What WMA do you most like to hunt? and why? [Archive]

NorthGaHunter

11-26-2002, 05:00 PM

I am interested in archery hunting the late season in Kentucky tis year. I have been lurking on this site for awhile now and really am impressed with the passion of the hunters on this site. I am sure this is why Kentucky is such a great state.

Darton73

11-26-2002, 07:28 PM

If you're interested in hunting Taylorsville Lake WMA (not too far from Louisville), then I'll try to help you out any way I can. I know the area pretty well, and might even be able to get out and go with you if you want. Email your mailing address and I'll send you a good map.

I might make you return the favor by putting me on a Georgia turkey[:D]

Brian Grossman
Darton73@alltel.net

P. Beyer

11-26-2002, 07:46 PM

In West Ky, I'm hooked on West Ky WMA... It is loaded with deer.
Ive see 40+ on a single sitting[:D](I do most my bowhunting here)

Lots of big bucks too, as they only allow archery hunting, and quota only hunts w/Shotgun and ML......

If your in the area, let me know!

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

NorthGaHunter

11-26-2002, 10:00 PM

If you had one WMA to Archery hunt for a once in a lifetime buck which one would you choose?

Wildcat

11-26-2002, 10:39 PM

LBL is not really a WMA but I've hunted there all my life and over all to me it's the best.

I think Ballard WMA is the best chance to bag a lifetime buck but they have an archery quota hunt so there's a limit on how many people can go and how many times.

There have been several WMA as well as Fort Knox and Fort Campbell that put out several big bucks almost every year.

Xi Bowhunter

11-26-2002, 10:49 PM

Anyone ever hunted Higgenson-Henry? I would like to have some info on what kind of terrian it has and what would be some good stragities to hunt it.

Matt Goetz

NorthGaHunter

11-27-2002, 08:44 AM

The Dnr has been telling me I should either go to Higgenson-Henry or to Peabody Wma. I really don't care which I hunt to tell you the truth. I just want a quality experince. I would like to think any of the Wma's could produce a large deer. I wonder if there are any that a person wouldn't recommend.
I had originally planned to hunt the LBL areas but after reading so many negative comments I have decided to look elsewhere.

Multidigits

11-27-2002, 08:52 AM

For a "once in a lifetime buck" you'd almost have to consider one of those that's been under some type of QDM. Probably Yellowbank or Green River would be a good choice. Your too late to get in on the Quota hunts on the better places

onearrow

11-27-2002, 09:09 AM

If you are coming to hunt in the next week or so I would go to Higginson-Henry before the quota hunt Dec.7&8.The terrian is rolling hills some bottoms, mostly wooded,lots of crops around the fringes and along the roads. You will see some deer if you hunt hard,there is a 15" spread restriction in place.Good luck

Sdoss

11-27-2002, 09:56 AM

I am an out of state hunter as well. I have been the last two years to Kentucky and it has been the most enjoyable hunting that I have ever experienced. Part of what makes it so great is the people like the ones who offered assistance without even knowing you.
I hunt Yellowbank when I come(usually the week of gun season). Although I will becoming back in January because I want to hunt in the snow with some very good friends that I have made there in Hardinsburg. I have never killed a deer there, but it is not because I didn't have my chances in my time there. I passed up some fine "shooters" looking for Bullwinkle.
My only word of advice if you decide to go to Yellowbank is to get in shape. We walked 45 minutes straight everyday to get where we were hunting. And it's not flat ground! I kiss my 4-wheeler right on the bumper when I get home.
Good Luck!!!

B.G.O. of Kentucky

11-27-2002, 12:36 PM

I have been hunting Yellowbank the past few years regularly, and Taylorsville here and there. LBL would be my first choice, but it is in a different league then the rest of the WMA's. Yellowbank use to show me many deer, but the pressure has gotten a bit too much for me. For a few years, I would rarely see another hunter. Last year I saw more hunters walk by my stand than deer. I also noticed a drop in my sightings of bucks. I used to see several shooter bucks on a regular basis, but after they did away with the checkin cards, I have seen very few of them. We also noticed a few deer that were obviously poached. Where you see a carcass with the head/horns removed, that spells poacher. Now with the hiking trails, I am not sure what will become of it.

LBL is fun in general for the atmosphere, no other place can you have so much territory to yourself. The deer herd was considerabley lower than they thought, thus they limited quota hunts and are bringing the herd back up now. If the QDM starts in the next year or two, all I can say is look out!

