Appalachian Big 3 tour hunt.

Joined
Apr 17, 2018
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ANF
Starting the planning phases of a Buck, Bear, Turkey hunt tour. I live in the ANF in Pennsylvania and obviously will be amongst those trees for most of the season. Usually I roll west for an elk hunt somewhere mountainous every year, but this year I want to change it up a bit.

Call it wanting to appreciate the region I call home or wanting to embrace some OG Appalachian Colonial type of pelt hunting spirit. Taking to the Appalachians this year for some deep forests and muddy spring drainage climbs.

So far the crosshair is set on the Cranberry Wilderness in West by God Virginia. I’m specifically after the deepest darkest reach of forest I can find and this place seems to fit the bill.

I’m looking real hard at the Wayne NF of Ohio as well. Heard it’s some deep woods down there.

Might even throw a line out up in the Adirondacks.

I like to canoe into some hard areas. I love to climb rocky shit as well. Looking for the next challenge in these couple states. It’s time to broaden my horizon of the East this year. Let’s get after it!

Any recommendations of some dark heart forest shit would be appreciated. Even some bear tactics as I’m still admittedly a trash bear hunter in PA.

Pretty much it’s like running into them up here. Any tips would be taken to heart.
 

Glendon Mullins

Hillbilly Moderator
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Sep 7, 2014
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Highland County Virginia
Cranberry can be rough, real rough in the winter, plan accordingly. I have hunted on the scenic highway some up there but never overnight camped. Not many deer, but if you do see one odds of it being a good one are higher etc. You could hunt a week there and maybe see 2-3 deer. Bear are a little thicker etc.
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2022
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if you want the closest thing to western hunting head up to the Adirondacks or New Hampshire. you could also get into the smokey mountains. the Adirondacks can be rough but there are plenty of deer and bear. it can be tough to find them due to the amount of land and the fact that bears go into hibernation earlier up there.
for an easier time and higher chance of tagging out you could look at the Catskills region in NY or head down to NC. both states have a high concentration of large bears and good bucks.
 
OP
BeastOfTheTrees
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Apr 17, 2018
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ANF
if you want the closest thing to western hunting head up to the Adirondacks or New Hampshire. you could also get into the smokey mountains. the Adirondacks can be rough but there are plenty of deer and bear. it can be tough to find them due to the amount of land and the fact that bears go into hibernation earlier up there.
for an easier time and higher chance of tagging out you could look at the Catskills region in NY or head down to NC. both states have a high concentration of large bears and good bucks.
Got a couple pins up there.

Really interested in that northern region of the ADKs to canoe all over the place and hunt.
 

SMOKYMTN

WKR
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Dec 18, 2017
Messages
772
Location
Smoky Mountains, NC
Starting the planning phases of a Buck, Bear, Turkey hunt tour. I live in the ANF in Pennsylvania and obviously will be amongst those trees for most of the season. Usually I roll west for an elk hunt somewhere mountainous every year, but this year I want to change it up a bit.
Doesn't get more mountainous in the Appalachians than NC. Highest elevations east of the Rockies and there's over 1 million acres of public hunting just in Western NC alone between the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. NC is also 2nd only to Maine in estimated black bear population along the East Coast, you just have to be careful because certain portions of the Nantahala and Pisgah NF's are designated bear sanctuaries, so do your research and know which sections.
 
OP
BeastOfTheTrees
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
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ANF
Doesn't get more mountainous in the Appalachians than NC. Highest elevations east of the Rockies and there's over 1 million acres of public hunting just in Western NC alone between the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. NC is also 2nd only to Maine in estimated black bear population along the East Coast, you just have to be careful because certain portions of the Nantahala and Pisgah NF's are designated bear sanctuaries, so do your research and know which sections.
Drove through a bit of that before. Looked incredible.
 
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
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Great Smoky Mountains
Doesn't get more mountainous in the Appalachians than NC. Highest elevations east of the Rockies and there's over 1 million acres of public hunting just in Western NC alone between the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. NC is also 2nd only to Maine in estimated black bear population along the East Coast, you just have to be careful because certain portions of the Nantahala and Pisgah NF's are designated bear sanctuaries, so do your research and know which sections.
Yep. This is it. I live just outside of the Park (Great Smoky Mountain NP) and hunt public land. I hunt the Nantahala NF and love the challenge and the country. Have been here all my life and so were my ancestors for several generations.

There is a really strong dog hunting culture here and no baiting allowed so keep that in mind.

Good luck!
 
Joined
Sep 22, 2021
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454
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Western NC
Plenty of bear in NC mountains. I run into at least one or two every year. just hasn't happened where they were in season when i ran into them.
 
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