What is the buck to doe ratio?

Most of the year on the Quality Management Area there are more bucks than does.  Around mid to late October a lot of bucks leave the Quality Management Area.  Early October hunters usually see more bucks than does.  And the cameras we have set in the woods catch the same thing.  Around the same time doe numbers start to pick up.  I think it is the available food in the winter, spring, and summer that hold the buck.

Towards Christmas, the buck numbers start increasing again.  Bucks need to be fat and ready for the rut.  Does seem to start eating and fattening up in November.  The bucks need a lot of high protein in their food after the rut. That’s why I think the buck numbers start coming back in December.  Late October, November, and early December food is not very high on a buck’s priority list.  A 3 1/2 year old buck in early to mid October can field dress 224 lbs. by the first of December, they field dress at 165 to 175 lbs.

If you have cold weather and snow in late muzzle loader season, big bucks are moving and looking for food and the 9 month old does are hot and there are several of them around because of the food that is available.  If it is cold in December, hunting will be good for both bow and gun hunting.

I can’t give you a day in day out buck doe ratio on the Quality Management Area, but on the worst day, I would think it would be 40-45% bucks and 60-55% does.  The ratios on the Traditional Area are easier.  It doesn’t change much from 35-40% bucks and 65-60% does.

How do you hunt on guided gun hunts?

You need to be prepaid to set in a stand all day.  We let the deer come to us.  It is the best way to hunt our ground.

What county are you located in?

We are located in Meigs County, Ohio.  We are around 45 minutes north of Charleston, WV; 45 minutes south of Athens, OH; 45 minutes west of Parkersburg, WV; and 45 minutes east of Gallipolis, OH.

What is Great Bend Hunt Club?

G.B.H.C. is an LLC.  It protects everyone involved:  landowners, hunters, and management.  It has many other benefits that may help us open doors to other ground in the area.

What is Harris Farms?

Harris Farms is a working produce farm.  It is the name we started offering deer hunts under over 10 years ago.  Ohio got added around 5 years ago.  In 2005, we set up Great Bend Hunt Club for many reasons.  It is a LLC which we do the hunting business through.  Great Bend Brand was the brand name we marketed our produce under for over 25 years.  Great Bend is an area on the Ohio River.  There are spots on the farm where you can stand and see the Ohio River as you turn 180 degrees.

What if I book a hunt and then cannot come?

I sometimes have hunters on a call list, but they usually need some time to get ready to come.  You can transfer your hunt to someone else.  As soon as you think you may not be able to come, call me and I will start working on finding someone while you should start trying to get someone to take your place.  Maybes are not good.  Keep working until you get a yes and all or part of your deposit from the hunter.  Then call me.  If I sell the hunt, I will call you as soon as the money gets to me.  If it’s a last minute thing, the club looses your balance due and you lose your deposit.  I guess the buck deer you were not here to harvest is a winner too.

Are there special youth seasons?

Yes.  There are also reduced license fees.  Youth, 17 and under, resident or nonresident licenses are $10.00 and the deer or turkey tags are $12.00.  The youth must have passed a hunter safety course and would have to have an adult with him/her on the hunt.  If you have a hunt booked with us, you can bring a youth on a youth season hunt for no charge.  We limit the number of youth hunters, so get your spot early.

How much do licenses cost and do I have to apply?

Ohio has not yet started limiting licenses.  A hunting license costs $125.00 for nonresidential and $25.00 for a deer or turkey tag.

Can I harvest Doe deer?

Yes.  Things you need to remember about harvesting a doe on all hunts is that you are only allowed one buck and one doe. Make sure you take a doe with young ones beside her.  Keep in mind that early born buck fawns can look good size in mid bow season and act quite dumb if they have lost their mother.  If you see a lone deer and take it, it could be a button buck and your buck hunt is over.  Another thing you need to keep in mind when you decide to take a doe is that you must tag any deer you harvest before you can take a second deer.  If you have just shot or arrowed a mother deer and a nice buck shows himself, you’re out of luck.  It is your hunt, and we want you to have a great time.

Other than normal gear, what should I bring when I come on a hunt?

Quality Management Area bow hunters need to bring towels and wash cloths.  We provide sleeping bags, but a lot of hunters bring their own.  The kitchen is fully equip.

Quality Management Area gun hunters can bring their own sleeping bags if they want, but please bring a pair of tennis shoes or slippers to wear in camp

What is the hunting ground like?

The Quality Management Area contains around 1,000 acres of connected ground.  There’s around a mile of river frontage on the Ohio River.  There is a nice creek bottom and hardwood tree covered hills.  There are thick bedding areas.  We have food plots planted, vitamin and mineral licks, and drum feeders for supplemental food.  The elevation runs from 300 ft to 1,000 ft.  We have several thick sanctuaries scattered throughout the property.

The Traditional Areas add up to around 750 acres.  There are two areas of around 300 acres each and another with a little over 100 acres.  Most of the deer hunting is done on the two larger tracks.  Both tracks of ground are around 60% woods and 40% open.  Both tracks also have thick bedding areas and open hardwoods.  The elevations are 300 ft to 1,000 ft on both tracks with some very steep places.

If I book a hunt and want to rebook the same hunt and dates for the next year, can I?

Yes.  We need a deposit.  Saying the you are coming is not enough to hold a hunt date for the next year.