Valley Station

11-27-2002, 02:39 PM

NorthGa ,
If you want to take a good buck on public property, I would suggest hunting Daniel Boone National Forest. Doesn't get as much hunting pressure, good chance of locating an older age class buck.
WMA's that have 15" minimum width, sounds great, right?? These areas should be producing more mature bucks? Not necesarrily so.
These areas are covered up during bow season, can hardly find a place to park. Has increased gun hunting pressure on surrounding private property, where most of the recruitment of bucks are harvested during state gun season.
Here are the results of last four(4)years Quota Gun Hunts for Yellowbanks WMA ( 15" minimum WMA )
1999 - (22) anterless , (4) racked bucks
2000 - (23) anterless , (3) racked bucks ( 2- 2 1/2 & 1-3 1/2 year)
2001 - (14) anterless , (2) racked bucks ( 2- 2 1/2 year old )
2002 - (12) anterless , (2) racked bucks ( 2- 2 1/2 year olds)

Should be a bunch nice 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 bucks in the harvest! Right??
Where are they at???

NorthGaHunter

11-27-2002, 02:57 PM

I will say this you guys are really a big help. I can not thank all of you enough for your advice. I hunt some really rugged terrain in North Ga. I have a 96000 acre wma in my back yard. It has plenty of Bears,hogs and turkeys but very few deer. No more clearcutting and prescribed burning due to the sierra clubs etc... Our herd has dropped way off.... I wouldn't even consider travelling out of state if ours was managed properly. You can't kill the big ones where they aren't. You guys have to be the luckiest people on earth to get a chance to hunt whopper whitetails on a regular basis. To most in Ga it is only a dream.
The kinds of areas that I am used to hunting is probably similar to th Danial Boone National forest. I wonder if I should hunt the National forest lands and hope to find a good place to try black powder next month.
Again thanks for all the classy post to a complete stranger. Best of luck to you all.

Strutter

11-27-2002, 03:13 PM

Hey there North Ga. Higginson Henry is a great WMA but the past few years the pressure is unreal. The DBNF is a lot of country and holds some big deer if you are willing to put in some time. I know of several 150 and 160 class deer that came from there this year. Speaking of hogs. Are there a lot of them in the WMA near you? A friend and I are wanting to try them with traditional gear but have never hunted them before. Any info on them would be great.

Thanks,
Strutter

ky_great_white_bowhunter

11-28-2002, 08:21 PM

I would strike out the thought of the DBNF unless you have a lot of time to put in and I mean a lot. I hunt out there almost everyday. I go to a college that is right in the heart of the D.B. It is great during early bow, but after that it is like a needle in a hay stack. Not to mention the sightings of four wheelers and horse riders. A service road says no to four wheelers but that doesn't stop anyone. It really makes my blood boil when I walk way back into a hunting area and some idiot comes riding back into a spot where no four wheelers are allowed.

Flintlock54

11-28-2002, 09:56 PM

NorthGahunter:

Strutter is right when he says there are some quality deer in the DBNF. I have been hunting that area (Pioneer Weapons) for 30 years and there is some good hunting to be had. Another area not to overlook is the Paintsville WMA. I know for a fact that there are some 150-160 class bucks in that area.

NorthGaHunter

11-29-2002, 07:23 PM

Is there a muzzleloading season statewidw Dec 14 -20? I was thinking maybe this week I will try some WMA,s and then during blackpowder season trying DBNF. What would be some counties that I might want to check out for DBNF? Thanks for your help. If I ever meet any of you guys dinner is on me!!!

Strutter

11-29-2002, 07:28 PM

Muzzleloader is DEC. 14-20. You may want to check out Laurel, Rockcastle, Jackson. Just about any county with DBNF in it has some good deer if you look around and get off the beaten path.

Good Luck,
Strutter

P. Beyer

11-29-2002, 09:10 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NorthGaHunter
 If you had one WMA to Archery hunt for a once in a lifetime buck which one would you choose?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ballard WMA, but it's quoata only wth very few buck tags issued.

