2011 GUN SEASON IS OPEN!
2011 GUN SEASON IS HERE!
The 2011 Ohio Shotgun Season is now open! The season runs from November 28 - December 4 statewide. Obviously, SAFETY is the #1 concern so please identify your target, as well as what's in front of and behind your target, before taking a shot. Never climb in or out of a treestand with a loaded gun and always wear a safety harness while in a tree. In reality, it's just a deer, and is not worth causing an injury to yourself or someone else. Think SAFETY FIRST!
Strategy will vary due to hunting pressure. If you are fortunate enough to be hunting land, with minimal to no pressure, food sources could result in a successful hunt, especially in the evenings. The rut is winding down and although you might still find a hot doe here or there, the bucks should start going back to a feeding pattern soon to start replenishing their bodies from the stress of the rut. Driving deer is a popular method of hunting in Ohio which gets the deer moving and more times than not, heading for cover. Setting up in nasty thick bedding areas can be the key to success for the lone hunter in this case. When the guns start cracking, the mature bucks will obviously want to find a safe place to hide. Travel/escape routes, located between blocks of timber or between bedding areas, are also good locations to be waiting. Although pushing the deer gets them moving, providing a safe, non-pressured area, might just be the answer to getting a shot at a giant Ohio whitetail during this week of chaos and orange-dotted timber.
Whatever method you choose, we want to wish you good luck! The Ohio Pro Staff will have our cameras rolling and look forward to sharing our hunts with you. Thank you for your continued support! Please be safe & God Bless!
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YOUTH SEASON SUCCESS
Once again, we had a great time during the 2011 Ohio Youth Shotgun Season. Several of the Pro Staff guys accompanied a youth hunter during the two day hunt. Although not everyone was fortunate enough to take a deer, a few of the youngsters did have the opportunity to fill a tag. Jake Sellers, son of Ohio Pro Staffer Matt Sellers, was one of the lucky hunters. Matt tells us the story below. Congratulations Jake.
Well the day started off very slow
for Jacob and I. On our morning sit accompanied by my girlfriend Kelly Hotlosz, we saw nothing moving at all. We decided to meet up with my buddy and put on a small deer drive hoping to get the deer moving. We had a 140-145" 10 point come out, but did not offer a good shot for Jacob. After a little lunch we were ready for the afternoon/evening hunt. We sat on stand while the rain continued to get heavier. We saw one big doe feeding off in the distance, when all of a sudden a nice buck appeared out of nowhere. Jacob prepared for the shot as the buck turned broadside at 35-40 yards. The buck stopped and Jacob let the lead fly. The end of the hunt had come, but the the memories we shared will last a lifetime. Hope all the youngsters had a safe and memorable hunt as we did. Things are really heating up here in Southeastern Ohio, so get out there and brave the elements, it just may pay off as it did for us.
You can see Jake's hunt this week on Midwest Whitetail OHIO!
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LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON
The last few weeks have been a
roller-coaster of emotions for Nate Little of the Ohio Pro Staff. Not only did Nate take a great buck during an exciting hunt in Southeast Ohio, but he also was able to watch as his son Easton take his first deer. Nate is a great deer hunter but he also understands the importance of passing along the tradition to the next generation. Easton might be a little fellow, but the love of hunting and his passion for whitetails is already huge! Congratulations to Nate and Easton and all of us at Midwest Whitetail Ohio want to thank you for sharing your hunts with us. You can see all of the action on SHOW 13 - LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON!
roller-coaster of emotions for Nate Little of the Ohio Pro Staff. Not only did Nate take a great buck during an exciting hunt in Southeast Ohio, but he also was able to watch as his son Easton take his first deer. Nate is a great deer hunter but he also understands the importance of passing along the tradition to the next generation. Easton might be a little fellow, but the love of hunting and his passion for whitetails is already huge! Congratulations to Nate and Easton and all of us at Midwest Whitetail Ohio want to thank you for sharing your hunts with us. You can see all of the action on SHOW 13 - LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON!___________________________________________________________________________________
PRO STAFF UPDATES
.....November 30, 2011
Dwayne Burnette, Willie Bryant & Ronny Dalton
We've had a good past few weeks
of hunting. It seems like things are slowing down some. So me and my wife went out this past Friday she took a nice 10 with some trash around the bases what a surprise! I filmed this deer back on Oct.27th while Willie was hunting. We had two nice 10's that came into the fridge Forge food plot that night.
Willie had a shot at one of the 10's but it just didn't work out. We had a road trip to Illinois a few weeks ago and Willie redeemed himself with a nice 8 pointer. Myself , Well lets just say the 10 pointer I shot in Illinois has a hair cut.