Do I need a 4-wheeler?

No.  We do not allow 4-wheelers on the Quality Management Area.  We only allow the use of 4-wheelers for deer removal on the Traditional Areas.  One is usually available for this job.

Are there rules about stands?

Stands are provided on the guided gun hunts.  We use Cabela’s 16 foot deluxe ladder stands.  You can set in these stands all day.  We do have several other stands scattered over the Quality Management Area which we use occasionally.  If you are uncomfortable hunting above the ground, please tell me when you book a hunt.  We will set up a couple of ground blinds.

If you want you can bring your own stand on the guided gun hunts.

We like for Quality Management bow hunters to being their own stands.  Bring a stand that you are comfortable in and are used to using.  If possible bring a climber or two and a lock on.
Quality Management Area bow hunters can use the ladder stands on the Quality Management Area if you want, but I don’t suggest that you do.
There are no stands on the Traditional Areas.  You need to bring light weight climbers or lock ons.  It will be quite a chore to hunt Traditional ground with a ladder stand.

What should I expect if my hunt includes food?

I would guess you would gain a pound or two on a 3 day hunt.  Breakfast is not a structured meal, but there are several choices to pick from.  Lunch is brown bagging it in your tree stand.  There are several choices for sandwiches and snacks to pack in the lunch bags.  Dinner is always a good hearty social event.  If you are at the point of booking a hunt and are have questions about the food, call a reference

Can I bring my camper?

Yes.  There is a campground close to the Traditional Area.

What is your housing like?

We house Quality Management bow hunters in the upstairs of a remodeled farm house which is on one corner of the Quality Management Area.  It has a full kitchen, a full bath, and a combination bedroom/livingroom with bunk beds, TV, and CD player.  It is very functional.

We house Quality Management gun hunters in our home.  Since food is included in these hunts, we have found that it is better for everyone to be able to eat and sleep in the same location.  All hunters are housed in single beds in our walkout basement.

Housing is not included in the price of the Traditional Area hunts.  There is a local motel which is clean and inexpensive (around $40 a night for a double).  The motel is 5-12 miles from the Traditional Hunting Areas.  The motel is The Scottish Inn.  The phone number is 304-273-2830

Do you have salt licks?

No.  We use Whitetail Institute products 30-06, Initiate, and Optimize.  They do contain salt, but their other components are minerals and vitamins.  We use the 30-06 on the Traditional Area also.

How much supplemental feeding do you do on the Quality Management Area?

Supplemental feeding is somewhere in the range of 35 tons between September and March.

How many acres of food plots are on the Quality Management Area?

At lease 40 acres.  They range from one eighth of an acre to 10 acre plots.  Some are huntable and some are in sanctuaries.

What is the success rate?

I’m not going to talk about shot opportunity, which I think is misleading.  A lot of things play into success:  scent lock clothing, hours you are in the woods and up a tree, making the shot when the right deer gets in range, and the weather.  Big bucks do move in the middle of the day, so if your at camp, you never see him.  You need to hunt high in a stand, you can sit for 13 to 14 hours a day, wear your scent lock, hope for good hunting weather, be confident in your ability to make the shot, and don’t forget your lucky rabbit’s foot.

So here’s the percent for harvesting a mountable buck on the Quality Management Area for bow season - 20%, first gun season - 50%, and second gun and late muzzleloader season - 25%.  The percent on the Traditional Area is almost identical to the Quality Management Area, but the over all sizes of the bucks are smaller.  However, I have seen monster bucks on and around the Traditional farms and one now and then has been taken.

What week is the best to hunt?

Weather is the biggest influence on your week.  Every week can be good.  There have been large deer seen and harvested every week of the season.  The best bucks to come off the Quality Management Area have varied so much over the last several years that it makes it impossible to pick one week over another.

Gun seasons are set by the state.  We only hunt 3 days of the first 7 day season on the Quality Management Area.  There is also a 2 day weekend hunt in mid December and a late muzzleloader hunt between Christmas and New Years.  The weather is a big influence on these hunts also.

What if I harvest a buck on the Quality Management Area that doesn’t gross 125?

If you are unsure what a 125 class deer looks like, then before you book a hunt we need to talk about your best buck to date and what to look for when deciding to shoot a buck on the Quality Management Area.  Starting in 2008, any hunter who is hunting an antler restriction area will be required to sign a minimum gross score agreement.  You can find the agreement on the home page.

What if I harvest a 160 class deer? Does it cost me more?

No, we have no added charges for taking large bucks.

Do you have antler restrictions?

Yes, on the Quality Management Area it is 125 class and up.
No, we do not have any restrictions on the Traditional Area.

How many hunters will be on the property?

We limit the bow hunters to 4 per week on the Quality Management Area.  On the Traditional Area, we try to average 4 per week, but we could hunt up to 8 one week to accommodate a large group.

What is traditional deer management?

Traditional management is what you would have on most hunting ground.  The one exception is that we have mineral licks on our traditional land and a controlled number of hunters.

What is quality deer management?

It’s several things:  sanctuaries, letting young bucks walk, providing everything such as supplemental vitamins and minerals and annual and perennial food plots to help the deer herd to reach its greatest potential, and 12 free choice drum feeders filled from mid September to the first of April.

Is your farm fenced?

No.  You will be hunting free roaming deer.