To some hunters, pursuing whitetails in a wilderness setting is most important. To others, the opportunity to bag a deer might be the most important factor. For still other hunters, trophy buck potential is all that counts.

Any magazine article that offers a "top 10" list of hotspots really hopes to help hunters have an enjoyable and successful deer-hunting season. So with a lot of help from Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife experts, here are some public deer-hunting areas that should provide plenty of variety and opportunity for hunters of every persuasion.

DISTRICT ONE
Each of Ohio's five wildlife districts is different in some ways. Central Ohio's District One connects with every other district, so it shares many characteristics.

"Kokosing Wildlife Area in Knox County would probably be No. 1 in District One," said biologist Dan Crusey. "The area is a mix of mature timber, old fields and crops."

The Kokosing Lake Wildlife Area lies 1 1/2 miles northwest of Fredericktown and five miles northeast of Chesterville.

Approaching from Columbus, follow Interstate Route 71 north to state Route 95 and follow it east to Fredericktown. From Fredericktown, take Waterford Road (county Road 6) about two miles northwest.

Through a cooperative agreement, the Ohio Division of Wildlife manages 1,113 acres around a U.S. Corps of Engineers flood project at the north branch of Kokosing Lake.

A hickory and pin oak woodlot is found at the south end of the lake. Open fields with fencerows and field dividers dominate the lake's north side. There are also wetlands, and feeder streams break the terrain.

Management efforts include control of field sizes and crop rotation. Grasses, legumes and food plots have been planted for wildlife. Deer and other wildlife also benefit from spot mowing and cutting along fencerows and the edges of woodlots to maintain brushy habitat, which provides essential food and cover for deer.

Additional information about this wildlife area is available through the Wildlife District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215; or call (614) 644-3925.

The Deer Creek Wildlife Area lies south of Columbus in Pickaway County and extends well into Fayette County. It is four miles south of Mount Sterling on state Route 207 west of Deer Creek Lake.

The area may be reached from the east and west by U.S. Route 22 and state Route 56, and from the north and south by U.S. Route 62 and state routes 3, 104 and 207.

The terrain on this 4,085-acre area is flat but not marshy, except for a 75-acre manmade marsh at the south end of the wildlife area. Designed by Ducks Unlimited, it was funded by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever.

Elsewhere, the habitat is a mix of hardwoods, old fields, brush, cropland and warm-season grasses. About a quarter of the wildlife area is cultivated with row crops and small grains. Another quarter is second-growth hardwoods and brush in various stages of development.

This area is intensively managed for pheasants, but the same habitat is very good for deer, too. In fact, Crusey said that deer hunters often overlook the warm-season grasses.

"Deer utilize those areas a lot more than most people realize," Crusey said. "It's tall grass prairie that can easily reach six feet, so it's no different than being in a brushy, overgrown field. Deer get in there and feel secure. They can walk around at will, and you can't even see them.