While we were in Illinois we received a text that Willie's 8 pointer that he shot on Oct.29th that we call '' Hook'' and thought we lost was found so that was a relief . So the post Rut is here in Virginia so where just hunting food and does hoping to see a buck feeding or maybe seeing a hot doe coming in late.
JEFF & JUSTIN MULLINS - Southeast
Gun season starts this week 
and again I will be in Michigan for some more Fanuc robot training. The new job is really cutting into my hunting time this year but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. We had "Big Ben" within 80 yards last weekend but we couldn't get him to come down the hill. We took some time out to move our stands to get us closer to the "edge" that he was traveling down. He is staying on the edge of open timber and a honeysuckle and green-brier thicket. "Ben" also showed up on the trail camera the other night so at least for now he's still around.
MICHAEL EWING & EDDIE PENNINGTON - Southeast
It was a very wet start to gun season but that did not stop us from setting in the stand all day. The only thing we learned from yesterday is that we a crazy. We did not see a single deer all day! We hope it was the rain that kept the deer from moving and are hoping that the weather is good this weekend so the deer will be up on their feet. We are going to hit it hard again this weekend and hope our luck changes.
ADAM MOORE & JON MORBITZER - Central
Well it's been a tough few weeks of hunting for Jon and I. During the rut we were having some great encounters with some really good bucks. But everything we did to try and get a big boy on the ground they seemed to always be one step ahead of us. Last friday evening we had another great buck in sight but he held tight to the sanctuary and never came in. But it was exciting to still see him on the move with plenty of day light. But on the bright side later that evening Jon shot a good mature doe getting some meat for the freezer and letting the Hoyt do some work. Gun season has been a soggy one but we're still out trying to get Jon a big old Ohio buck on the ground. Well I hope everyone is having a good season so far. Look for Jon's doe hunt in the next few weeks here on Midwest Whitetail Ohio. By the way has anybody ever heard the name Urban Meyer!
JASON & TED HUNTSMAN - Southeast
Last week Dad and I bowhunted hard. I did not see a mature buck at all. I saw several does/fawns as well as a ton of young bucks but nothing that I wanted to use my tag on. The does, for the most part, were back to a normal feeding pattern and were back with their fawns. The bucks were also feeding but always took time to harass the does a bit and work every scrape they could find. My nephew, Colten Strauss, had a close call with a good buck but things just didn't work out. We will be gun hunting every day this week so hopefully one of us can get a mature buck in the scope.
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PRO STAFF UPDATES .....November 23, 2011
EVAN HASTINGS - Southeast
Well with youth season ending 
this past weekend it means one week left before the regular gun season kicks in and that means one more week of hard bowhunting. This past weekend I had a great encounter with the buck I was after but with a high hit he will get along just fine. In fact, he came back to the same place later that night in the food plot and I got a few pics of him eating so that made me feel better. This week and the past week are my two favorite weeks during the rut. It's definately a lot slower but every year that is when I see the biggest deer of the year. This year was no exception. I just didn't do my part and take my time on the shot.
DUSTIN & DERIK NIPPERT - Southeast
At the beginning of the week we were in Missouri hunting where Derik harvested a beautiful 12 point. It was a tough hunt on public ground so we were happy to come home with that deer for sure. This weekend was the youth season so Derik took our little brother Logan on Saturday with no luck. Then on Sunday Logan had a few bucks, one really good one push a doe by him. All i will say about that is Logan wishes he had a do-over. But we did see a lot of deer moving through out the entire day including mature bucks. Some were alone and others were pushing does. Derik did get to see "Moose Buck" in daylight, even though he was a few miles away from where we normally get pics of him. So they are moving around here so we are going to get after them this week. Good luck to everyone and be safe!!
JASON & TED HUNTSMAN - Southeast
It was a week of hard hunting with less than desired results. We saw a ton of young bucks chasing all week. Tonight, I saw 4 more bucks on the move but just no shooters. It's frustrating but we're going to keep at it. We have a few more days of bowhunting before we get out the shotguns! Good luck next week and be safe. God Bless - Jason & Ted
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PRO STAFF UPDATES .....November 16, 2011
TRAVIS VANHOOSE - Central
I somehow seen this last week going differently. Me and Tj hunted hard! I seen one of my hist list bucks...Captain Hook. Seen him twice. One time he was working some scrapes on a field edge. The next time I seen him he was walking through a cut bean field and wouldn't respond to any type of call. Then by mid-week the temptures had came up and the deer activity slowed down. We stayed at it and managed to see a few more small bucks and a few does, but the big boys where not moving very much where we was hunting. It's kinda aggervating to hear others talk about seeing bucks chasing doe's everwhere and all this great buck activity and you are not seeing anything good. That's the kinda luck me and Tj had this past week! But we are gonna stay focused and stay at it and hopefully this weekend coming up we will be able to finally get a shot at a monster! From what I've heard and seen out the window of my work truck lots of small bucks following doe's and some bigger bucks are starting to chase as well. Good luck everyone! Be safe, and Have fun!