"It makes no difference whether I got anything; it has to do with how the day was spent"

Fred Bear

bigblueswami

11-30-2002, 09:14 AM

Anybody know about the WMA in Carrolton. I played golf at Perry Park and we drove past. I believe the sign said Eagle Trace. Just wondering if anyone knew anything about it. It's a short afternoon drive from school. Hmmm... interesting.[:)]

bigblueswami

11-30-2002, 09:18 AM

Drats! It was called Twin Eagle... Hiking and fishing only.

RutNBuck

11-30-2002, 10:50 AM

BigBlue did i look at the book wrong?
it says that Twin Eagle is open for deer bowhunting..as well as rabbit squirrel......
i have hunted this area in the past seen some good deer sign....also if you hunt near the river part you will see some of the otters that stay in that area..

"A wise indian once said,the more you move the less you will see,the less you move the more you will see"

" I live to hunt, but my wife says i may hunting a place to live"

NorthGaHunter

11-30-2002, 01:15 PM

Which is better Yellowbank or Higgenson-Henry?

Mach1Alan

12-01-2002, 06:28 AM

NorthGa. How ya traveling? I'm gonna be down for the month of Jan. gong to Talorsville, Higgins Henry? and LBL. The campgrounds are great in Talorsville and LBL, not sure at Higgins Henry. Maybe we could me up some where. e-mail me if you'd like Mach1Alan@aol.com and good luck.

Darton73

12-01-2002, 01:16 PM

Hey Mach1,

Drop me an email when you are headed to Taylorsville. I work out there and would be glad to help you out any way I can. Word of warning - the campgrounds in the state park may be closed in Jan., so you'll want to give them a call ahead of time. Also, we have a quota gun hunt the weekend of Jan.4th & 5th, so the area will be closed to all other use those two days.

Brian Grossman
Darton73@alltel.net

massive horns

12-02-2002, 09:35 AM

I live on the Green River. The WMA is now only 15 inch bow or gun. Hey Valley Station how bout some stats on the kills over here. N Georgia, you want a quality buck with little hunting pressure holler at me and I'll put you on them. The stats are enormous and Valley station will be impressed.

Valley Station

12-02-2002, 11:01 AM

Massive Horns,

Green WMA, Quota Gun Hunt Results
1999 - (92) bucks, (0-button bucks) ( before 15" limit)
2000 - (27) bucks ( 11-button bucks, 16-mature )(1st yr 15" limit)
2001 - (27) bucks ( 6-button bucks , 21-mature )(2nd yr 15" limit)
2002 - ( unknown )

1999 - 23.5 % buck success rate
2000 & 2001 Quota Hunts- (400) hunters took average of (18)bucks per season - 4.5 % buck success rate

NorthGaHunter

12-02-2002, 03:22 PM

Believe it or not I have already made my trip to H&H but unfortunately I had to return home because of family illness. Thank the Lord it looks as if everything is going to be Okay.
I am off the rest of this week .......Where to go now?

Mach1Alan

12-02-2002, 04:25 PM

How ya doing Massive Horns. Am coming down for the month of January and looking for a Hunt for 4-5 day's be interested in talking to ya Mach1Alan@aol.com
Thank's
Alan Ashley

GSP

12-02-2002, 04:30 PM

NorthGa, which WMA is located beside you?

NorthGaHunter

12-02-2002, 05:52 PM

Cohutta WMA.....it used to be great in the late 70's to early eighties...not anymore!

Valley Station

12-03-2002, 08:59 AM

NorthGaHunter,

What, in your opinion, caused your Cohutta WMA to go "down hill"??
Hunting pressure?? Changes in harvest totals?? Farming practices??
Increase in non-hunting use??

NorthGaHunter

12-03-2002, 03:45 PM

In my opinion there were a number of things that killed the WMA. First there was 35,000 acres put into wilderness. Now its the hunters vs. the antis from Atlanta. Second since the area is entirely
mountainous the wildlife depends largely on mast crops. The USFS used to sell timber in the forest but now are more like Park Rangers.
No clearcuts in this type of terrain is a death nail to the deer herd. In the late 70's the WMA had three Doe days where people just shot hair and that wasn't good.
We have not had a doe hunt in over ten years on the reserve and your darn lucky to ever see a track! I don't know if the blizzard in 93 killed off more deer than previously realized or if its the competition from Bears,Hogs and turkeys. It could be the coyotes. I really believe that the lack of clearcuts has killed the reserve. Without good browse deer just do not reproduce. It used to be a tremendous place to hunt but something is terribly wrong!