure you’re checking on your Lottery Hunts in Ohio. Also, If your like me and always looking for new good places to hunt, make sure you look into the in person scenic river lotteries coming up this month. I would love to gatekeep that info and give myself better odds, but ultimately I would like to help grow the sport, so I will plug it here. Right now I am focusing on scouting when I can. Believe it or not, I have a day job unfortunately… I have 2 beautiful girls at home who are 5 and 2 so they occupy a lot of my time. When I am not being a Dad, I also try to be a good husband to my sugar momma of a wife ( supports my hunting habit…. for the most part- nobody is perfect haha. You know your wife is a keeper you when you tell her your spending $1450 on a new bow and don’t have to lie about it)

In 2026 I think most of your time is going to be done map scouting if you’re looking at new pieces you haven’t hunted before. I go with Huntstand for my mapping app but I don’t think you can go wrong with onx, spartan forge etc . My point is, make sure you’re utilizing more than google maps for your e-scouting. E-scouting will tell you a lot, and eliminate a lot of what you don’t want to hunt. That being said, every true hunter knows boots on the ground is the best form of scouting. You have got to try and look at what you’re going to be hunting for your best chance of success- in my opinion. I have never owned a cell camera. I am not against them, just not my style. That being said, I do own traditional trail cameras, and do use those. I typically like to get them out there by early July and leave them sit until season in areas I know I will try and hunt. My main goal of the cameras are to try and get an inventory as to what is in the area; Not- oh bucks come through at 9 you got to be there at 9. I don’t think you can rely on that data personally. Deer and especially mature bucks are absolutely unique individuals. Then, I will swap the card after my first hunt in the area. It’s a good way to scout when you can’t be in stand and in my opinion it’s not too much or an unfair advantage on the Deer, where it takes some sport out of hunting.

My favorite feature to hunt is habitat transitions such as dense thick timber to open timber or CRP overgrown grass prairie to timber, timber to Agg etc. Anything when one habitat changes to another. However, I typically won’t focus on those until later in October. In early season, in my experience, you’re better off finding oak flats/ridges in timber. That is what I will be keyed in on for early season- the Oaks. The earlier in the season the more success with Oaks I have had. (Deer, squirrels, etc eat most of the Acorns that fall from the trees by end of October). In my experience, especially if your trying to hang a freezer queen in the cooler, early season oaks are one of your best bets. Ten years ago when I started bow hunting, I had no idea what an oak tree looked like. Knowing what I know now, goodness do I wish I knew about Oaks sooner. It took me a while to identify oaks effectively ( I have come to realization many hunters, even guys who are very successful, have no idea what an oak tree looks like). I will post pictures below of oaks for reference to help hunters identify them. In my opinion, the easiest way to identify is looking at the leaves as they are a combo of pointy and curvy on the edges (wait what?) . Allow me to explain: Most oaks will have multiple points, if you will, but many (mostly white oaks) won’t be pointed and will be rounded. Red oaks- also multiple points, are a bit more pointy, or have more of an edge at the points. Everyone should or does know what a Maple leaf looks like (google Toronto Maple Leafs it’s basically exactly that). Oaks are a bit harder to identify as there are more species of oaks. However, typically they are more rounded than Maple leaf’s points. They also have multiple points, unlike say a Sycamore, Beech, or Poplar which look more like a plate if you will or lacks numerous points. What about a Chestnut oak my guy ? Fuck yourself let move on… Oaks carry acorns( the fruit of an oak tree) and most years in the late September early October time frame, they are falling from the tree (some years are a lot better than others) . That’s a Deer’s favorite food from what I can tell- in early fall at least in Central Ohio ( I have heard persimmons but I never find them on public). Certainly far from the only food, but their favorite in my opinion. I have killed 2 freezer queens and one buck on opening day hunting over or near oak flats. (I am not some world beater hunter telling you how to hunt far far from it) . But, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

This is a piece I scouted last winter that has some modest rolling ridges in timber. There is access to north a hiking trail (roughly ¾ mile from parking) . I usually like to get a bit further, but on this particular piece you run out of property within the border lines. I would enter on the top of the ridge to North and hunt either in the bottom (travel) where deer can slip up either ridge, or travel in densely vegetated bottom -Or on the ridge top to south (oaks- acorns two massive white oaks) agg 300 yards to west. My plan would be to only hunt these stand(s) on a west or south wind. North wind, which is probably the most common in fall in Ohio, you’re busted most likely ( can always get lucky-some hunting is better than none). Same would go with the rare east wind. I think south wind (usually warm front) in the late evening after 5 (thermals dropping) would be best time to hunt these stand(s) with the entry. I set up 2 cameras about 25-40 yards of where I am initially planning my setup to hunt. Picture below for reference.

This is just one of a handful of spots I plan on hunting this fall. I have never hunted this piece before, so hopefully will have some good hunts. You can bring your binoculars, range finder, magnifying glass etc. out to the woods. If you think you found an oak tree look up into its canopy. You should be able to see if its holding acorns. If it’s holding acorns now, circle it, mark it and come back and hunt it in late September early October. Get out there and find the oaks this fall- you won’t regret it. (Hell maybe you will who the hell knows)

Central Ohio- Stoked to Oak

You Don’t Just Hunt You Merk!