MICHAEL EWING & EDDIE PENNINGTON - Central
We finally got to see some deer movement this weekend. The rut was in full swing and the bucks were up on their feet. Anytime a doe went by you just had to wait and a buck would be soon to follow. Unfortunately luck was not on our side this weekend but there is still plenty of time to get out there and fill a tag. As the rut starts to calm down we will have to turn our focus back to food sources. This weekend we hope the bucks will still be up looking for the does, we just have to be in the right place when he walks by.
JEFF & JUSTIN MULLINS - Southeast
We have been seeing some bucks the past couple of weeks, some young loner bucks and a few of our hit list bucks. Old Greg is a buck we keep seeing. Saturday morning we had him within sixty yards but he was just over the ridge with just his head and top if his back showing. There was a doe with him and I couldn't get her to come down.
I was in Michigan last week for Fanuc robot training which left Justin here by himself trying to hunt and film for himself. I am heading back to Detroit this week for some more training but when I get back I'm on vacation. The full moon will be over when I get back, the corn should be picked and it should be cooler so the bucks will be up on their feet in the daylight so Thanksgiving week should be a good one.
God Bless -
Jeff
JASON & TED HUNTSMAN - Southeast
It was a very slow week for Dad and I. We saw plenty of deer but just not anything worth shooting. The rutting activity was very slow for us. Apparently we were just in the wrong place and couldn't get anywhere near a hot doe. However, everything changed on Tuesday evening. I finally had a 5 bucks chasing a doe in front of me and Dad had the same deal on a different farm. Neither one of us saw anything that we really wanted to shoot but the excitement of the evening has us both ready to get back out there. I'm heading to the woods as soon as I finish typing this! Youth season is this weekend so we'll both be out filming the young guys in our family. Hopefully, we'll have a hunt to share with you next week.
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PRO STAFF UPDATES .....11-9-2011
JON MORBITZER & ADAM MOORE - Central
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Well the rut is in full swing. Hope all is well with the hunters out this week. This weekend Adam and I were hunting in Delaware Co. and watched a lot of younger bucks chasing. Also, we've got two new hit list bucks, one in Delaware Co. and the other in Morgan Co. So far this week we have seen many bigger bucks out searching. Not many does though. I have the rest of the week off, so maybe I will be able to film a good hunt to put on the web site. Good luck to all the hunters out there, be safe and God Bless.
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This great buck pictured to the right just showed up on Jon & Adam's trail camera. Hopefully, they will get an up-close view at him from a treestand
TRAVIS VANHOOSE - Central
It sure was a great weekend! Saturday evening me and Tj had a great evening sitting in the stand! We seen two bucks, the first one was a really nice buck! Somewhere in the 140's...Had nice mass and decent main beams and tines. But just not the size buck that we are looking for off that farm. So Tj passed the buck, and another buck came in. The bucks looked like they was gonna fight some but instead spent the evening eating acorns and grooming one another! Have to say I have never seen two bucks in November act like that. But its all on film....Then Sunday evening I was hunting and I got to see one of my hit list bucks! He was making a scrape and working up a fence row. Then monday morning sitting in another stand I seen him again! No shots either time. But it is getting right...Monday evening...I didn't see any deer, but it was really warm. I did hear some chasing in a wood lot. I'm on vacation all this week and hopefully after the next cold front we will be into some great hunting here in Ohio! Good luck everyone! Be safe!
DERIK & DUSTIN NIPPERT - Southeast
The rut is just about to explode and hopefully everyone is ready for it. We hunted this whole weekend and all we saw were bucks, no does in sight. We had multiple encounters with smaller bucks, and had one really nice three year old come to the horns. He was very nice but just needs one more year. Most all the bucks either came in to the horns or to grunting. Also whiile driving to where we hunt we saw some bigger bucks chasing does after dark. So the rut should be in blasting off in the next couple days or at the most a week. The weather is really warm right now and it is supposed to drop by the end of the week, so this should gets those bucks moving during the daylight. My brother and I are leaving for Missouri on Wednesday to go muzzleloader hunting out there this weekend. The season opens on Saturday, so we plan on getting out there a couple days early to scout. Well good luck to everyone out there.
EVAN HASTINGS & DAMON DETLING- Southeast
Well things are finally starting to heat up
here in Ohio. As you'll see on this weeks show Damon and I had a real close call on a huge deer. That was the November 5th, in the past it's been Damon's lucky day but this year an unlucky limb fell thirty feet after it cost him a shot and this deer. The day after was my turn and we snuck into my best stand , shortly after daylight it was ruined by four coyotes, but only three of them got away. On the brighter side of things we're starting to see alot of bucks cruising but only one shooter so far but from here on out it only gets better and we're gonna concentrate on sticking close to the doe bedding areas which is almost always a sure thing to see alot of different deer. Hopefully by next week one of us will get a deer on the ground.
MICHAEL EWING & EDDIE PENNINGTON - Central
This past weekend was another slow one for us. We spent most of the weekend in the trees and still only managed to see five deer. One of those was a nice eight pointer that we have no history with. We were able to get some good film of him but he never came into bow range. All of the movement we saw this weekend came between 10am and noon. We are going to hit it hard again this coming weekend and hope we are in the right place at the right time.
JASON & TED HUNTSMAN - Southeast
I hunted 4 evenings last week. I haven't been in a stand for a morning hunt due to work. I spent most of my tree-time on the edge of a Frigid Food Plot and saw several bucks checking does and working scrapes as well as stopping to grab a quick bite in the process. Nothing panned out from these encounters. The last few days the food plot sighting have dwindled to only fawns walking aimlessly without their mothers. This tells me that the bucks are definitely getting with the does and it's time for me to get back in near the doe bedding areas or highly traveled funnels that are traditionally good during the rut. I might hang over a food plot as well because you just never know where the big boy will show up right now. Dad has been hunting with the grandchildren over food sources and just hasn't been seeing much. He's gonna start hunting for himself this week. Good Lord willing, we'll have safe hunts and maybe just bring home a buck.
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THE 219 INCH GHOST!
With Halloween weekend approaching, it only seems fitting that Kurt Mallett of Southeast Ohio arrowed a giant buck that he called "THE GHOST." 
The young hunter and his Dad, Mike Mallett, have been watching this buck for a few years now and the Ghost had become a household name for the Malletts. Several trail cam pictures and a brief sighting last summer fueled the desire for Kurt and his Dad to pursue this monster whitetail. The dream of taking this great buck finally became a reality when The Ghost appeared out of nowhere last week as Kurt filmed from the stand. The buck came in to check a doe and Kurt had the camera rolling. When he could take it no longer and knew the buck was coming within bow range, Kurt stopped filming and picked up the bow. The shot found its mark and the story of The Ghost had come to an exciting end for the Malletts. When they found the enormous buck, the sight of this magnificent animal was more than Kurt
had expected. He is a true giant Ohio whitetail. The buck green scored around 226 6/8 inches gross and netted 219 6/8 inches non-typical. Again, that's a green score and will be officially scored after the 60 day drying period. The humble young bowhunter has been rewarded at a very early age and all of us at Midwest Whitetail Ohio want to thank Kurt and his Dad Mike for sharing their story with us. You can watch Kurt and Mike tell the story and see the video of this outstanding buck on SHOW 11. Congratulations to the Malletts on the buck of a lifetime!
The young hunter and his Dad, Mike Mallett, have been watching this buck for a few years now and the Ghost had become a household name for the Malletts. Several trail cam pictures and a brief sighting last summer fueled the desire for Kurt and his Dad to pursue this monster whitetail. The dream of taking this great buck finally became a reality when The Ghost appeared out of nowhere last week as Kurt filmed from the stand. The buck came in to check a doe and Kurt had the camera rolling. When he could take it no longer and knew the buck was coming within bow range, Kurt stopped filming and picked up the bow. The shot found its mark and the story of The Ghost had come to an exciting end for the Malletts. When they found the enormous buck, the sight of this magnificent animal was more than Kurt had expected. He is a true giant Ohio whitetail. The buck green scored around 226 6/8 inches gross and netted 219 6/8 inches non-typical. Again, that's a green score and will be officially scored after the 60 day drying period. The humble young bowhunter has been rewarded at a very early age and all of us at Midwest Whitetail Ohio want to thank Kurt and his Dad Mike for sharing their story with us. You can watch Kurt and Mike tell the story and see the video of this outstanding buck on SHOW 11. Congratulations to the Malletts on the buck of a lifetime!
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